Here's the problem:
Has anyone heard of the "broken windows theory", i.e. one broken window leads to many more broken windows? That is what this is. Once someone leaves trash, bycatch, etc., the next idiot who doesn't give a S$$t, will think, "oh well, someone else left their crap so I will too". Yes, I am one of those who always picks up my stuff and whatever I bring, I leave with, but I suspect, I'm in the minority. I have been many times to the "mudhole" (and the "cement dam" and "LSU" and "crab city") and several other weirs at Rockefeller. Every one of them is full of left over strings, bycatch, torn cast nets, beer cans, empty water bottles, etc. In fact, the only time I have ever ever seen them fairly clean was just after Hurricane Rita, but it didn't take long for the debris to pile up again. I was wondering how long it would take the LDWF to finally get enough and close them down.
Second problem, for a agent/warden to write a ticket, he has to witness the offending party leaving bycatch, trash, etc. before he would write a ticket. Do you really think that if the people at the weir see a uniformed agent/warden there, they are going to litter, etc. while he is present?
I think it's symptomatic of our culture and I'm ashamed of our behavior.
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