Commercial and Recreational Fishermen -- Separating Truth from Myth

[fishlipper]

Wanted to ask who knows what the bunker story is in Great Kills?

Spent a few hours in the morning the other day talking to a coupla Sr citizens. They're mad as hell, and seem to be accurate in their stories, but I have no solid proof, just the angry words of about 10 guys who go there every day to hang out.

This is what I heard happened:

1. bunker have always been filling that harbor, no problem, enough for all.
2. 2 years ago, a Staten Island commercial guy, and a Jersey commercial guy, were (allegedly) netting way more than everyone else, almost ruining the resource.
3. Last year, commercial netters were banned, and the SI guy (allegedly) had his boat impounded for being caught there too many times.
4. this year, in conjunction with the tackle shops, laws were passed to allow the commercial guys a permit.
5. (Allegedly), each SI tackle shop is allowed to have one guy net for them under the terms of the permit.
6. (Allegedly) these commercial guys are taking way more than enough for one tackle shop, coming to the bay 3 times a day to net all the bunker they can.

I am a newcomer to SI, and I realize there are 2 sides to every story. I spent a few hours there Sat morning, and along with the seniors there, I saw these guys net many hundreds of bunker.

There were 3 and 4 guys on each commercial boat, when there is only (allegedly) supposed to be 2.

This might sound like no big deal, but I talked to one Sr Citizen who (allegedly) had his life threatened by the bunker guys. The other guys who were there confirmed this.

How tough is it to threaten a 65 year old man?

Again, I don't know the whole story, and would appreciate if any one could help explain this.

But I'll try to paint this picture for the people out there, and see what their opinion is:

I stood there and watched as groups of older men, some as old as 85 , try in vain to get the few bunker that were scattered away from the netters. A few of these guys were disabled, and had some sort of injury or other, so they couldn't cast like a younger guy could.

All I know is it was pitiful to watch these older guys cast 40 and 50 times, just to snag one bunker so they could go fishing for the day.

I'm trying to keep within bunkerjoes guidelines, but what I saw made me feel bad for these guys.

Commercials were probably operating within the law, but isn't there anything that can be done to help these Senior guys get enough bunker to go fishing for a day?

Aren't there any local StatenIsland politicians or Assemblypersons who could address this so everyone is happy?

What would they do if they couldn't go fishing? I talked to one guy who has been going there for 80 years. you wouldn't believe the stories these guys could tell you about the park, the fishing, and life in general.

I took some pics of the boats they say are coming in 3 times a day. Again, I have no proof this is true, just going by the words of 10 angry Senior citizens.

Why does it have to be that when you get old, no one seems to wanna listen to you anymore unless you are a member of AARP or a PAC?


Here's some pics: