H.B. 156

[Raymond]

Representative Stephen Dwight of Lake Charles has introduced House Bill 156, legislation that would limit oyster harvest in Calcasieu Lake and Sabine Lake to tonging only, and remove scrapers (dredges) as an allowable harvest method. Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana supports Rep. Dwight?s efforts to restore the decimated Calcasieu Lake oyster resource, while preserving the resource in Sabine Lake.

Calcasieu was a prolific oyster producing lake until the mid 2000s, when scrapers were first allowed as a method of harvest by the Louisiana Legislature. Since then, the oyster population has plummeted. In fact, in 2003 there were nearly 1.2 million sacks of oysters available in the harvest areas of Calcasieu Lake. Today, there are fewer than 100,000 sacks available. Both the eastern and western harvest areas currently have less than 20% of their long-term average stock size.

Support it if you wish but, this is our last/best chance to restore our reefs in our life time. The bill will probably not get a vote until June and anyone with a stake on the outcome should try to attend.

It's put up or shut up time

[4fish]

What actions should we take to supporting this?

[Reggoh]

I posted this information to FB with a link to find your legislators in the state. Email or write to your legislators letting them know they need to support this bill.

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/FindMyLegislators.aspx

[ckinchen]

Bump

Thanks for posting this Raymond

[jchief]

Everyone needs to contact their legislators and tell them to vote in favor of this bill.

[mstulb]

Please voice your support by either calling or emailing at dwights@legis.la.gov or 337-491-2315


Also list of Representatives to email:
http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Reps/H_Reps_ByParish.aspx

[dugas]

Done.

[Raymond]

Letters are useless, get off your *** and show up for the vote. Contribute a day's pay to actually make it happen. What kind of **** show would 100 bay boats at the Capitol create?

[Reggoh]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Letters are useless, get off your *** and show up for the vote. Contribute a day's pay to actually make it happen. What kind of **** show would 100 bay boats at the Capitol create?

Writing letters or emails lets our representatives know how the people that vote for them feel about certain issues. We can then see how they vote on those issues (it is public record) and follow up accordingly. If a representative or senator gets hundreds of emails and letters on a certain issue they will take notice.

Being in the chamber when the vote takes place doesn't really do much for the success of the vote. Maybe the presence of a large crowd with signage could have some impact but that needs to be planned. I'm not even sure if spectators in the chamber are allowed to make public comment in the chamber or to the committees. I would hope that Rep. Dwight and others in favor of it will be able to speak intelligently about the benefits of the bill.

I don't think anyone will see 100 bay boats from the House or Senate chamber... I was at the capitol 2 weeks ago... Most of the parking is along river road and not even in sight of the building from the outside.

[rardoin]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Letters are useless, get off your *** and show up for the vote. Contribute a day's pay to actually make it happen. What kind of **** show would 100 bay boats at the Capitol create?

Would not make a difference....unless the live wells were loaded with dead presidents and the politicos met you offsite.

[seachaser250]

Originally Posted by rardoin

Would not make a difference....unless the live wells were loaded with dead presidents and the politicos met you offsite.

Keep your pointless and useless negative posts off this thread if you aren't going to bring anything useful to the conversation. I bet you're the type that complains about politicians but never votes.

[Pat Babaz]

Welcome back Raymond, it sure was a lot more lively when you were on here regular

[rardoin]

Originally Posted by seachaser250

Keep your pointless and useless negative posts off this thread if you aren't going to bring anything useful to the conversation. I bet you're the type that complains about politicians but never votes.

You got me......