Thread: Gill Netters

Has anything ever been tried to get rid of the commercial fishermen so close to the beaches? It seems like there are enough of us with different talents and strengths to get something done.

It was a sad sight seeing those guys out Wed. when the spanish were everywhere.

I went out with a guy that ran nets for sharks one night a couple years back, just to see what he did. It was sickening what they were doing. At one point he caught a BIG ray and grabbed his knife and just started stabbing it over and over. He said they get stuck in his nets all the time and he wants to kill them to stop it from happening again.

Bubba,

Only issue with trying to get rid of the gill netters is that if you touch their property ex:move their net then you can be citied with a huge fine and possible jail time.....

But if I was in a postion to do something then it would be destructive....

The Alabama Seafood Association is way more powerfull than all the recreational anglers put together.Untill the last license holder retires ,we will have to live with them.Thanks for your imput Chad,it was good talking to you the other day.

Not a problem John

I do need a favor from you tho.

I need to use a logo off your website if that is ok. It is your logo.

To your question on what can be done?The buy out program reduced the # of net fisherman;but only those who were doing it part time or as a side job.Those netters that have a family history as net fisherman is who that is left.Government is not going to put an end to a traditional coastal business;because it looks bad to be labled;A killer of a way of life and the jobs that would be lost;by a political rival.But it might be possible get an increase in the regs.that will give the charter and recreational fishermen some protection;like they did with shark fishing,banning.Lets say the Gulf waters from the eastern boarder of the City of Orange Beach;Gulf State Park,to the western boarder of the City of Gulf Shores; gill net fishing is banded year round out one mile from the shoreline.The Department of Conservation has in years pass;(under emergancy action); stopped the dumping of by catch into the near shore waters of the Gulf of Mexico.This action was taken at the request of the City of Gulf Shores.The shark rules were put in at the request of both cities.Those of us who live in these citiies need to focus on getting the cities to intervene.We would hate it if the #1 thing for people like to do when they visit us is lessened because of this activity that is not allowed by our neighbor to the east.These fish are for sport and are not eaten in the restaurants around here anyway.

isn't there a former rat on the gs city council or has he forgotten where he learned to fish?????

Steve he worked on the buy out, as a charter operator and as a council member.The bill as it was crafted is not what got passed.He is;the last time I talked to him about the netters;is still working with the local State Reps.to put another piece of legislation forward to fill some of the holes that were created in the 1st bill.That way of resolving the issue is slow and can be delayed or sent off on a tangent or they could make changes like the last bill as it moves along.The willingness of the Depart. of Conservation to cooperate is going to be an issue;as we saw with the oil spill,as well as changes(up dateing their regs.) that has made some of them apply in areas that they were never intended to apply.But a push on both citys and tie it to the fact that Fla is more friendly to the visiting recreational fisherman might get the idea some standing,and push points.Also complaints from the guests who visit our area ;that they couldn't catch any fish because the netters got most of them;would increase the awearness .

FIRST OF ALL ,WELL SAID JIM. :bow:ALL SPRINGER CAN TELL YA BROTHERS IS GIVE THE , POWERS, LOCALLY A VOICE SAID, :spank: :spank:. ON ANOTHER NOTE. TO THE EAST WHERE THERE IS NO. GILL, AKA,MACKEREL NETTING.(NAVARRE), THEY ARE CATCHING THE MOST BIG SPANISH. MS PAT, HAS SEEN, IN YEARS. 3 TO 7 POUNDERS. EVERYDAY, FOR THE LAST 5 DAYS :spank:.WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. MY 2 CENTS , JUST SAYING.WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. NO NETS, MUCH SPANISH,WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. :yippee: :yippeeAY, AFTER DAY.WOOOOOOOOOO. :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: