I disagree. Dredging is a major problem with reef size and structure. Yall dredge and displace oysters giving them no natural habitat to "cling" onto. Not very smart for reproduction purposes. It will take years to repair what yall have destroyed. Go back to to tonging.

This probably makes to much sense but the best way to protect and expand our beds is

Tong only and dredge once every 7 years to break up muscles and revive beds

This is how you become successful

Here is the bill intotal, oystermen should make sure to read the last page dealing with penalties since it will affect your livelyhood.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...eu177_oAaXA4Dg

100% agree! There are two sides to everything and those of you here representing your way of living are appreciated!;)

There is a misconception that the majority of the oyster fishermen outlaw. I don't condone it at all and am not justifying it but how many sports fishermen keep over their limit? It's not fair to say that just oyster fishermen are "greedy". With that said I really think that we need more enforcement and checks. There are, in all facets, people that break the law. There always will be and the ones who do it one time are most likely the same to do it next time. That lake is a humongous "sandbox" and it's not my job to check other fishermen to make sure they're doing their job. It's hard enough to do mine. That's what LDWF is for. There is an enforcement division for a reason. They don't know the "right people" to check? Neither do police officers but they're out there everyday putting the fear in people. And I don't think outlaws should get just a slap on the hand for breaking the law. lol punch them in the face with some brass knuckles! That'll make them think twice next time. The ones who do outlaw give us all a bad name. It's not fair.

9x's outa 10 if you were tonging you would cull and clean and dump right back on the spot which kept the integrity of the reef instead of removing reefs completely....I mean I've had oyster fisherman come brag to me how they wiped out a secluded reef in a day....no more hump no more rock....went and checked it and I couldn't hang up a grub drag'n the bottom.:rolleyes: It cost me a ton of time and money to find those reefs and marks...I go to them now and there is nothing!! And Im supposed to be upset why, abt the reduction of permits??

Will agree with some of your post but the po po cannot be everywhere all the time. Operation Game Thief has an 800 # you can call without having to give your name for violations. I have this number on speed dial and will use it for all violations including fishing violations. If you don't believe you should help protect the resource that makes your living there is nothing left for me to say. To look the other way while someone in your business steals a resource actually makes one complicit in the illegal act IMO.

i have personally called and i do not have operation game thiefs # i have a game wardens personel number and when i called and told him the ones he sent did not go anywhere near the place or fishermen reported so more enforcement is needed i am a oyster fisherman i have tonged and dredged and dredging helps the lake if the people follow the laws the ones who are cought should loose their license for a while in my oponion

Dredging will not hurt, if the number of fishermen didn't sky rocket after they let them start dredging.
If limits are the same, it doesn't matter how you catch them.

Too many jumped on the Oyster bandwagon cause of the easy money when tonging changed to dredging.

i would like to thank u to be willing to hear our views and oponions

just beacuse they allowed the dredge is not why people jumped on the band wagon alot of the new fishermen had jobs and were laid off and when there are not alot of jobs out there to get they did the only thing they could to feed their families now they will not be able to do that

I would put $1000 that if the lake was tong only....they would have 75boats or less working the lake

This is the exact reason I went to commercial crawfishing. There was no work in the second quarter of 09 and, I had a family to feed. I did what I had to do. The reception wasn't warm for me either but, until any of them were willing to pay my mortgage, I didn't mind the occasional taunting. Some people will hopefully never understand what its like to have the way they are accustomed to living jerked out from beneath them.

Well done, you did what you had to do for your family, nobody can fault you for that.

thats y as far back as i rember there has always been at least 150 boats fishing oysters in the lake

As in this situation, you'd be surprised how many would like to fault you for it, though! Lol. To be real honest, I've never worked a harder day in my life than I did on any given day on the water. I also never enjoyed doing what I did more than when I was out there, either! Yellowjackets suck but, riding in the boat all day, harvesting what the Good Lord put here for us was great!

I know one Oyster fisherman that had 1 license when it was tongs only.
He now has 5 boats with 5 licenses after dredging was allowed.
Dredging gets a quick limit. Tonging in the winter time is not near as easy.

Just to clarify, I am law-abiding. I take what the law allows while practicing good habits to help preserve the reef such as not pulling the dredge too long and culling out on the reef so that I don't displace from the natural habitat. I do what I can to aid in preservation. And I didn't say I turn my head when I see wrong. What I meant to convey was that I don't personally go sit out in the lake at night like a cop setting a speed trap. THAT's not my job.
By the way, can you post that operation game thief # for myself and anyone else who may not have it?

Agreed. You make some good points.