Proposed DEC Reg's

[John Jarosz]

I found the link below for the text of the proposed DEC Reg change for DEC launch sites.  I hope it's the right one. It applies to launching & leaving DEC sites:

http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/95111.html

From what I can interpret, here are some of my comments (in italics):

1. Everything in or on the boat, trailer, equipment, etc that can be seen with the human eye has to be visibly free of invasive vegetation or species. (if I miss seeing it, does that mean it wasn't visible to me?)

2. Bilges, livewells, baitwells & the boat have to be drained.  (If there is microscopic vegetation, i.e. not visible, it will still get transported anyway, so what is accomplished?  Is "visible" more dangerous than microscopic?).  My comment here is dangerous as it might  drive them to institute disinfecting.  I might leave this one out.

3. There is a statement that says "No person shall conduct any business...offer or expose for..hire...at a boat launching site." (Does that mean that fishing charters can't have advertisements on their trucks?)

4. These regs are only supposed to restrict the transport of plants & animals, but doesn't stop it. (it sounds a lot like the VHS baitfish regs to me)

5. Maybe I'm missing a link to another document, but I can't find anything about washing or disinfecting boats & trailers before leaving. I also didn't see anything on the 30 day period between launches in different water bodies that was talked about.  I prob just missed it because it's link after link after link with these convoluted gov't docs. 

If anyone finds that link, can you please post?

Additionally, to me at least, it looks like they're going after the little guy while allowing ocean going ships empty their ballast into the lakes.  That's how most of the invasive species got here in the first place.  Now they're placing the burden on us for stopping their spread. (Sorry for the editorial)

I'm going to print, highlight & send in my own comments as we discussed at the Feb meeting.  If you have the time & want to comment, the comments link is below. Please stay active.

www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/34113.html#Part59Sect594Part190Sect19024p

I might also have misinterpreted some of these things which is why I'm going to take the time to print & study the doc.  My comment #2 is dangerous.

Again, please stay active.  It's our waterway.

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

If the legislation they have up now for NYSDEC Public Review gets passed,they have an open door to amend it as they see fit.Just one thing to remember this Legislation was not sent to the NY Conservation Council to send down to the Federations for open comment period before Public Review,it is being pushed through just like the Safe Act!They never even announced that this was up for Public Review at all,if you did not drop by the NYSDEC website you would not even know they were sending this through.I would bet 95% of all boaters that this will effect know nothing about this!

[John Jarosz]

This is great reading & I hope all these comments make it to the DEC.  Mine sure will.  It seems that if laws & regs are made vague, they can then be interpreted to the liking of those who made them in the first place, which doesn't do us any good.  I still remember reading what JFK once said: 

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.”