Watermen

Fishin' Impossible                                                                     Massanutten Gov. S.-Newcomer

                                                                                                                                3/31/2008

As fishermen, we represent a portion of the constituency whose lifestyle is and will be

directly and severely impacted by the degradation of the Chesapeake Bay.  As stakeholders

representing an industry worth over 500 million, we take a significant interest in the

preservation of the health of the bay.  Our livelihood relies on the Bay, as does the

economic welfare of thousands of other people and industries:  the restaurant industry, the

 tourism industry, and the commercial and private boating industry are all directly impacted

by the quality of the health of the Bay.            

The Bay suffers degradation due to pollution in effluent levels.  The primary pollutants

include excessive amounts of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, sediments from

erosion caused by lack of wetland buffers, and harmful chemicals introduced to the Bay by

 runoff.  These have precipitated effects such as frequent algal blooms that lead to

eutrophication and a rise in water temperatures, causing a reduction of the level of

dissolved oxygen in the water. 

Fishermen in the Bay have observed a significant decrease in catch rates of fish and

shellfish.  The key factors in the loss of crabs have been habitat loss and increased nutrient

 load, with consistent harvesting at unsustainable levels putting excessive stress on the

crabs. A recent study of the health of fish and shellfish populations in the Bay found that

the Blue Crab is at 57% of its optimal biomass existence. Oysters have also been severely

impacted by sedimentation and exist currently at 9% of its optimal biomass existence. The

levels of striped bass, the most sought-after commercially harvested fish in the Bay, had

plummeted from excessive, unsustainable harvest.  However, after the regulations on

commercial bass fishing were tightened, the striped bass made a swift and hugely

successful rebound to its original numbers, now at 100% of its optimal biomass existence

The most important issues in the restoration of the Bay are reducing the levels of nutrients

flowing into the Bay, and promoting the sustainable commercial harvest of vulnerable fish

and shellfish by enforcing higher restrictions on the annual fish harvest.  To reduce the

levels of nutrients entering the Bay, we propose to lobby for incentives for farmers such as

 tax breaks or subsidies for those who exercise “best-management-practices.”  BMPs such

as maintaining a riparian buffer zone between fields and waterways, cover cropping, and

utilizing buffer strips are all methods that farmers can use to reduce the infiltration of

excessive nutrients into the watershed, and also drastically reduce erosion and soil

degradation.  Offering tax breaks and other incentives to farmers who utilize these

practices will provide the impetus for a grassroots movement to help clean up the Bay.

While the incautious farming practices are a significant cause of many of the Bay’s issues,

we, as fishermen, can participate in the effort to restore the Bay’s health as well by seeking

 alternate forms of part-time employment, abiding by new laws and regulations, and

promoting an informative campaign. If fisherman found part time jobs constructing cleaning

 utilities and fish nurseries for the bay, they would better be able to reduce their catch and

 maintain their lifestyle.  A congressional bill tightening the restrictions on commercial fish

harvests would ultimately greatly reduce the stress on the fish population of the Bay.  If

the fish and shellfish of the Bay are not harvested at sustainable levels, then we will

continue to deplete the population at alarming rates, spelling ultimate doom for the aquatic

creatures on which we build our livelihoods. If more stringent regulations are placed on the

commercial harvest of fish and shellfish of the Bay, combined with efforts to reduce

nutrient levels, it is very likely that we may observe a similar rebound in numbers of oysters, crabs, and other fish.

Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond

Thoughtful Questions

  From:   Home Jackets - homeowner - MHS                                              Ask

                                                                                             4/8/2008

     I thought this was nicely done. It was definately well-thought out, but what about

     chemicals from industries entering waterways? Chemicals cause a lot of problems in

     the fish we eat.

       Response    Fishin' Impossible - Waterman - MRGS

                                                                                                                      4/23/2008

             Chemicals entering the Chesapeake Watershed definitely affect the prosperity of

              the Bay and thus you have a valid question. However, the Chesapeake Bay

             Foundation observed that irresponsible farming practices have a much more

             severe affect on the Bay in regard to the quantity of nutrients entering the Bay.

             Even though the industrial pollution will eventually have to be addressed, the

             agricultural pollution remains the most potent threat to our lifestyle. Thus, we

             decided that the installation of measures countering industrial pollution must take

              a back seat to the mass amounts of sediment contaminating life in the Bay.

             Seeing that solving the sediment problem and restoring the aquatic biomass in the

             Bay would immediately help our lifestyle, we decided that that was the most

             feasible and proper rout to take in regard to maintaining the watermen lifestyle.

  From:   Chicken Kickers'' 101 - farmer - MHS                                                      Ask

                                                                                                                              4/11/2008

     How do you know that your lifestyle will be impacted by the degradation of the Chesapeake

            Bay?

       Response    Fishin' Impossible - Waterman - MRGS

                                                                                                                      4/23/2008

              Our entire livelihood is dependent upon the state of the Chesapeake Bay; all of

             our income can be traced back to the quantity and quality of the fish that we

             catch. In addition, our lives have already been greatly affected by the

             degradation of the bay- dead zones have cordoned off huge sections where we

             used to be able to fish and those fish we do catch are smaller and more sickly

             than ever before.  Therefore, it's quite easy to see how the continued

            degradation of the bay, would affect our lives and livelihoods.

  From:   Chicken Kickers'' 101 - farmer - MHS                                                      Ask

                                                                                                                              4/11/2008

            As fishermen, what would you be prepared to do if water pollution got really bad?

       Response    Fishin' Impossible - Waterman - MRGS

                                                                                                                      4/23/2008

             As watermen, we depend on the Chesapeake Bay for many things. It represents

             our livelihoods, our jobs. It is a way for us to provide for our families. If the Bay

             is being polluted and fish are being killed, and this degradation continues, it will

             affect our ability to catch healthy fish. This will affect our lifestyle because we

             will not be able to support ourselves, and we will be forced to try to find other

             jobs or ways to compensate. This is not fair to us, because as watermen, we have

              a good understanding of what needs to happen to keep the bay healthy, and we

             do our best to maintain that health. Pollution and other problems influencing the

             water quality and aquatic life of the Bay would make it harder for us to continue

             catching as many fish as we are currently, and we would eventually have to come

             up with an alternative plan.

Watermen

DORY-DORY FISH                                                                                 Moorefield H.S.-Gillies

                                                                                                                                  4/1/2008

Watersheds are important to waterman because we need the fish. A fisherman is someone

who gathers fish, shellfish, or other animals from a body of water. A waterman is a

professional fisherman. With the bay contaminated it is hard to do our jobs with the fish

dying off. We sell fish to the fisharies so we can survive. Most coastal residents and visitors

 to the Chesapeake, who observe commercial fishing on bay, and rivers, assume that we fish

asan activity, but we do it so we can bring home the bacon and feed our families. Early

colonists did engage in fishing for both sport and money. For a long time we just used a

simple hook and line. Then in the 18th Century we started using haul seines, which are nets.

During the 19th Century, fishing rapidily expanding. Annual marks of 48 million pounds. But

strangely by the end of the 19th Century, numbers were dropping rapidily. You see that is

why fisherman are important and we need the Bay to be clean, so we can bring those

numbers back up.

Fisherman rely on the Chesapeake Bay watershed for its large waterways and fish

production. The quality of the Bay's watershed affects the ability of fisherman to do their

job and make a profit off of it. With the Chesapeake Bay being polluted, the number of fish

 and the amount of species available in the water are drastically changing. Run-off from

construction zones, nearby rural areas, and farmland cause pesticides, sewage, and man-

made materials to wash into the bay. This impact on the water increases the likelihood of

algae blooms which overtake the area and cause fish kills, which damage the inhabitants and

 the supply of fish available to local fishermen. There have been government agencies that

have passed laws and groups that came up with plans to stabilize the Chesapeake Bay

Watershed. However, having the awareness of people living near the watershed should be

the first choice in clearing up the pollution and then taking steps from there. Things can be

done like filtering the water of the bay and using zone buffers in agriculture to stop

pollution, which requires help from others working as a team. So with fish dying off, the

jobs of fisherman are likely to become exinct too. Fisherman have to rely on the quality of

the water and the amount of fish, as do the consumers of the product. If the cleanliness of

 the water can't be trusted, then the health of the fish need to be inspected. Working

together to keep the Chesapeake Bay clean is the best affect that the fishermen could ask

for!

Waterman can make a living harvesting seafood on the bay. When the Chesepeake Bay is

polluted their is a decline of creatures/seafood living there. When variety and abundance of

 seafood decline in the Chesepeake Bay the waterman are out of work. The watermans life

revolves around the life cycles of his catch. Depending on the season of the year, different

species are present in the rivers and the Bay. The waterman nust be aware of what

creatures are available to catch as well as the laws that govern how we can carry out out

job. A drought year makes the Bay saltier which results in oyster diseases and more oysters

 die before the waterman can harvest them. Every time you use chemicals or fertlizers on

your lawnthe water running off teh yard eventually ends up into a lake or stream and then

into the Bay. Anything that drips from a motor vehicle can wash into storm sewers.

Antifreeze, gasoline and motor oil are toxic to aquatic life. To help minimize the effect on

the bay read and follow the directions when using pesticides or garden chemicals. Keep your

 mowing height high and leave grass clippings on the lawn to recycle nitrogen back into the

soil. Clean up pet wastes to prevent nutrients and bacteria from washing into waterways.

When these types of chemicals wash into the Bay it causes algae blooms, which die, decay, and destroy oxygen levels. Sediment clogs gills and reduces light to aquatic plants. Keeping the rivers and streams being clean helps waterman out with their job.

Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond

Thoughtful Questions

  From:   Fish's Wishes - CB_Ecosystem - KHS(K)                                      Ask

                                                                                           4/10/2008

       How can you say something so naive like that? Just because noone else in the past

     did something about this doesn't mean that you shouldn't care. Your conforming to

     the foolishness of past generations and futhering the stereotype that todays

     generation isn't doing anything. You should care about this. These are problems that

     are going to affect our lifetime. Past generations were unaware of afflictions they

     were laying down for the future, that's why they didn't do anything. WE the future

     generation know better and we should do something about it. Quit being lazy and get

     BIG. Do work!

       Response    DORY-DORY FISH - Waterman - MHS

                                                                                                              4/11/2008

             the reason we can say such a thing is because obviously parents and

             grandparents didn't care enough to keep it clean so why should we go out of

             our way to do something that isn't going to affect us in this lifetime you also

             should re-read our paper because we talked about several solutions anyway

  From:   SJJ Farmers - farmer - JHS                                                                  Ask

                                                                                                                         4/17/2008

     What are you doing, as waterman, to help farmers?? What solutions are you using to

     clear up the water and how will it effect our crops and the human race??

  From:   The Counting Coals - Other - MRGS                                                       Ask

                                                                                                                         4/23/2008

     Why would you say that since our grandparents and our parents don't care then we

     shouldn't? If we want to improve things with the watershed, we should care more. Don't

      you want things to be better for your children and grandchildren? If we start helping

     now, then the tradition will stay, and others will help to make it better for us. It makes

     no sense to say that since others didn't care, we shouldn't. Also, you may want to check

     your spelling and grammatical errors, because there are a couple in your paper.

Watermen

Waterppl                                                                                                Jefferson H.S.-Gipson

                                                                                                                                  4/1/2008

Water careers are influentual to the cleanliness of the Bay. Envoirmental issues that affect

 these careers could condemn the efficency of their jobs, income such as if the gov't ban

the use of boats on the river because of the pollution it causes. Fishermans' livelyhood

depend on the use of their boats and the condition of the river. If the Bay is dirty and

affects their fish, their income will drop affecting the local economy.

Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond

Thoughtful Questions

  From:   WV Watermen(T.B.D.) - Waterman - HHS                                 Ask

                                                                                             4/7/2008

     what if the fisherman has no choice but to use the boats that they have? 

  From:   DORY-DORY FISH - Waterman - MHS                                        Ask

                                                                                             4/8/2008

     so what you are trying to say is that all the dirt is coming from the boats, but if we

     don't use them we would be out of a job? which one do you want us to do, the boat

     or lose our jobs?

     In what ways could fisherman improve their boats condition and keep the rivers

     dependable against all of the pollution?

       Response    Waterppl - Waterman - JHS

                                                                                                                      4/21/2008

             Well not necessarily. People have a lot to do with it as well. Littering is a huge

             problem, maybe if people actually cleaned up once in a while then we wouldn't be

             in this predicament. I was not implying that boats should be out of use completely.

              Perhaps fishing companies could be combined, making less pollution. Also when

             there was a gas shortage (in the 1990's, I believe) people with the last names a-m

              (..?) could only buy gas on certain days. So maybe something along the lines of

             that..?

  From:   Chicken Kickers'' 101 - farmer - MHS                                        Ask

                                                                                             4/8/2008

     If the gov't would ban the use of boats would it affect the use of row boats too?

  From:   Home Jackets - homeowner - MHS                                              Ask

                                                                                             4/8/2008

     So now that we know how you are affected by the rising contamination levels, what

     ideas do you have on how to lower the overall amount of pollutants in the water

     systems to make it safer for you and all others involved?

            Do they have to use there boats

  From:   Funky Farmers - farmer - CHS                                                                 Ask

                                                                                                                         4/14/2008

     We feel as if you didn't offer a solution to the problem concerning the Chesapeake Bay.

     Knowing that you are polluting, what do you propose should be done to clean the Bay?

  From:   The Pearls - local_gov - MdSA                                                                Ask

                                                                                                                         4/16/2008

     As the local government, we do know that the pollution is not only due to the boats and

     we know that without your boats, the jobs that depend on the water would no longer

     exist...We want to help regulate boating but in a positive way that would not deeply

     effect the economy of the people with water jobs...We like fish too and so we are trying

      to help improve the condition of the bay in all areas including farmers and recreation...

Watermen

WV Watermen(T.B.D.)                                                                           Hampshire H.S.-Moore

                                                                                                                                  4/1/2008

We watermen are important to the Bay because we are the ones who live at the end it.

Basically it is our lives because that’s how we make our livelihood. Supporting our families

with the money we make from doing our job of catching the Bay’s famous crabs’, shrimp,

and fish.           Supporting the world is getting harder as the days go by. With everyone now

dumping and polluting the rivers and streams that flow into the Bay where we try and make

our living. We need to find a way to slow down process of everyone polluting the Bay.

  With the Bay having over 16 million residents we need to find the best possible way of

nonpolluting the rivers and streams around the northern states of the Bay. We could start

by enforcing the laws against keeping sewer pollution and farm animals out of the rivers

and streams. So please for our Bay’s sake obey the law.

Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond

Thoughtful Questions

  From:   DORY-DORY FISH - Waterman - MHS                                        Ask

                                                                                             4/8/2008

     Who would your proposed laws affect the most, and what are your other plans to

            slow down pollution if your first progress is unsuccessful?

  From:   Chicken Kickers'' 101 - farmer - MHS                                        Ask

                                                                                             4/8/2008

            What if some states allow animals in the river?

       Response    WV Watermen(T.B.D.) - Waterman - HHS

                                                                                       4/10/2008       1:12:00 PM

             Then we would have more pollution running through the river causing more

             damage to our atmosphere. Plus if people was to allow animals in the rivers

             and streams then the bank of the river will erode.

  From:   Wishy Washy Watermen - Waterman - RHS                                          Ask

                                                                                                                         4/17/2008

     How would you go about enforcing these laws and who would help you enforce these

            laws?

  From:   Rollin' in the Green - Other - MRGS