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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

A Letter To The Editor: Net Kill On The Chesapeake

Joe,

There are hundreds, probably thousands, of dead fish lining the beaches in this area of the Eastern Shore, including some reports on creeks and coves. The commercial net boats were right off the shoreline of the Eastern shore (Nassawaddox/Exmore areas) of Virginia yesterday…as they have been off and on for the last several days. This “net kill” is reportedly attributable to a net on a boat from Texas breaking. We work so hard on restoring the Chesapeake. How can this be allowed to happen? Does anyone care? Does anyone have any information on a law that was rumored to have passed that restricts these boats from being North of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The authorities explain that they use their nets until they are worn out because they are expensive to replace and that they catch to the net’s capacity to maximize their catch for the cost of fuel…at who’s expense?

I know commercial fisherman, and the ones I know are very responsible. The businesses of some of them are suffering as rockfish regulations become more and more restrictive, but they do it to protect the fisheries. I, for one, would like to see the wholesale stripping of the fish that provide a healthy food chain for the Chesapeake stopped.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was in Kiptopeke last week and there were three large ships fishing just inside the Bridge Tunnel for a couple of days. It appeared that they were using a spotter plane to stay on the fish. It is hard to imagine there being anything left after they are done.

Anonymous said...

always the way, regulate the recreational guy and let the commercial rape the oceans! yup! money talks!

Anonymous said...

the last company left is omega protein, they net menhaden using the same boats you saw at the tunnel with a spotter plane. Check out the forums on tidalfish . com to read more on it

Anonymous said...

it's the big companies who come up with these regulations, draft and lobby lawmakers to push for them. It's a way for them to get around the anti trust laws. The EPA was created for the benefit of GE and other big companies who wanted to create monopolies but due to anti trust laws couldn't anymore.
It's really the democrats who bow and kiss butt of the big corps and lucky for them their supporters and voters are half wits who can't see the big picture.