River access, a T.U. issue or not?

Started by Peddler, March 16, 2007, 10:31:50 AM

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Peddler

I just ripped this off of another board:
http://www.newwest.net/index.php/topic/article/trout_unlimited_proposes_backing_out_of_stream_access_debate/C41/L41/
If, as a group, T.U. can't fight to gain or retain access to cold water trout streams I see no point in further contributing to T.U.
Many who own the access to the rivers can afford to hire specialists to oversee the conditions on 'their' rivers and grunts to do the labor on 'their' rivers.
That's my ever-so humble opinion anyhow!
The early bird may get the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: bowsreign on March 16, 2007, 12:29:38 PM

Jimmy Buffett described it well --- "They paved paradise and put in a parking lot........."

Joni Mitchell wrote that song: Big Yellow Taxi!

-wb

Lifetime TU Member!
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

peter p

#2
WB is correct on the song's author.  And covered by at least 4 or 5 other bands including counting crows, amy grant and indigo girls to name a few. 

As far as TU changing direction, I think the jury is still out on this one.  It will be interesting to follow and see the outcome and any possible fall out.   
Peter

Trout Maharishi

It also appears that the decision is not popular or widely accepted  among TU as a whole. Read the comments from TU members in MT, they are not happy :( 
"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

ohiooutdoorsman

Well, this is a complicated issue for me.

It all depends whether TU wants to be exclusively a conservation organization, with preservation of fish and their habitat, as its primary focus or a sportsman's organization with conservation as a focus but with the interest of fly-anglers as its main mission. My expereince has been, at least at my local level, is that it is definitely the latter. And from what I have read, this is the history of the organization.

I prefer to spend my dollars on exclusively on the conservation, not the fly fishing conservation effort.

I joined TU national because of this but remain periphrally inolved on a local level because its mostly concerned with stocking some local warmwater streams on public land with trout. This is then called a conservation effort by many. I make a donation to keep up the stocking every year because I fish the stream and appreciate their efforts but I don't engage in the berrating of meat fisherman for taking fish that will die during the dog days of summer anyway for not practicing C and R, which many of the local TU members do as a "conservation effort".

I think access issues are best addressed at the local level and would not blame TU national for not doing it. They will be cutting off the wealthy hands that feed them in a lot of cases. Don't call stream access issues a conservation effort. Fishing is not a conservation effort. Trying to preserve/grow fishing and fishing access is a very admirable thing to do, but it is not directly a conservation effort.

Where it all becomes sticky is the long term, big picture view. Fishing access and promoting fly fishing makes fish valuable as a resource and will ultimately grow support, both popular and financial, for the fish.

I think that stream access will be an increasing issue. What I would like to see is have TU buy critical habitat and open this to fishing as the stream will allow. Or alternatively, lobby for conservation minded land owners like Huey Lewis, to donate the land to them or the public after they die.  These would be both a fly-fishing conservation and a conservation effort. Pissing off wealthy landowners and contributors is definitely non-productive.

Woolly Bugger

#5
btw Jack,

pulling your support form TU won't help any issue.

I challenge all of you to make a commitment to the cold water fisheries by becoming Lifetime Members, heck they even through in a free rod...

If you don't like T.U. perhaps you should show your support by joining American Rivers too!

I'll match your donation to either or both groups!

https://secure2.convio.net/amr/site/Donation?ACTION=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONS&CAMPAIGN_ID=1062&JServSessionIdr004=g5go7m0r92.app8b

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Peddler

There is some speculation that T.U. on the national level is turning into an organization run by money-grubbing hacks who, much like politicians running for office, appear to be catering to the BIG contributors in this access battle.
That's what some locals in Montana are saying anyhow. Until the dust settles I'm sitting tight on any extraordinary T.U. contributions.
For now, the FFF and Anglers of the Ausable get my extra conservation funds. I've been a standing member of T.U. for 20 years or so and plan on retaining my membership as long as they keep some semblence of focus on their mission statement.
I truly love the idea of coldwater conservation. I just wish my local, wealthy and large T.U. chapter did as well.
The early bird may get the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.

ohiooutdoorsman

Never heard of American Rivers.....how does its approch differ from TUs?

Looked at the website and it sppears spot on with its agenda IMHO.......

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: ohiooutdoorsman on March 17, 2007, 14:19:37 PM
Never heard of American Rivers.....how does its approch differ from TUs?

Looked at the website and it sppears spot on with its agenda IMHO.......

total watershed conservation, not just coldwater issues
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Woolly Bugger

Jack, I just donated $100 for you to American Rivers....

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Peddler

Quote from: Woolly Bugger on March 17, 2007, 14:38:35 PM
Jack, I just donated $100 for you to American Rivers....



Yer a good man, Woolly!  0--0
The early bird may get the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Busta Brown

#11
If people keep moving into NC and VA like they have over the last few years I think this issue will become nearer and dearer to all of us as we see less and less streams and rivers we  can fish. I don't know if it is a TU issue but it better be someones issue before it is too late.

Jeff

Peddler

Quote from: Busta Brown on March 23, 2007, 21:01:24 PM
If people keep moving into NC and VA like they have over the last few years I think this issue will become nearer and dearer to all of us as we see less and less streams and rivers we  can fish. I don't know if it is a TU issue but it better be someones issue before it is too late.

Jeff

There is safety and VOICE in numbers. The fishing protection in Michigan only got stronger a few decades ago when many moved there for good paying automotive jobs.
The early bird may get the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Woolly Bugger

Nature Conservancy has been a good friend it protecting wild places.....
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!