I oppose several points in…

I oppose several points in the proposed Bait Management Policy.

To begin with, I oppose the notion of a licence for a recreational angler that chooses to trap her own bait if a fee is attached to the licence. Similarly, I oppose the notion of a logbook for a recreational angler who harvests his own bait. Many recreational anglers will not be able to maintain a logbook properly and will be non-compliant unknowingly. Many people harvest their own bait and including a logbook is simply introducing a further point of confusion or potential non-compliance.

Secondly, the proposed Policy reduces the number of legal baitfishes from the current level, as well as limiting bait to that which originates in the BMZ in which it will be used. Who has the accountability to ensure the bait species being purchased at a vendor are legal for use in that area? Does that accountability lie with the bait trapper, the vendor, or the angler? If the accountability falls to the vendor or trapper, will an angler be charged for using bait purchased at a vendor that contains contraband bait? I agree with the concept behind this proposal, but am concerned about the points noted above.

Next, I oppose the proposal that purchased bait must either be used or destroyed lawfully after a period of two weeks from the date of purchase. Many lodges and outfitters store large volumes of bait to provide to their clients. How are they to monitor which minnows they've had for two or more weeks in a tank containing thousands? On a lesser, but still relevant, scale, many recreational anglers store and tend to unused bait for long periods of time to reduce the cost of repetitive bait purchases.

Finally, the proposal to lawfully destroy bait two weeks from the date of purchase will unnecessarily increase the number of baitfishes being needlessly wasted by forcing people who at this point are tending to and maintaining their bait for longer periods of time to destroy it. An increase in the amount of dumped bait translates directly to an increased strain on the overall resource.

[Original Comment ID: 209646]