Petition to Increase Funding For Watercraft Inspection Stations

[duksnfish]

Since this probably will get buried in the other post I put on here, I thought I better make a separate thread. On the thread talking about Johnson reservoir, I put the following information. Hopefully being a separate thread it will gain much more support:

There seems to be a real lack of information from the Canal Companies all the way around. When I asked the Franklin County Soil and Conservation District about some of the information on their facebook page, I really didn't get a full answer from them either. It looks to me like the Canal companies that they would issue a full blown press release on what they are going to do. I say this because the information that I got earlier in May, became no good as late as May 14. Why the sudden changes to what had been issued before, I have no idea.

I would ask this, if I posted up a poll as to how many folks use any of the reservoirs in Franklin County and posed it in a way that we could get a lot of support to help get clear, concise information and push for more money from the State Dept. of Ag to help with inspections in this and other areas of the State, would members of this site be willing to sign a petition/poll to help improve what is going on?

I am willing to help take this on if we think we can get support to push for increased funding from the state and better access to inspection stations. Let me know what everyone thinks.

Thanks

Also, feel free to send me a PM if you have any suggestions on how you think we should frame this.
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[windriver]

I have been fishing for bass and bluegill in the Preston area every spring for 30 years. I would support anything that would help maintain public access to the lakes in the area.

Windriver
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[duksnfish]

I just talked with Idaho State Senator Marc Gibbs who represents the Franklin County area. We visited for almost 45 minutes. What a great guy and supporter of sportsmen/women of Idaho and all over as a whole. He fully understands the issue and is at a loss on what to do specific at these highly used waterways. I understand what he was saying and it is so much more complicated than most of the public knows and understands.

Locally, for these waterways, there is not much that can be done, at least in this State fiscal year. But, for FY17, starting July 1, Statewide, there is between $1.9 and $2.1 in funding for this program. And, until June 30, the State Department of Ag got an additional $300,000.00 for the program and for statewide roving inspections. And if that money is not all spent, it can carry over. So, there is money, there just needs to be partnerships between folks to try and get some of the money for inspections. This is where I believe that we need to push for a large partnership program starting with the County, City, Fish and Game (they didn't put anything in to this program this year), and there are many more agencies that can contribute labor and/or funs to make this work too. This needs to include the Canal Companies too, to which currently, they are not putting any money into this program, which is there to protect their infrastructure, but they need to. Anyhow, I am working on a petition wording for folks to sign to try and get some more funding and education money for this area, locally and then Statewide.

Just thought I would update everyone on what I found out today. Good luck.
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[killerhook]

The over reaction to zebra mussels in south eastern Idaho is pricing out fishermen from south cache valley. We can't afford to pay sticker fees and 20 dollar launch fees on top of $100 license fees. I for one will simply not be buying Idaho licenses any longer. If we are not valued as revenue producing visitors to south Idaho then so be it.
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