rockhopper
05-14-2009, 05:28 PM
I saw on another site that the Canarsie Pier and the North Channel Bridge parking lots will be closed from 11:00pm to 6am starting May 14th. They posted a letter for people to send in to protest these closures. Thought I would post it here.
They can be mailed to:
Gateway National Recreation Area
Public Affairs Office
210 New York Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
We are writing this letter to urge you to restore the access that fishermen have enjoyed for the past 90 years for night fishing at the North Channel Bridge and Canarsie Pier. These two spots have been actively used for this purpose year round, and it has come as quite a shock to all of us to suddenly find gates to the parking area and hours of operation posted on the gates. Night fishing has always been a legitimate recreation of the serious fisherman, and surf fishing (mostly catch and release nowadays) is a legitimate activity that the National Parks Service should embrace rather than stifle.
We are unaware of any compelling reason for this change in NPS policy. There have been no rampant overnight crime sprees or vandalism acts here that we are aware of, and in fact there is little to be vandalized. The North Channel Bridge (NCB) parking areas claim virtually no funds from the state, and the only improvement the NPS has made to the area in four generations is the installation of porta-potties. This is sad in light of the fact that the NCB has become a cash cow for the NPS with park rangers constantly searching for uninformed kayakers to ticket for launching without a permit.
This is not to say that there are no problems in these parking areas and surrounding shoreline. There are in fact many problems. These issues however are all daytime issues of littering and partying, and I see little action by authorities to deal with them. The beach at NCB is peppered with bolts of brightly colored fabric, paper plates of food offerings, coconuts, ceramic cups and candles, and occasionally beheaded chickens, all part of religious rituals, but left as unsightly refuse. Closing the parking area at night will not rectify this.
The following was found online at the NPS website:
National Park Service Mandate:
“… to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” -Organic Act, 1916
Restricting hours at these parking areas will in no way conserve scenery, natural objects or wildlife, and will in fact impair the enjoyment of the same for us and future generations. There is no compelling reason to deny the public continued access to this area.
Do not disrespect the mandate of the NPS and the legacy of Teddy Roosevelt.
Take the gates down now.
Sincerely,
They can be mailed to:
Gateway National Recreation Area
Public Affairs Office
210 New York Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
We are writing this letter to urge you to restore the access that fishermen have enjoyed for the past 90 years for night fishing at the North Channel Bridge and Canarsie Pier. These two spots have been actively used for this purpose year round, and it has come as quite a shock to all of us to suddenly find gates to the parking area and hours of operation posted on the gates. Night fishing has always been a legitimate recreation of the serious fisherman, and surf fishing (mostly catch and release nowadays) is a legitimate activity that the National Parks Service should embrace rather than stifle.
We are unaware of any compelling reason for this change in NPS policy. There have been no rampant overnight crime sprees or vandalism acts here that we are aware of, and in fact there is little to be vandalized. The North Channel Bridge (NCB) parking areas claim virtually no funds from the state, and the only improvement the NPS has made to the area in four generations is the installation of porta-potties. This is sad in light of the fact that the NCB has become a cash cow for the NPS with park rangers constantly searching for uninformed kayakers to ticket for launching without a permit.
This is not to say that there are no problems in these parking areas and surrounding shoreline. There are in fact many problems. These issues however are all daytime issues of littering and partying, and I see little action by authorities to deal with them. The beach at NCB is peppered with bolts of brightly colored fabric, paper plates of food offerings, coconuts, ceramic cups and candles, and occasionally beheaded chickens, all part of religious rituals, but left as unsightly refuse. Closing the parking area at night will not rectify this.
The following was found online at the NPS website:
National Park Service Mandate:
“… to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” -Organic Act, 1916
Restricting hours at these parking areas will in no way conserve scenery, natural objects or wildlife, and will in fact impair the enjoyment of the same for us and future generations. There is no compelling reason to deny the public continued access to this area.
Do not disrespect the mandate of the NPS and the legacy of Teddy Roosevelt.
Take the gates down now.
Sincerely,