[meaux fishing]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

I was making some points about big gov't and small gov't by bringing in examples from different areas that had already been discussed in some detail in Salty Cajun and were thus familiar with many readers.

I was also illuminating some basic principles of wildlife management by referring to familiar examples. Comparison with familiar examples is a fairly common discussion approach.

Big gov't solutions usually involve increased regulations, increased costs, increased paperwork, and greater complexity.

Small gov't solutions usually involve reduced overall regulation, reduced costs, reduced complexity, and greater individual liberty while more likely to achieve the management goals.

I love Louisiana. But the amount of regulations one needs to deal with even with simple things like hunting and fishing are amazing, not to even mention the paperwork and regulations to start a business.

Suppose someone wants to buy a boat, launch at Calcasieu Point and fish in Turner's Bay. Let's count up the tasks involved to do it legally:

Acquire LA fishing license. Burden for resident license is much higher. $$$

Acquire LA saltwater license. Burden for resident license is much higher. $$$

Buying resident licenses requires one's vehicle registrations, one's driver's license, and one's voter registration to all be first transferred to Louisiana.

Register boat with LDWF. Apply numbers to boat according to regs. Paperwork and $$$.

Register trailer with LA BMV. Paperwork, $$$, and personal appearance required.

Get inspection sticker for trailer. Paperwork, $$$, and personal appearance required.

Boaters born after 1984 also need a boater education card which they must carry with them.

In addition, to the required fishing licenses, a state issued photo ID must also be carried.

The state fishing regulation book is 55 pages long, though with care, I think one can be in good shape with the general fishing regulations (5 pages) and the saltwater specific regulations (6 pages).

Fishing in a WMA has a bunch more rules.

Fishing offshore requires an additional permit.

Even more steps of licensing, registration, and regulation are required of a first time duck hunter.

Originally Posted by MathGeek

Suppose I go and complain about the trailer inspection, which is a LA requirement that most other states do not see the need for. They'll tell me I'm in the wrong place and that I've wasted my time.

Suppose I complain about the silly rule about not even possessing lead shot while duck hunting. Again, I'm in the wrong place and wasted my time.

Suppose I complain about getting cited for possessing a redfish 5 miles out. They probably won't even be able to determine if I'm in the right place or not.

One of the pernicious features of big gov't is there are so many different bureaucracies whose regulations, permitting, $$$, and paperwork requirements need to be simultaneously satisfied when doing a single thing.

I've had an opportunity to move to 7 different states in my adult life. Complying with each state's income tax requirements (state tax return, estimated taxes, etc.) has actually been much simpler (less paperwork, fewer departments, fewer checks, fewer personal appearances, much less total time etc.) in each case than complying with each state's hunting or fishing requirements.

Are you telling me that it is right and reasonable that hunting or fishing should have more burdensome requirements than paying income taxes?

Sounds to me like youre just a cheap math teacher that doesnt like to follow the laws...

Im glad out of state licenses cost more than resident, registering and inspecting trailers is a good idea. Do you want a bunch of unsafe trailers riding all over the road? Since when is boaters safety and knowing the basic rules of marine navigation bad? Not everybody is honest, photo ids tell who you are. BTW Ive never shown the WLF agent my fishing license and he asked to see my id. Why do you want to carry lead shot duck hunting, are you going to shoot some rabbits out of the blind? And the list goes on....


#draconiansanctions