Tn's 34" Rule going back again!

[TeamWhiskers]

Clovis

Do you have a listing of all the email addresses I think it is 53 Democrats and 48 Repubs..
have you talked to the Director of Wildlife to see how they stand on this issue? Do you know if they have done any research on this or not since the law was put into effect?

Vince

[TeamWhiskers]

Bills Sponsored by Representative Borchert - District 75
1: HB0091 Game and Fish Laws - Authorizes unlimited taking of catfish greater than 34" in length. - Amends TCA Title 70, Chapter 4.
Failed In s/c Wildlife of CON of Conservation & Environment Committee 02/20/2007

SB0396 by Kilby Game and Fish Laws - Authorizes unlimited taking of catfish greater than 34" in length. - Amends TCA Title 70, Chapter 4. P2C, ref. to S. E,C&T Comm. 2/8/2007

EC&T: Environment, Conservation and Tourism seems to be where it is at now. I cant find any info about who is on this committee.

[ShilohRed]

Well looks like Representitive Odom is going to try to get this law reversed again for Willie Bourchart. We as catfishermen need to do our part and voice our opinions via email or call the number below and leave him a message that we don't want this changed! Leave the limit as is, no commercial harvest for fish over 34" and one per day per sportsfisherman per day.


http://www.garyodom.com/contact.htm please email or call Majority leader Gary Odom (615-741-4410) if you are against ledgislature changing the current 34" law back to where there is an unlimited and unrestricted

They are trying a different angle on bringing the 34" law back up to repeal it.
Don't look like there going to give up. So we better not.
Thanks,
PEte

[Hootowlc3]

I thought this law was voted on already.

[ShilohRed]

I thought this law was voted on already.

It was, But this one is trying to bring it back up again.
Pete

[BAM]

Here is a revised copy of the letter that we used earlier in the year. Sign , copy and paste to an email at the link in Pete's post.


March 10, 2007

Rep. Gary Odom
18A Legislative Plaza
Nashville, TN 37243

Dear Rep Odom
I’d like to offer my input about an on going effort to reverse Tennessee’s current maximum size limit regulation for catfish of 34 inches.

Commercial fishermen seem to be arguing that they have a meat market for these bigger fish, but it is believed they are selling them to operators of “pay lakes” in Illinois, Iowa and Ohio. Simply put, the fish of this size that they do sell are resources being taken from Tennessee sportsmen who buy licenses and sold to benefit sportsmen in other states!

Sport fishing for the larger, trophy catfish is a rapidly growing activity among sportsmen in states that have an abundance of them, and catfishing tournaments have become quite popular here adding important tourism dollars to our economy. Tennessee received national recognition in several major sporting magazines as the leader in this effort to protect the resource when our 34 - inch size restriction was enacted. These articles also spawned a lot of tourism dollars to our great state and now, other states near us, namely Arkansas, Virginia, Missouri, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Kentucky either have passed or are considering similar legislation.

Lastly, it is my understanding that the effort to overturn the current restriction is being made by a very small minority of commercial fishermen in our state. I urge you to help all Tennessee sport fishermen by voting against reversing this very important catfish size protection.

Sincerely,

[BAM]

We should send some to Mr Willie Bourchart, and let him know that he is in the minority.

[ShilohRed]

We should send some to Mr Willie Bourchart, and let him know that he is in the minority.


What we need, If it makes it thought this time. Is about 1000 of us standing there when they vote.
Pete

[Clovis]

Well looks like Representitive Odom is going to try to get this law reversed again for Willie Bourchart.

Where did you find this information?

[price]

The reg's for catfish have already been passed for this year. tHE 07-08 reg's are the 34" law is in effect for this year. I bought my new license the other day and checked the reg's. I quess they are bringing it back up again?

[cumberlandcat]

When you say it is passed, what do ya mean. In our favor or not?

[ShilohRed]

They can bring up a bill any time of year. And if It passes it would go into law that day.
AS for where can you find this info on Representative Odom. Call him and ask him.
Mr Odem gets it back on the floor for Willie Bourchar. As for where I received this info. Well lets say a guy on the inside.

[TBill]

ShiloRed....I saw this on your board and sent my letter in reminding him that Texans spend money in Tennessee to catch catfish too. Hope he understands.

[Hootowlc3]

They can bring up a bill any time of year. And if It passes it would go into law that day.
AS for where can you find this info on Representative Odom. Call him and ask him.
Mr Odem gets it back on the floor for Willie Bourchar. As for where I received this info. Well lets say a guy on the inside.

Well now that is a bummer. Who is that guy you say they are trying to change the law for?

[price]

I took time to email all the TN senate and house members along with all the officers of the TWRA. As an out of state fisherman that comes to TN to catfish I think that this issue is that important. I encourage all catfisherman that feel the same way to email or call all gov't and TWRA officials. I have already had several replies from gov't people today, and all were supportive of the current law and appreciated my concern.

Thanks, Philip Price

[ShilohRed]

Check this link out.
Click here: KnoxNews: Columnists
PEte

[ShilohRed]

Sorry the link did not work. Here try this one.
PEte
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/sports_columnists/article/0,1406,KNS_303_5409193,00.html

[price]

I called his office about this issue today, and let me tell you what an IDIOT. I mean a 100% idiot...MORON. I told him that I spend a lot of money as an out-of-state fisherman, and he said that he didn't care. He was an arrogant idiot. He said the commercial fisherman make the fishery better? So selling big cats to pay lakes up north makes the fishery better? I ask him if he had a biology degree and he said he knew more than all those people...yeah right. I hope that all people in TN will call and let them know how they feel about the law. After talking to that idiot this morning I called everyone that I could. I vote democrat, but her gives us all a bad name. Basically he position is that he will sell out every fisherman (in and out of state) to make money for a few people to slaughter or sell big cats that take decades to grow. I am about as angry as a person can get and I hope there are many others that feel the same way.

Thanks, Philip Price

[price]

I talked with James "BigCat" patterson today (Guide, West TN) and ask what else I could do to support the law. He said that anyone in support of the law needs to cintinue to email, call, and write letters to all politicians in TN. We need to continue to make our voices heard. The more a pain in the "butt" that we all are the better. Please call and email Bourchart (arrogant idiot) and Rep. Odom. Odom has refused to return all phone calls on the subject even Bill Dance. Bill Dance called to speak to Odom and will not return his phone call! The TN legend himself calls you and you want even talk to him? Call both these guys, send emails, letters and be a pain. Also, though contact all the people who will listen in the state of TN about the issue.

[ShilohRed]

You can bet they will get it taken away. As they are telling the other's that they will withhold there $$ if they don't do it there way.
Wish the TWRA could run it. As that is there job. Not some crazy guy that thinks hes god..
Pete

[Clovis]

Well I am going to make it a bit easier since it seems we are going to be doing this for awhile.

I am in the process of making a form you can fill out with your name and email that will send the letter given by Bam and mail it to every Senater, and Representative in the state of TN.

The good thing about the way I am doing it is that it mails one email per address instead of one email to all the addresses.

of course you will be able to edit the messege as well.

Anyone else I should put on the list of people to get the email when the form is sent?

[price]

Clovis, I would include all the members of the TWRC (commissioners), the Governor of TN, the TN Wildlife Federation. I think it would be good to send the letter to the large TN newspapers to let them see (outdoor writers) what we are willing to do to protect our fishery.

[Clovis]

well I got the page done. Just have to finish compiling the list of people to email then I'll post a link to the form.

[TeamWhiskers]

I just got in an email from Phil King today concerning all of this. We have been fighting this issue now for several years as it appears that TN is the key state now that we all have to concentrate on. Both Indiana and Alabama want laws very similar to this to save our trophy catfish as we are a Sport now is the bottom line. They just do not seem to have a clue that we are a Sport now and the amount of revenue spent in just a weekend of a Pro tournament is now estimated at a quarter of a million for a community that will be a gracious host for us.
From reading the rest of this thread, it appears that this Gary Odom is a democrat?? I am from Missouri, and do not know the politics in Tennessee, but we need to now target all the political party’s lines if he is a democrat to sway their vote if they just vote along party lines. Perhaps we need to find out who sponsors Odom and pressure those groups also if needed. This is just the way politics are played.
Next question. Has there been any research done within the TN DNR concerning the impact of the 34 inch law over the last few years? Or are they just winging it as usual. Perhaps we need to look into the actual facts if research has been done or not instead of some bar talk and greasing of palm political policy.
From the tournament stand point, there has been a difference. The Tennessee area is where you gear up to catch the bigger trophy cats for better weights at the scales. Not only from the tournament fishing stand point, but to save our natural resources from the slaughter nets to the pay ponds, we must have this law in place. Other states are watching this critical battle.
We are trying our best from the Pros as you have seen ones like Dance, Patterson, King and us here at TeamWhiskers voice what we can. We ask every ones help as we all have one thing in common. We are catfishermen and must stick together for our Sport and future generations.
Thank you for your help.
Vince Copple
TeamWhiskers

[price]

I spoke with Odom's office today, and they stated they had been flooded with calls about this issue from fisherman which is a good thing. The main idea that I got from talking with them is that many Democrats are just going along with this issue to appease fellow party members. So even if an idea is the most insane idea in the history of the world a fellow Democrat will support it because we are both Democrats. I vote Democratic and that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Catfish are not Democrats or Republicans the last time I checked. As a country we can do better than putting people in office that will not think for themselves. Odom feels that he has to sponser/support the change because he is the majority leader (Democrats). Again, if you live in TN and vote please call their offices or send emails about how angry this makes you. They need to know. I vote Democratic, but I do not support a change that is a terrible idea.

[price]

Here is the email sent back to me from his office. i also talked with them on the phone.

Mr. Price,

I am sorry that Rep. Odom has not been able to personally return your call. I spoke with you yesterday and tried to explain that Rep. Odom is not sponsoring the 34" catfish bill, the sponsors are Reps. Borchert, Pinion, Fraley, Tidwell, and Williams. Rep. Odom is very busy with over 200 bills that he is actually sponsoring and therefore must concentrate the majority of his time on these efforts. I apologize again if you feel that you have been ignored, but please know that your objection to HB 0091 has been noted and you are one of many who are expressing their opposition to this measure.

Ethan Page
Executive Assistant for Constituent Affairs
House Majority Leader Gary Odom
18A Legislative Plaza 741-4410

[Clovis]

Well When I get this thing I am working on done I hope everyone on this board will take the few seconds to fill it out simply by typing in their email, and name address and phone number to the bottom of the letter and click submit. them every senater and representative in the state will wake up in the morning with about 10,000 emails from disgruntled fisherman about this. Maybe that will help some.


I'm getting closer to getting it done every hour.

Maybe we should revise the letter to reflect the idea that they should think for themselves instead of rideing the bandwagon?

[TeamWhiskers]

Does anyone have a copy of this HB 0091 bill so we can see the legal english in it? Once we see it, then we can pick it apart and target the sponsors.


I noticed that Odom recieved the following awards..
# Received Tennessee Environmental Council's 1998 Outstanding Conservation Advocate Award
# Legislator of the year by the Environmental Action Fund
# Legislator of the year by the Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association
# Legislator of the year by the Tennessee Environmental Council
# Legislator of the year by the National Wildlife Federation

Perhaps we can target these agencies also to get more of his attention...

[Clovis]

Here you go. Is this what you want?



*HB0091 (http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/HB0091.pdf) by *Borchert, *Pinion, *Fraley, *Tidwell, *Williams. (SB0396 (http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/SB0396.pdf) by *Kilby.)
Game and Fish Laws - Authorizes unlimited taking of catfish greater than 34" in length. - Amends TCA Title 70, Chapter 4.


I may be having second thought on this thing I was doing. Do we really think the best way to go about this is to flood there emails with messeges?

[Clovis]

Should be posting a link by this time tomorrow.

Want some one to test it before I post the link though.

I'll get back tomorrow with someone.

[rwilley3]

Hey Teamwhiskers
Below is website for legislature where you can see when bills are actually scheduled for discussion/votes, etc. It also has all contact info for everyone of them as well.
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

[rwilley3]

Clovis
I sure hope they read e-mails and it can't hurt but I e-mailed everyone of them the 1st time they were discussing and I never got any response from any of them. Maybe those 3 who voted against it took them into account who knows. Seems to me they respond better to calling. I really think it would carry more weight if everyone of the people in their districts called as well as getting every person they could talk into it that live there call as well. If they know people who can actually vote for them and keep them in a job really, really don't want something and are willing to "unthrone" them I think that would be even more effective. From what I've gathered they could care less about the money these fish actually generate for the state (and especially some of their districts) from sportfishermen or what the people who actually manage our fisheries even think is good.

[TeamWhiskers]

Thanks for the info. It is a matter of targeting emails and phone calls at this point. I have done this before when this issue came up several years ago. So did BOC for that matter if we look back in the archives. What we did back then was target certain ones with well written letters nailing them all depending upon their politics of the way the message was directed. Now we are a Sport and can bring in that angle as Do you really want this group to slaughter our Game Fish Trophys and sell them off to pay ponds? We can use the media if necessary that we can target with our various issues as this will save the states resources of these fish in many ways. We can do this if we organize and work together.
So who all will help here in BOC as this will have to be an industry wide event???
This is what we did back then as it is up to us... the catfishermen to do what we can..

Vince
TeamWhiskers

[price]

Looking for this post.