Sandy...Aftermath.....Future of Beach Access.......

[DarkSkies]

* The ones who feel it is their right, as protected by the Public Trust Doctrine, to fish any beach they please.

* The ones who feel it is their right to cross "No trespassing" Zones that are clearly marked.
(Note - I realize there is some ambiguity with these areas now that Sandy has hit... there are many areas that have barriers, but no clear signs........)

* The ones who feel it is OK to urinate on private property......

* Or take a dump on beach club property....
(Note, this happened again at the Allenhurst Beach Club Cabanas...shortly after the hurricane....the only people down at those beaches at that early time were homeowners and fishermen)

* And the ones who leave jetties littered with braid, terminal tackle, and other fishermen garbage instead of putting it in their pockets and taking it home with them.

Great points, Surfwalker, thanks for your perspective....

My response in the Deal Access thread.....
There are some there and in the border areas of Long Branch that still don't welcome fishermen, but it's understandable now that I hear it from both sides.
The recent incident where someone took a dump by the cabanas at Allenhurst, the disrespectful behavior of a small few each spring parking in a frenzy when the fish come in...

I completely sympathize with homeowners who don't want us there....and their reasons for feeling that way.

With each incident of selfishness or careless disprespect, it becomes harder and harder for me to unilaterally support the rights of all fishermen to fish these areas. We are our own worst enemies sometimes. Additionally, when we lose access, we do not have the collective committment to have a massive gathering and protest, like Finchaser and some of the fishing clubs did in the 70's.




Or threaten a lawsuit, like a good friend who hooked up with Surfrider threatened the towns of Loch Arbor and Long Branch with to gain access for surfers.
I believe that was in the 80's.

[DarkSkies]

There have been some new develoments since the beginning of this thread.
Although the county wide restrictions were lifted. it's up to each individual town to decide access restrictions, and some have further tightened access.

Many are familiar with the fisherman who was given a ticket in Deal for trespassing beyond the orange fencing.
I have since gotten calls that additional fishermen were ticketed for tresspasing there. Some who were only there for a few minutes got ticketed anyway.

The court appearance is mandatory.

The reason I was given is that the Chief is irritated that people are blatantly disregarding the orange fencing. In some cases they have tossed it from where it is to the rocks below.

Town public works workers have had to go back and replace it.
The feeling is, among higher ups, that these actions were likely done by fishermen.
Therefore there is now a zero tolerance policy.

I know some feel this is not fair, but as I said previously it is not a Public Trust Doctrine issue.
It is a safety issue, and from what I gathered from the phone conversations I had, it is an issue of disrespect. They are really irritated that a few fishermen would do that.

If you have been near that area you would notice that the orange fencing prohibits access from areas where there is a 10-15 drop to the beach. Climbing down the unstable rocks could result in someone getting hurt.

There is also looting still prevalent among many beach areas. There are some houses that got ripped up. Access to the beach in some areas would give you theoretical access to those houses.
Folks need to understand that.

Also, that any time the towns want to in the future, they can restrict access under the guise of it being a safety issue.
This may become a bigger problem than most fishermen think. I am putting it out there as food for thought.



** Anyone who predicted that some access spots will be "forgotten" is very accurate in their thinking.

[finchaser]

I have had friends escorted off the beach in Belmar and Spring Lake. Also one in Bayhead who sneak past the National guard. The Belmar beaches are closed for the next 3 months for construction as will Spring Lake. In many towns surf fisherman are despised do to the new breed of slobs who have no respect for other peoples property.
Some of the docks I have fished for years are now off limits since surveillance cameras filmed people from Mehico shiti_g in the sterns of peoples boats and cutting clams on tiop of dock boxes.

[hookset]

There is a lack of respect both in and out of the fishing community. Different world out there now. Me first, me casting in front of you in the bunker blitzes., me cutting in front of you on the jetty or as the blitzing fish move up or down the beach. Of course I dont mean myself, just an example. it's me me me first, and then think about the other guy 2nd. Sorry for the rant, that's why I like to fish at night.
All they have to do is put up more parking signs like they did on Pullman.

[lostatsea]

Stand up for yourselves and fight anyone who tries to take access away. Don't we have a right to do that? I saw the public trust mentioned. There was a guy on another site. He went fishing and a guy who owned property near the beach told him he wasn't allowed. He asked the owner to call police and try to give him a ticket. When the police came he told the cops he was allowed to fish there. They told the owner he was and the guy went back into his house fuming. Why can't we all do something like that and stage a mass protest?

[finchaser]

After Sandy many towns down here don't even know where the streets were never mind the beach access spots,this is going to suck big time for a long time to come.Many places we fished, we will proably nerver fish again.

[7deadlyplugs]

You guys are lucky in NJ. In LI allot of the beaches have fishing permit fees. Even if you walk on you have to pay at night on the East End and some north shore beaches. I have heard the NJ beaches you can go where ever you want to fish. That is a blessing in itself. Maybe you don't know how great that is.

[hookset]

The reason I was given is that the Chief is irritated that people are blatantly disregarding the orange fencing. In some cases they have tossed it from where it is to the rocks below.

Town public works workers have had to go back and replace it.
The feeling is, among higher ups, that these actions were likely done by fishermen.
Therefore there is now a zero tolerance policy.

Some a-holes busted up a barrier in Deal last week. You know it had to be fishermen. If I ever see anyone doing that I will personally drag them out of their car and crap on the hood. unbelievable.

[jigfreak]

I'm right behind you hook. Let me at em when you are finished. Can't believe the arrogance of some. Thats going to ruin it for us in the long run.

[fishinmission78]

I'm right behind you hook. Let me at em when you are finished. Can't believe the arrogance of some. Thats going to ruin it for us in the long run.

X3 - we had some good access in Brick beaches and Mantoloking. It would **** me off when dudes would come off the beach and use a hose from a homeowners driveway after cleaning fish to wash off. Do that **** at home. People don't care about any one other then themselfs nowadays.

[baitstealer]

I don't understand why guys would do that. Possibly they don't go on the internet and would not be aware if this was bad behavior or not?

[DarkSkies]

Just remember people, nothing gets solved by violence......
The way to get results is to get involved, and make your voice heard......


As the years go by I am getting very cynical about fighting for fisherman access....because of the arrogance and entitlement of some of the fishermen I have come across...I have spent hundreds of my own dollars on attending access meetings over the years, and see the same old faces.....while the majority of the surf anglers out there don't want to get involved.


You have to think how we as fishermen are looked on in the areas we come in to fish...

Ask yourselves if you always conduct yourself the way you would want someone coming through your neighborhood to conduct themselves.