Watermen ponder suit over crabbing plans

[Crabbyd]

He has to compete is his problem and I at some point am going to stop the farming.The only problem is my farm is only 140 acres it is but a spec of the total problem.There are millions of acres of farms in the watershed.He will have to adapt just as anyone does who's job goes away.

If everyone thought they were just a speck of the problem, nothing would ever get done.  Every little bit helps rather it's 140 acres or 1400 acres or 14000 acres.

[madcrabber1113]

Maybe that is the problem.Maybe if we all examined our impact on the bay we would alter our activities to have a smaller impact.A big part of the problem is that most people by nature accept no responsibility for their actions it is always someone Else's fault.We all need to do what we can.In this particular case I'm going to put a man out of  work.I am driving a 4 cylinder car.I don't fertilize my yard.I buy about 20 bushels of crabs straight from the waterman in my area per year.I employ a waterman to boost his income and get [curd] done that I need done.I have my septic system inspected every year and maintained.I have accepted my part how about anyone else?Care to share?

[Crabbyd]

Maybe that is the problem.Maybe if we all examined our impact on the bay we would alter our activities to have a smaller impact.A big part of the problem is that most people by nature accept no responsibility for their actions it is always someone Else's fault.We all need to do what we can.In this particular case I'm going to put a man out of  work.I am driving a 4 cylinder car.I don't fertilize my yard.I buy about 20 bushels of crabs straight from the waterman in my area per year.I employ a waterman to boost his income and get [curd] done that I need done.I have my septic system inspected every year and maintained.I have accepted my part how about anyone else?Care to share?

Absolutely.  First, I do not fertilize the lawn and the garden usually get a load of manure every other year.  The septic is pumped and inspected at least every other year if not every year.  I have parked my diesel and now driving a 4 cylinder Isuzu as far as the metro station and then use public transportation the rest of the way to work.  At work, we have very few trash cans as most items are recycled.  I have a composter at home and all scraps go in there or on top of the garden.  I have a conservation area in my front side and back yard and refuse to cut or trim the areas.  To most it would look like a sore spot.  To me it's mother natures fence from my neighbors.  I am in the process of having a 4 stroke installed and getting rid of my 1983 2 stroke.  All my oil products go to the land fill for proper disposal and that includes from the kitchen to the cars.  Is this all I am doing, probably not but these are the ones that came off the top of my head.  Could I do more, absolutely.  But this conversation has gone from "not wanting to devastate a man's family by not allowing him to use chemicals on a field vs. putting a commercial fisherman out of business because he can adapt" to the way you and I treat this planet.

[madcrabber1113]

Good but manure is just as bad.I don't want to put anyone out of business but I'm going to.The farmer will have to adapt or collect welfare same as anyone else who looses their job no matter what profession.I have a 4 stroke also it is great.Quiet and clean.

[crabbygramps]

He has to compete is his problem and I at some point am going to stop the farming.The only problem is my farm is only 140 acres it is but a spec of the total problem.There are millions of acres of farms in the watershed.He will have to adapt just as anyone does who's job goes away.

 That's exactly what the first snowflake said..."I'm just a little solitary flake"...Then all his friends and family joined in for a non stop 48 hour visit!!! Little, big, in between....in this instance.." SIZE DOESN"T MATTER".. It's the TOTAL that hurts!!!!!!!!!!

[crabberjon]

Tom

I don't know anything about Va and their rec vs comm counts but I can say in MD, there is NO way of saying how many crabs the rec's harvest or how many rec's are even out there.  This should be a priority to the states so they can begin to get a handle on the biomass vs harvest counts.

The priority for the state should be how much does the rec take??? Are you serious? How about pollution to the bay?

[jack1747]

The priority for the state should be how much does the rec take??? Are you serious? How about pollution to the bay?

i agree with you about the pollution but I am still in shock that MD sold almost 50,000 rec licenses in 2007    I wonder what the total would be with the unlicensed crabbers added in...   

[kcullip2006]

If everyone thought they were just a speck of the problem, nothing would ever get done.  Every little bit helps whether it's 140 acres or 1400 acres or 14000 acres.

I agree with you 100%. "THINK globally, ACT locally..."

[jack1747]

or 1/4

[crabberjon]

i agree with you about the pollution but I am still in shock that MD sold almost 50,000 rec licenses in 2007    I wonder what the total would be with the unlicensed crabbers added in...   

I agree. But recs not reporting their catch shouldn't be their top priority. Thats not to say its hould be a factor. Dnr needs to do a better job of what they should already be doing. Not even just them but the state needs to also. There are many areas where the ball is being dropped.

[jack1747]

I agree. But recs not reporting their catch shouldn't be their top priority. Thats not to say its hould be a factor. Dnr needs to do a better job of what they should already be doing. Not even just them but the state needs to also. There are many areas where the ball is being dropped.

i agree 100%.. Pollution is the #1 thing, imo.  but I am asking myself, "if the states, VA and MD, knew that the crabs were being over fished for 12 of the 16 years.... Why didn't they do something sooner... So maybe the waterman have a case.... 

[kcullip2006]

i agree 100%.. Pollution is the #1 thing, imo.  but I am asking myself, "if the states, VA and MD, knew that the crabs were being over fished for 12 of the 16 years.... Why didn't they do something sooner... So maybe the waterman have a case.... 

They did not do something sooner because every time one state who had a governor willing to do something, the other had a gov. who could care less.  This is the first time in a long time that the govs. from not only MD and VA, but PA as well, are all on the same page.  It takes, um...courage to do something a lot of people are going to be unhappy about.  And when all you care about is getting reelected, you try to step on as few toes as possible, and leave a big mess for the next guy to clean up.

[crabberjon]

i agree 100%.. Pollution is the #1 thing, imo.  but I am asking myself, "if the states, VA and MD, knew that the crabs were being over fished for 12 of the 16 years.... Why didn't they do something sooner... So maybe the waterman have a case.... 

Maybe they do and all the residents of the states should do the same.

[Crabbyd]

I agree. But recs not reporting their catch shouldn't be their top priority. Thats not to say its hould be a factor. Dnr needs to do a better job of what they should already be doing. Not even just them but the state needs to also. There are many areas where the ball is being dropped.

John

DNR has very little control over how the government spends the money on Bay cleanup.  That statement was not taking pollution into account as for that is a Governor issue and how he is wasting tons of money on his "pet" projects and forgetting about the bay cleanup.  Look at this years budget and next years budget proposal and look at the hit the bay cleanup took.  Yes pollution should be #1 priority but when it comes to DNR establishing rules and regulations, then counts should be top priority.  How can you say commercial waterman should take the brunt of the hit when you have 50,000 recreational licenses on the water (who are also helping to create some of the pollution).

[crabberjon]

John
  How can you say commercial waterman should take the brunt of the hit when you have 50,000 recreational licenses on the water (who are also helping to create some of the pollution).

When did i say that? Who said the comms or the recs were causing the pollution? Not me.  Pollution is caused by way to many things than to point the finger at one source.

[horsefly]

When did i say that? Who said the comms or the recs were causing the pollution? Not me.  Pollution is caused by way to many things than to point the finger at one source.

People, yes us people. We did it all. Just like handguns don't kill people, people kill people. We made the mess and WE all are responsible. As they said years ago back in the 70's do your part and " Pitch In" BTW, it goes much further than that, but as people we create things. It's how, what and where they are made or made of, is what the cause of the issue is.