meeting on planer board restrictions tomorrow
- Thread starter B-Faithful
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MaxOut
Well-known member
I'm not a big fan of government regulation but in this case the suggested restrictions seem reasonable. Downside is if applied to commercial fisherman 75' planner lines will limit there spread significantly further stressing their livelihood. I’ve seen boats with lines upwards of 150'. This has been becoming a concern for many people as the use of planner boards has grown dramatically over the past 5 years. This is another example of the government having to enforce common sense to the greedy few who have none.
I think similar restrictions should be imposed on crab pot markers. All crab pot markers should be fluorescent in color with 24" reflective flags. You would think the waterman would want people to see their markers so they don't loose there pots? Most of the markers at the mouth of the Patuxent River are dark green and act as camouflage? At the very least to ease the costs of upgrading existing pots the DNR could offer free flags to commercial watermen for a limited amount of time until the law goes into effect. Watermen are already dealing with a terrible crab and oyster population on the verge of extinction and new regulations every year limiting there income potential. Any additional burden could shut them down. Unfortunately the future does not look good for Maryland waterman. I think a moratorium on crabbing is on the horizon and if I was a Maryland waterman I would be exiting the business fast. There are some tough decisions to make in the near future for the DNR. We already lost our tobacco heritage and we are about to loose the precious blue crab. Nobody wants to make these tough decisions but if something more is not done it may be too late. I for one feel recreational crabbing should be prohibited for a few years and let the waterman get back on top. Part of the trouble with having both is every bushel of crabs caught by a recreational crabber is one less to be traded at market further diminishing the market. Recreational crabbers are harder to regulate and there is no way to accurately estimate what they are taking from the waters to make a good judgment on the actual decline. I have enjoyed crabbing the majority of my life and I am willing to take a year or so off if it will help preserve the population for future generations to enjoy. Look at the Rockfish population, do you think it would be where it is today without the moratorium of previous years? We all most lost them and we need to act now to save the Blue Crabs.
I think similar restrictions should be imposed on crab pot markers. All crab pot markers should be fluorescent in color with 24" reflective flags. You would think the waterman would want people to see their markers so they don't loose there pots? Most of the markers at the mouth of the Patuxent River are dark green and act as camouflage? At the very least to ease the costs of upgrading existing pots the DNR could offer free flags to commercial watermen for a limited amount of time until the law goes into effect. Watermen are already dealing with a terrible crab and oyster population on the verge of extinction and new regulations every year limiting there income potential. Any additional burden could shut them down. Unfortunately the future does not look good for Maryland waterman. I think a moratorium on crabbing is on the horizon and if I was a Maryland waterman I would be exiting the business fast. There are some tough decisions to make in the near future for the DNR. We already lost our tobacco heritage and we are about to loose the precious blue crab. Nobody wants to make these tough decisions but if something more is not done it may be too late. I for one feel recreational crabbing should be prohibited for a few years and let the waterman get back on top. Part of the trouble with having both is every bushel of crabs caught by a recreational crabber is one less to be traded at market further diminishing the market. Recreational crabbers are harder to regulate and there is no way to accurately estimate what they are taking from the waters to make a good judgment on the actual decline. I have enjoyed crabbing the majority of my life and I am willing to take a year or so off if it will help preserve the population for future generations to enjoy. Look at the Rockfish population, do you think it would be where it is today without the moratorium of previous years? We all most lost them and we need to act now to save the Blue Crabs.
B-Faithful
Well-known member
This is what I had posted over at TF and sent to two people I know on the committee:
Anyone going to this? I will admit that I have never been to a meeting but wanted to attend tomorrow incase I could give feedback regarding the planerboard topic. However, tomorrow night is "Back to School Night" at my kid's school and I will be attending that instead. (my kids schooling trumps fishing.. or so my wife says
)
Since I will be unable to attend tomorrow night I will make my comments here as a fisherman who pulls planer boards. I am all for the marking of the boards with bright color and the flags but would like them to consider the length issue. I think that legislation regardling length is nearly uninforcable and irrelivant in the open water of the bay if the boards are marked clearly. Given that most boards pull at 45 degrees or less from the boat, even boards being pulled at 100' are a mere 50' out each side at the most. I am sure these suggestions are based on safety consideration. However I believe the 75' to be too short and probably based on the most crowded of days in more congested areas of the bay such as the Annapolis area on weekends and holidays vs the vast majority of the Chesapeake waters and waters during the week. As a planer board puller myself who uses 100' of line on a regular basis, I offer that I have never had a close call or accident with another boater at this length even on the most crowded of days. I greatly attribute that to the fact that my boards are bright orange and most often have a flag on them (on a slow weekday, I have neglected to put the flags on on occassion). As one can see from the screen shot of my gps below, even at greater than the proposed 75' that my manuverability is not sacrificed. I would go as far to say that my manuverability has increased with the use of planer boards since I can turn much tighter with less fear of tangles due to the seperation of the lines while trolling. I ask that SFAC/TFAC strike the length restriction recommendation based on the fact that it is not enforcable and the safety issue will more than likely be resolved through proper board markings alone. I ask that they leave the line length to be determined by the fisherman based on the conditions on the water. I do also fear those attempting to enforce the line length restriction making for a long drawn out process with unnecessary boardings in an attempt to enforce the law.
I believe any problems or issues in the past more than likely could have been avoided through better visability of who is pulling the planer boards and the boards themselves. Another suggestion for clearly noting that a boat has planer boards deployed would be to request that the vessel fly a flag from the boat indicating their action. (similar to a diver down flag with a different marking designated for planer board pulling vessels)
I believe the 75' mark was decided upon based on water skiing length laws in Maryland that state that a skiers tow rope not exceed 75' in length. However, I do want to note that barefoot waterskiiers can be towed up to 100' in length and most watersports take place in more confined water areas of the bay and not the open water areas of the bay. They also involve towing a person and were more likely written for the safety of the skier and not interferring with the passage of other vessels. I will note that there is no line length requirements of one vessel towing another in Chesapeake Bay as far as I could research. There are only requirements to propperly indicate to other vessels when you are towing. (Again, clear markings to who is utilizing planerboards would be more enforcable and probably more effective in preventing accidents). I will also remind the joint committee that regardless of one utilizing these planer boards or not, all on the bay are to follow the USCG steering and sailing rules for inland waters. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/mwv_files/NR_Files/Rules1-10.pdf
Here is a screen shot to the manuverability of when pulling as much as 100' of line. Had I not been pulling planer boards my circles would have had to been larger due to spreading my lures out by length of line out behind the boat.
Again, I ask that they leave the line length to be determined by the fisherman based on the conditions on the water and suggest that the marking of the boards will greatly reduce any incidents due to using these fishing tools on the open waters of the bay. I ask that drastic measure regarding line length to planer boards not be taken without seeing the effects of clearly marking the boards would have
Anyone going to this? I will admit that I have never been to a meeting but wanted to attend tomorrow incase I could give feedback regarding the planerboard topic. However, tomorrow night is "Back to School Night" at my kid's school and I will be attending that instead. (my kids schooling trumps fishing.. or so my wife says
)Since I will be unable to attend tomorrow night I will make my comments here as a fisherman who pulls planer boards. I am all for the marking of the boards with bright color and the flags but would like them to consider the length issue. I think that legislation regardling length is nearly uninforcable and irrelivant in the open water of the bay if the boards are marked clearly. Given that most boards pull at 45 degrees or less from the boat, even boards being pulled at 100' are a mere 50' out each side at the most. I am sure these suggestions are based on safety consideration. However I believe the 75' to be too short and probably based on the most crowded of days in more congested areas of the bay such as the Annapolis area on weekends and holidays vs the vast majority of the Chesapeake waters and waters during the week. As a planer board puller myself who uses 100' of line on a regular basis, I offer that I have never had a close call or accident with another boater at this length even on the most crowded of days. I greatly attribute that to the fact that my boards are bright orange and most often have a flag on them (on a slow weekday, I have neglected to put the flags on on occassion). As one can see from the screen shot of my gps below, even at greater than the proposed 75' that my manuverability is not sacrificed. I would go as far to say that my manuverability has increased with the use of planer boards since I can turn much tighter with less fear of tangles due to the seperation of the lines while trolling. I ask that SFAC/TFAC strike the length restriction recommendation based on the fact that it is not enforcable and the safety issue will more than likely be resolved through proper board markings alone. I ask that they leave the line length to be determined by the fisherman based on the conditions on the water. I do also fear those attempting to enforce the line length restriction making for a long drawn out process with unnecessary boardings in an attempt to enforce the law.
I believe any problems or issues in the past more than likely could have been avoided through better visability of who is pulling the planer boards and the boards themselves. Another suggestion for clearly noting that a boat has planer boards deployed would be to request that the vessel fly a flag from the boat indicating their action. (similar to a diver down flag with a different marking designated for planer board pulling vessels)
I believe the 75' mark was decided upon based on water skiing length laws in Maryland that state that a skiers tow rope not exceed 75' in length. However, I do want to note that barefoot waterskiiers can be towed up to 100' in length and most watersports take place in more confined water areas of the bay and not the open water areas of the bay. They also involve towing a person and were more likely written for the safety of the skier and not interferring with the passage of other vessels. I will note that there is no line length requirements of one vessel towing another in Chesapeake Bay as far as I could research. There are only requirements to propperly indicate to other vessels when you are towing. (Again, clear markings to who is utilizing planerboards would be more enforcable and probably more effective in preventing accidents). I will also remind the joint committee that regardless of one utilizing these planer boards or not, all on the bay are to follow the USCG steering and sailing rules for inland waters. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/mwv_files/NR_Files/Rules1-10.pdf
Here is a screen shot to the manuverability of when pulling as much as 100' of line. Had I not been pulling planer boards my circles would have had to been larger due to spreading my lures out by length of line out behind the boat.
Again, I ask that they leave the line length to be determined by the fisherman based on the conditions on the water and suggest that the marking of the boards will greatly reduce any incidents due to using these fishing tools on the open waters of the bay. I ask that drastic measure regarding line length to planer boards not be taken without seeing the effects of clearly marking the boards would have
MaxOut
Well-known member
I like the idea of flying a flag on your boat indicating the use of planners (should be same color as the flags on the planners) and I am checking my schedule to see if I can go to the meeting and I will offer your suggestion. I agree visibility is the main concern and would probably resolve most safety issues but there is more to it than safety.
You make a good argument but I don't think the concern is weather you are more maneuverable with planners verses not having planners. I don't think DNR cares if you tangle your lines in a turn it's the width of your overall spread they are concerned with. Longer lines defiantly are more difficult to maneuver in crowded areas than shorter lines and as you stated there is only so much space in certain areas. I think many feel it is unfair for someone to have a 300' spread with limited space. This same argument was made on crab trot lines hence the 1200' max recreational line length.
All regulations are not for the sake of safety or preservation some are to keep people from being greedy.
I for one have been trolling with planners for many years and have seen a huge increase in the number of people using planners and in the length of the lines. I generally stay away from crowded areas but can see why some people feel it is unfair when they are limited to where they can fish due to someone running massive spreads. I don’t think DNR will have a hard time enforcing this law or even mess with you for running 100’ it’s the people running 300’ and they will be easy to spot if all the honest people are running 75’.
You make a good argument but I don't think the concern is weather you are more maneuverable with planners verses not having planners. I don't think DNR cares if you tangle your lines in a turn it's the width of your overall spread they are concerned with. Longer lines defiantly are more difficult to maneuver in crowded areas than shorter lines and as you stated there is only so much space in certain areas. I think many feel it is unfair for someone to have a 300' spread with limited space. This same argument was made on crab trot lines hence the 1200' max recreational line length.
All regulations are not for the sake of safety or preservation some are to keep people from being greedy.
I for one have been trolling with planners for many years and have seen a huge increase in the number of people using planners and in the length of the lines. I generally stay away from crowded areas but can see why some people feel it is unfair when they are limited to where they can fish due to someone running massive spreads. I don’t think DNR will have a hard time enforcing this law or even mess with you for running 100’ it’s the people running 300’ and they will be easy to spot if all the honest people are running 75’.
