I'm not a land owner, but I don't know as I agree with this for several reasons. I want a legitimate answer to these questions if you decide to respond.
What is the definition of tidal or navigable water?
Why should land owners pay taxes on property that is only accessible by a canal or mud boat trail that they paid to have dug, through LAND, on their property, and why should the general public all of a sudden be allowed access to that?
Natural bayous and rivers that have been around forever are one thing, and I understand that, but pieces of marsh that have land-locked ponds are another thing. Just because someone may want to access their property through means of digging their own trails should not mean the general public can access them as well.
Fishing is one thing, and I'm not so worried about it. Duck hunting is a whole other issue. I think this bill deals mostly with fishing rights, but there is going to be tons of people who think they can go duck hunt any marsh they want now, IF this bill passes. If I buy a piece of property and build a driveway onto it off of a major highway, that doesn't mean the general public can have free use of my land. This should be no different with marshes.
This is going to lead to a lot of chaos, and I think it will only hurt the public. Landowners, and I would too, are going to levee off and build weirs/put up gates to their properties.
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