MA proposal to close river Herring for 2006

[whiplash]

Shut it down! The Mattapoisett River has been shut down for two years now and the numbers are still falling. I don't think you can point a finger at one thing as the cause of the decline of the herring ,it a combination of many things . Poaching ,drought ,commercial fishing - can the commercials really tell the difference between river and sea herring when they drop a set? NO
Also I believe the water quality of the runs has a lot to do with it. With more and more Chem-lawn houses along our rivers as well as septics that may or may not be up to par dumping nutrients into the rivers ,who knows what that does to the survival rate of the spawn. Then when you add to the mix dropping watertables your screwed .The Santuit River had a great run when I was a kid , now it is nonexistant. With all the golf courses drawing down Santuit Pond there isn't enough water for the run. Look at the color of some of our bays by May or even earlier if they're shallow They look like pea soup! Check out Shoestring Bay with primordial alge mats by the end of May. Not only does the state need to close the runs but it needs to take control of development and enforce the conservation laws insted of the local Conservation Commissions who let things get by with a wink and a nod to the good old boys or because thier threatened by lawyers and developers if they turn them down .
The entire system needs to be looked at -closures , environmental resources and law enforcement. WE need to organize and hammer our state reps ,go to town meetings and even Con Com meetings to let them know we are watching and we don't like what we see. WE need to put aside the its not my town ideas and let the State know that we all vote and WE need TO vote!
I'm sorry for the rant but after 12+ years on Conservation commissions and moving back to SE Mass and seeing the changes ,I have become a little discouraged ( ya think) with the state and local govs as well as the population that has let it happen. I know you can't stop change but you can control it. I'll stop now - I think I've had too much coffee.

[NEXT2NUN]

I'm with you 100%. Shut it down across the board for as long as it takes to recover. Maybe if we set an example, the ocean herring reduction fleet might catch on.!!!