URGENT - CT Regulations!

[Savayman]

URGENT!

So here is the update on CT Fishery Regulations and the Trophy Carp Waters and Creel Limits.

There is a meeting TOMORROW to get exemptions to allow unrestricted bow fishing in the following areas. CT River below Middletown, Housy below Derby Dam and the Quinnapiac River.

It is therefore critical to send an email and request that NO decision or exemption to the new regulations be made WITHOUT allowing all interested parties to be engaged in the discussion.

Please send you email to: envtestimony@cga.ct.gov

Please also consider contacting Senator Craig Miner who helped support the new CT Fishery Regulations

http://ctsenaterepublicans.com/contact-miner/

Here is my response below. PLEASE feel free to copy and paste my response or send your own email - but do it today! Also go to the link for Senator Craig Miner who supported the CT regulations and use the contact form to voice your concerns.

Re: Meeting of Environment Committee on Wed March 14th 2018

As a catch & release angler who supports and endorses the Connecticut Trophy Carp Water and Creel Limit regulations for common carp I am extremely concerned to hear that there are changes or amendments being sought without an opportunity for discussion among ALL interested parties.

It is my understanding that the changes would give an exemption to bow fishing on the CT River below Middletown, the Quinnipiac river and below the Derby dam on the Housatonic River. These are without doubt the areas bow fishers most wish to target as it gives them the easiest access to kill Trophy sized carp, especially when spawning in shallow coves and marsh areas.

Bow fishers focus on killing big fish. This is perhaps the greatest area of contention for regular rod & line anglers. A single bow fishing boat can boast of killing 20-30 trophy sized carp in a single night. Carp are long lived and a specimen carp weighing over twenty pounds may be 10-12 years in age and a 30 considerably older. Killing these valuable trophy fish not only destroys the sporting opportunities for the growing numbers of catch & release anglers but can also have significant impacts on the natural environment and balance of fish populations, including native species.

While common carp are sometimes considered ‘invasive’ they are not to be confused with Asian carp species. In many waters such as those in New England they have become naturalized and rarely if ever pose the water quality issues or over population that some claim. Where you find trophy sized carp you will invariably find trophy sized bass, pike, walleye and other species.

Catch & Release Trophy carp fishing has seen a significant growth in recent years here in North America and especially Connecticut. It is already valued at over US $ 7 billion in Europe. CT has seen significant revenue growth for local businesses who sell carp angling bait and tackle and many others who benefit from the influx of visiting anglers. The new carp regulations (without exemptions) would certainly support further growth.

The new CT fishery regulations provided ample opportunity for discussion over the past year.

I would respectfully request that the regulations remain unchanged without any amendment for such exemptions. I am opposed to any exemptions or changes to the recently adopted CT regulations for Trophy Carp Waters and Creel Limits until ALL interested parties have had an opportunity to be engaged in further discussion.

Sincerely,

"Add Your Name"

[(TN) Cannonball]

Sent a minute ago.  Good luck!!!

[(RI) pickerd]

Just sent my message.  Never easy.....good luck.

[(MO) MOCarper]

Sent mine with a personal note as well................good luck!........CAG needs a more solid footing and stronger voice-we will be over-run with the money and politics of bowhunting, culling, mis-information, etc. across the U.S.......................

[Jaffar Syed]

Sent..

[MarkR]

I sent and so did my son. 

[(GA) needmotime2fish]

I sent mine several hours ago.   I pretty much used your letter, but added a few comments of my own, including -- where you said, "Where you find trophy sized carp you will invariably find trophy sized bass, pike, walleye and other species.", I added as an example of carp and other species co-existing well, that a few years ago there was a new TN state record largemouth bass caught in Chickamauga Lake, part of the Tennessee River that has long been recognized as trophy carp water.  

I also said that some day I hoped to "be able to cite the new CT regulation (as it exists) to the legislators in my own state, as an example of a reasonable, fair-minded, and forward-thinking regulation".

[Aaron W]

Also sent.

[Savayman]

Thank you everyone. I’ll be posting an update as and when I get more information. 

[(CT) Lee]

sent mine to,i still find it so strange,why would anyone want to shot a carp with a bow and arrow ?