Sabine Dockside Shrimping Shut Down

[swglenn]

Dockside shrimping ends in Sabine National Wildlife Refuge



People were so piggy in the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge that they won't be allowed to cast nets for shrimp from dockside any more.
View full sizeU.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceSabine National Wildlife Refuge
They can still toss the nets from boats, with longer hours for that sort of shrimping. The 124,511-acre refuge in Cameron Parish, the largest coastal marsh refuge along the Gulf of Mexico, includes about 300 acres of canals and bayous that will be open for cast-net shrimping, visitor services manager Diane Borden-Billiot said Thursday.
But dockside shrimpers left so much trash -- and showed so little interest in a proposal to close the docks to them -- that the docks and banks at Hog Island Gully and other spots around the refuge are now no-shrimping zones, she said. The other spots include Northline, Blue Crab, West Cove, Blue Goose Trail and The Wetland Walkway.
The refuge south of Hackberry is one of the few places in southwestern Louisiana where shrimp are easily caught with hand-cast nets, officials said.
Damage from Hurricane Ike had closed the Hog Island Gully recreation area for two years but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reopened it last September. It had to be closed for cleanup Sept. 24, officials said.
Rotting fish and other trash littered the wide, shallow fishing docks. People ignored signs telling them to empty their catch into baskets, separate the shrimp and return fish caught in the nets back to the canal. Other trash included ripped nets -- some still full of fish -- and bottles, cans, bags, coolers, socks, hats and shirts.
People also double- and triple-parked in the adjacent parking lot and parked illegally along the highway.
"We haven't had another open shrimp season since then," but invited the public to offer ideas for keeping it open, Borden-Billiot said.
She said only eight people went to a public meeting and only two others submitted comments, one by phone and one by email.
The suggestions either had already been tried, such as posting signs about the rules, or were too expensive, like staffing the docks full-time or setting up hoses to wash down the docks, which don't have any water lines to them, she said.
The new rules were made final Thursday.
Boaters can now cast nets from dawn until dusk, instead of starting at noon.
"That will open up a lot more space and time," Borden-Billiot said. "We will be eliminating those crowded small docks and recreational sites."

[longcast]

I know from experience there are only a few places to fish and shrimp from land. These people destroyed one of those few places. ***. I would shut it down also. I always picked up after myself. I want my kids to be able to have a place to enjoy the outdoors.

[jrisen]

It became a chore to go there and throw your cast net. People (TPT) thought they owned the place. My father-in-law and I went to the open meeting and let me tell you, the other people that showed up at the meeting represented the TPT very well! One guy had no ideas on how to keep it open, but instead took the opportunity to ask why his brother and uncle, both of whom were arrested during a fish and games sting a couple years ago, were fined different amounts of money!! Way to sway the panel guys. I say good riddens to the riff-raff.

[BayBolt23]

Some people are just too frickin lazy to pick up after themselves! I mean its easy bring you shiot in you bring your shiot out! Its simple

[Gerald]

"We will be eliminating those crowded small docks and recreational sites."

Does this mean that the small docks will be taken down? Does this also mean that "crabbing" from the docks will be eliminated?

I guess the only way to crab at Sabine NR will be from the bank.

Back when Hog Island Gully reopened....... I stopped there just to see what the people were catching. It stunk from all the dead fish left on the dock. Also there was lots and lots of other trash. I am glad it is closed now......there maybe more shrimp to catch from my boat.

[evis102]

How will I earn money to support my drug habit now?

[weedeater]

Originally Posted by evis102

How will I earn money to support my drug habit now?

have to depend on food stamps and wellfare for that now

[Gottogo49]

Sad, sad, the many suffer for the ill deeds of a few.
And if the few slobs cast from their boats and dump dead fish at the launch when they clean out their boats, the cast netting will be shut down completely.
The only solution may be if you see litter and dead fish left by others, pick it up and clean it up or the refuge will be closed.

[Ray]

It's like that almost anywhere people cast net.
Civic Center steps has small bait fish all over it in the morning.
There is an old man who cast nets there in the summer at night.
He leaves everything except the shrimp on the docks and steps.
The marina dock has no fishing signs and he still cast nets off of them.

[Hebert]

they've finally succeeded in pushing the average poor person out of the area, not everyone can afford a boat.....they stopped the roadside crabbing...now this...they've changed the rules to building at holly beach so that now only rich people can afford to be there....no matter what you think about dead fish on the bank...these areas have been open to the average cajun forever..and now they've been ran off...

[1fastmerc]

I agree that is sad that the ones who obeyed the rules and laws are being punished. But how else do you stop the inconsiderate idiots who trash some of the only places opened to the public. I don't blame the officials who closed it, I blame the morons who trashed it.

[Montauk17]

I agree with cleaning up after yourself,but closing it it ridiculous. They should have just made it a huge fine for leaving by catch and other trash. Not everyone can afford a boat these days.

[specktator]

I have showed up at Blue Crab to fish and the entire walkway across the weir was covered in baby pogeys. It smelled awful. Trash everywhere. Are they closing castnetting in general, or just for shrimp?

[southern151]

The folks that would likely be getting big fines wouldn't likely pay them anyway. Too bad a lot of good folks got ripped by a few a holes. That's our country today.

If someone had slapped this piss outa a few of those destroying the place, it may have stayed open.

[huntin fool]

Originally Posted by Montauk17

I agree with cleaning up after yourself,but closing it it ridiculous. They should have just made it a huge fine for leaving by catch and other trash. Not everyone can afford a boat these days.

Closing it was the smart thing IMO.

The do the whole fine for litering state wide, they could have enforced it there, but did they? No.

That would been the smart thing for the state to do, sit and write fines.. Could have made bank

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by evis102

How will I earn money to support my drug habit now?

Trade ya 1 oxy fer 10#'s skrimp

["W"]

This is great news!!!! Bunch of drunk rednecks throwing c h it all over.... Flys and trash all over the banks and parking lots..... If a human can not follow rules...take them away,,,,,

[Montauk17]

Originally Posted by huntin fool

Closing it was the smart thing IMO.

The do the whole fine for litering state wide, they could have enforced it there, but did they? No.

That would been the smart thing for the state to do, sit and write fines.. Could have made bank

Exactly my point,if they would hire one person to write fines they could make alot money.And the good would not have to suffer from the bad.

[huntin fool]

Originally Posted by Montauk17

Exactly my point,if they would hire one person to write fines they could make alot money.And the good would not have to suffer from the bad.

My bad, I miss read your comment, but it really would be smart just to sit there, heck even disguise your self and write tickets!

[Hebert]

Originally Posted by huntin fool

it really would be smart just to sit there, heck even disguise your self and write tickets!

thats the thing..they aren't really interested in stopping the littering, they now have their excuse to just close it from the people...and be done with poor people and people without boats and family's that used to go there with their kids to catch crabs and shrimp.