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your help is needed quickly!

4K views 19 replies 4 participants last post by  Pastor John 
#1 ·
At this time, there is a bill going before the Tennessee legislation which is trying to EXPAND the use of commercial nets to some sacred striper waters in East Tennessee. As a part of the bill, $750K is to be apportioned from the sales of SPORTFISHING licenses to study the effects of allowing the expansion of commercial gill netting. WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN. In this economy, where every penny is needed to maintain the system that is hanging on by a thread, the system which maintains our sport fisheries, the LAST thing it needs is this unnecessary burden!

WE CAN STOP THIS. But you MUST act quickly. All you have to do is send an email. But it must be sent within the next 3 days as the vote is on Jan 12th. There have only been many comments sent to the TWRC (TN wildlife resources commission) speaking against this misuse of funds and resources to benefit the spread of commercial fishing, but we need all the help we can get. I hope every one of you sends your comment, and we fishermen, united, can prevent this loss.

You need to use the subject: "Paddlefish Plan"

Here is the list of emails, all you have to do is copy and paste:

lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov

sen.mark.norris@capitol.tn.gov

sen.bill.ketron@capitol.tn.gov

sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov

sen.mae.beavers@capitol.tn.gov

sen.jim.kyle@capitol.tn.gov

sen.lowe.finney@capitol.tn.gov

sen.andy.berke@capitol.tn.gov

sen.beverly.marrero@capitol.tn.gov

speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov

rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov

rep.steve.mcdaniel@capitol.tn.gov

rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov

rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov

rep.debra.maggart@capitol.tn.gov

rep.ryan.haynes@capitol.tn.gov

rep.barrett.rich@capitol.tn.gov

rep.vince.dean@capitol.tn.gov

rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov

rep.tony.shipley@capitol.tn.gov

rep.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov

rep.craig.fitzhugh@capitol.tn.gov

rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov

rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov

rep.joe.pitts@capitol.tn.gov

rep.gary.moore@capitol.tn.gov

rep.barbara.cooper@capitol.tn.gov

rep.lois.deberry@capitol.tn.gov

rep.sherry.jones@capitol.tn.gov

Here is a suggested body to your letter, just change the "Southeastern" part to whatever region you live and put your name at the bottom.
or you can choose write your own:

I'm writing in regard to the recent undertakings of Senator Jim Summerville and Representative Frank Niceley regarding the promotion, expansion and endorsement of commercial fishing in the lakes of Tennessee.

I, like MILLIONS of other Southeasterners, am an avid recreational angler. The time that I spend on the water is of immeasurable personal value and I maintain a tremendous appreciation for our beautiful and magnificent lakes.

I'm very concerned and highly disappointed in the actions of Senator Summerville and Representative Niceley as their desire to increase commercial harvest in our waters could prove devastating to our fisheries. Commercial gill nets are not selective about what species are harvested and they will catch anything that swims, and everything they catch, they kill. The by-catch of commercial netting has devastated fisheries all over America and is only beneficial to those few that engage in the practice. In Tennessee specifically there are approximately 250 commercial fishermen, opposed to over 800,000 recreational anglers. This legislation is glaringly engineered to the benefit of very few, at the expense of many.

I'm writing to ask that you please help recreational sportsmen and women and help defeat any legislation that expands commercial fishing in Tennessee. The thought of seeing hundreds of thousands of dead "by-catch" sport fish floating on the shores of our pristine waters is sickening, and I'm asking for your help to defeat any legislation that promotes this activity.

With my sincerest appreciation for your time and consideration,
 
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#2 ·
MJMCCLURE...I agree with your protest & will start sending mail...If you don't snip it in the bud now, It'll only get worse as most commercial issues usually do..Once they start, they will always demand more allotment. also political campaign funding,& more bycatch kill etc..It's funny how they support the politicians who vote their way..Work hard now my friend..It's pretty late now ,but I'll start early in the AM .........Jim. :salute:
 
#8 ·
I sent an e-mail to each of them individually. I grew up in East Tennessee and fish there often. I wrote the Wildlife people about this several months ago.

This is the first I have heard of a vote on the 12th. If this is the case there are several other lists that I need to notify.

Can you tell me how you heard this?

I want to thank you for posting the e-mail addresses of the legislators. It made it easy for me to send my comments.

All striper fishermen should help protest this legislation. The East Tennessee striper fishery is one of the finest in our country. Let's all help save it.
 
#10 ·
Thank you John for the TWRA comment link! I just received that information also and have sent another email to them as well.

Comments may be sent via email to TWRA.comment@tn.gov with "Paddlefish Plan" on the subject line!

The TN state representatives unanimously passed legislation trying to force the TWRA to do this study. But as it stands right now the TWRA commissioners sent the proposal back to the assembly asking for funding. The assembly can either fund this study, force the TWRA to fund the study, or not do the study. The representatives needed to hear our voices on this matter. They are the lawmakers for the state of Tennessee and they need to know how "we" feel about it. I don't think it's right for us sport fishermen and taxpayers to fund this study that will kill countless numbers of fish. I was trying to act in a timely manner due to the fast approaching deadline. Hopefully, and I'm sure our responses will, and have made an impact.

Thanks for everyone's help! I'm sorry if i didn't give enough time, I just acted as soon as I could!
 
#13 ·
jmcclure,

I greatly appreciate your attention to this issue. And thank you for the links to the legislators. I have passed on the links and I know several people have sent opinions to them.

I fish in East Tennessee and it is a treasure for all striper fishermen and all fishermen in general. We have some of the most beautiful and productive lakes in the world.

I want the legislators to think of this issue as political poison. If opposition is expressed before legislation is enacted, it will put fear in the hearts of the legislators.

I stated in my letter to them that we are watching this issue closely and we would support anyone who helps defeat it. Conversely, we will agressively seek to defeat and remove from office anyone who votes for it.

The issue is that a few commercial fishermen want to use gill nets in our lakes to catch paddlefish for their roe. They must kill the fish to get the eggs. These fish are an ancient species and are slow to reproduce. Killing them in mass has the potential to wipe them out. And gill nets will kill massive numbers of all game species. This must be stopped.
 
#19 ·
Looks like they're dragging their feeton this bill..Hopefully the letters helped,,,Seems Japan didn't win WWII ,,but they're slowly destroying the USA...California Herring Roe is a major export..Coincidently Our herring counts are really low....I wonder why//No trees left in Japan...so they buy our lumber ,& our northern coast states are clear cutting down to the rivers...No water retention & ruins the fish beds..no gravel left..and i wonder where all the menhaden are going?Also strange the oil companies didn't know the alaska oil ( which we paid for ) is not fit for our air quaility...But it's fine to ship for japan...You would think they would have done some tests on it prior to the big pipeline....And then again maybe they did know...As long as the money comes in...Now they want netting in Tenn lakes, with all the bycatch kill...Who the hell won the war???????When they getin the nets, then the commercials will want more & moreTill its gone...Sound fimiliar East coast??.....................Jim
 
#20 ·
I received another response from a state senator. Lets keep the heat on. Good going Senator Beavers!!

Senator Beavers will not be supporting expanding commercial fishing.

Patti Saliba
Office of Senator Mae Beavers
Chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee
7 Legislative Plaza
Nashville, Tennessee 37243
615/741-2421 or 1-800-449-8366 x 12421
Fax: 615/253-0205
 
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