CSBA
"Steelies",.... After reading the WA letter, agree that CSBA did endorse spearfishing for Striper in fresh/salt water. However, if you read the two prior sentences, CSBA members, "....showed up at the discussion meetings sometimes 400 at a time." That indicates to me that their endorsement could be modified or withdrawn with some effort. Also, CSBA is not the only organization around that might have an interest in this type of effort.
Short of making proposals to the commission to change this regulation, there's still the potential for approaching the Sacramento County Council with a proposed clarification to close the supposed "loop hole" allowing disassembling and reassembly of spears on the parkway to attempt to avoid a citation. This proposal could specifically ban that activity making the job of law enforcement easier. The impact of this change on the American River might be the reduction of the number of spearos upriver.
Realize, this is an emotional subject for everyone but if changing this situation is the choice, we need to recognize that many spearos are, also, fly and hook/line fisherman. They and Salmon/Steelhead above anything else crowd may/will oppose or at least not support this activity. So, it seems to me that an effort like this will need to include an educational component to "sell" the benefits of whatever our proposal(s) will be.
In reading the WA letter, it's evident that they approached their proposed change in an organized and reasonable fashion, and kept at it over the course of year(s). This type of effort would require time and won't be easy and unlike the spearfishers proposal, any attempt to modify or repeal the F&W regulation would be opposed.
Anyway, SeanO thanks for your support....
"America is a country which produces citizens who will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but won't cross the street to vote."
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