Anybody see my post about the minnow ban?

[Roberta]

It's on the main crappie forum.If you use minnows not raised in Ohio, you may be out of luck during next year's crappie spawn.

The article is in Sunday's sports section of the Dayton Daily news. http://www.daytondailynews.com
It's Jim Morris's OUTDOORS column.

We're thinking about getting a net to catch our own bait. - Roberta

[bttmline]

Roberta
I saw it and heard about this the day of the Slabfest. I don't understand how something like this could happen. It is going to not just affect anglers.
Thhis is going to kill some of our mom & pop bait shops as well as the many bait distributors in our state and all the other states that border anyone of the great lakes.
Many people don't release this can also effect our hatcheries. For the folks out there that does not know, West Virginia actaully owns the Ohio River which means they own the Sauger we use to cross with walleye to produce saugeye fry. This law would restrict the fish to be brought into Ohio, this would be considered importing.
The bad thing is the virus like zebra mussels and gobies has been brought into our great lakes by large ships. And the damage has already been done.
I hope all who reads this will call your congressman and senators to voice your opions on this matter.
Tim

[Roberta]

Well put. Not only will the mom & pop bait shops lose out, the mom & pop minnow hatcheries in Wisconsin and Minnesota will, too.

Another thing that will be hurt is the bi-annual Ohio trout release. We trade Ohio raised channel cats to Illinois for steelhead breeding stock.

Has anything been said among the crappie clubs? - Roberta

[bttmline]

Just to contact everyone you can to protest this new regulation. This thing is to become effective very soon. I am looking for a flyer I received that had the phone numbers to call and voice our displeasure with this. When I find it I will post it. Another thing is this is not just Ohio. It's any state bordering a great lake.

[charlie H]

bttmline
need info on the new minnow regulations ,Here it will effect IN also.

[charlie H]

can't find the info regarding the new regulations proposed on importing fish& minnows.

[email protected]

[fryguy]

what happened to all the people who worked at the typewriter shops when computers came out? did people get all up in arms about that? i doubt any mom and pop bait shops are going to go out of business because they can't make that huge fortune in selling minnows, come on. it is an inconvenience for fisherman but we (like the store owners) will adapt. ohio will probably begin raising their own fish to stock in their waters. that action would bring jobs to the area, which people should like. the great lakes have been treated like sewers for way too long and i applaud any action taken to try to stop the influx of exotic pests. do you really believe that zebra mussels and goby are the only things that might be able to move into the area and screw things up more? yeah, they're messed up, but things can be fixed or at least stop the continued destruction. most of our major waterways were horrific before we passed the clean water bill. everyone said then "why bother, damage is done". look at those same rivers now!! there is always a reason to "bother". this will not change the quality of our waterways anytime soon, but decades down the road who knows?

[bttmline]

I apologize if anyone thought I meant to do nothing By all means we must do everything we can to keep our lake and rivers as clean as possible. But I don't believe this regulation of not allowing the importing of other states fish and bait will stop this. If they want to stop the invasion of foreign pest and disease they must regulate the importing of FOREIGN fish and disease. I can't see the harm in collecting sauger from the Ohio River for the breeding of saugeye just because West Virginia owns the river. We share the water for all other means. I believe there can be a form of inspecting the bait or fish before transporting, like they do with food. That is all I am saying.
And there are plenty of jobs to be lost in the other areas that already raise minnows for sale. And I do believe there will be great damage to local shops as well as the bait distributors. I just hope this doesn't hurt anyone but why is it always the sportsman that has to suffer.

[fryguy]

i also apologize for being a little "thorny" in my response. i do not live in ohio, but i have been watching this imported fish issue with great curiosity. it is not just the sportsman that suffers though. many areas in michigan, indiana, illinois and i believe ohio have firewood quarentines due to emerald ash borer. my in laws are being forced to cut down a large, beautiful ash tree in their front yard at significant cost to them because they live in a county where the borer has been found. exotic pests are becoming increasingly costly to everyone in the world, not to mention the environment, so truly everyone suffers. it is something i think everyone needs to get used to. just this spring zebra mussels were found in my home water of Lake of the Ozarks. we don't have any barges or commercial boats driving in their. thsoe buggers were carried in with minnows that were dumped into the water and recreational boats that were launched into the lake by an irresponsible boat owner who did not properly clean off his vessel. exotics are a major problem that everyone needs to be aware of. just wait...soon enough people will be urged to spray their boots with bleach water after an out of state/county hike. wouldn't be a bad idea.

[Roberta]

But fatheads are still exempt.

I agree that fishermen will adapt. Bass fishermen abandoned live bait for the most part, years ago. My complaint is that this just isn't thought out. These states all share water as it is. Maybe quarantine the Great Lake states and keep us from selling fish to other states, but between us? Doesn't make sense.

The death warrant for the Great Lakes was signed when the Welland Canal was opened. - Roberta