DEC

[Has Been]

What is the DEC doing riding aroung the lake out in 500 ft of water? They circled around the back& sides of my boat about 75 yrds off. My guess is they were looking to see if I had too many rods out ( That's a laugh in itself) or checking my stickers. With the budget woes , why are two DEC officers burning up gas on joyrides ?

[Paul Czarnecki]

What you call a "joyride" was what most people would call "doing their job". The DEC patrolling in 500 Fow is no different than a state trooper taking a "joyride" in his patrol car.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Has Been]

What is their job? If they are looking to write tickets, go where the most people are. Sorry, our time & money need to be spent the most efficient way possible from here on out. Burning gas & putting hrs on an expensive motor ain't to me. Troopers patrol where property & people are.Sherriffs & Boarder patrol are out there to take care of security. Not much going on 10 miles off shore.Walk the pierheads or go up the creek . More bang for my & our buck. Check me when I come in. It's a joyride.

[LongLine]

Could'a been a joyride. (You ought to see the Homeland boats - now they got rigs worth joyriding in!)

Or maybe they got a tip about someone & were looking around.

Or maybe the new guy was getting the feel of the boat.

Or maybe you just looked "suspicious" but then they said - naw, he's not dragging a net, nor a stringer full of sturgeon, he's a fine upstanding and law-abiding NY sports fisherman that is releasing all the little fish he's catching so no use bothering him.

Or maybe they fiqured you might be a member of the most popular Lake Ontario fishing board and you'd post something thus let everyone know that they do patrol Lake Ontario, even out deep occassionally. ie you never know where they'll pop up. (Kind of funny how if a state trooper is just sitting off the expressway & eating a sandwich that traffic slows down)

Or maybe they were joyriding.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[MeatHunter737]

What is their job? If they are looking to write tickets, go where the most people are. Sorry, our time & money need to be spent the most efficient way possible from here on out. Burning gas & putting hrs on an expensive motor ain't to me. Troopers patrol where property & people are.Sherriffs & Boarder patrol are out there to take care of security. Not much going on 10 miles off shore.Walk the pierheads or go up the creek . More bang for my & our buck. Check me when I come in. It's a joyride.

our Government is crying poverty, and theyre burning that kind of gas to check one or two boats, doesnt add up.... you hit the nail on the head, Law of Averages....go where the people go in and out of ports

[shadster]

Yep, and while they are checking out all of those populated port boats the lonely fisherman is breaking the law or worse yet in some kind of emergency. There is a reason they do the things they do and regardless of where the economy is they still need to do them. How do you know where they were coming from or going to? They might have just come from a populated port heading to another and saw your lone boat on the radar. If all your ducks are in a row there is no reason to fear them.

Yes, the whole country is crying poverty, but there are some jobs that have to be done. It would be mayhem if they weren't.

Here are some pics of The Homeland Security boat in the Oswego River. They checked every boat coming and going.

[A-TOM-MIK]

Oswego based DEC Sergeant (Region 7) was out with a road trap enforcing speeding laws and handing out speeding tickets a few weeks back?

My A-TOM-MIK business pays out approx. $25,000 in FET taxes (a fishing manufacturers tax) annually. Monies that go into the system, to maintain fishing access sites, etc (so they say) who knows where else? DEC dealings etc. It wasn't a great feeling knowing the DEC was hitting speeders !!!

Tom

[LongLine]

You guys in Oswego got the scow. (albeit a 70+ mph scow) The one I saw launched at the Genny looked more like an Interceptor or oversized Liberator. Wish I had the money they had invested just in those freeking stainless propellers.

A-TOM-MIK - Did you know that they are the only NY enforcement arm that doesn't need a search warrant to check your car, property, etc for suspected violations of environmental conservation laws. Regular cop can't search your locked trunk, just for speeding. Think of the transportation laws - baitfish, legal limit, firewood, exotic & illegal pets/pests/plants, etc. Speeding & the surcharge is just bonus money for the state. They can also inspect any commercial or industrial property at any time, totally unannounced.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[ray koziatek]

Darn where is a man to hide his inflatables......???? er um extra fishing partners...

[LongLine]

You better be careful Ray. This site is monitored & it sounds like your "Buffy" adventures are a crime against nature....

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Gill-T]

The DEC, unlike state troopers, are also given the task of upholding border security. Their law enforcement license gives them the jurisdiction to enforce laws anywhere in the state. The DEC may have been working with border patrol

(doubt it) or looking for someone specific, or more likely on manuvers which they do from time to time.

[Tim Bromund]

And besides, I know that this time of year, there are TONS of boats out fishing in 500 fow at Olcott because that's where the most consistent fishing is, I'm guessing it's the same at the Oak. They were doing their job. What? Do you think that by heading WAY offshore you'll be safe from having to obey the regulations? WTF??

Tim

[Has Been]

Coast guard, boarder patrol , Sherrfiffs & DEC patroling the same water. I don't think 500 ft of water in LO is the high crime district. I don't fear them cause I don't break the law, at least I don't think. A total lack of efficiency & waste of our tax dollars. What are they looking for out there& what were they going to do ? Stop me & make me pull all my stuff in,check me out? Ther time can be better served elsewhere. It's a joyride at our expense. Gov waste again.

[Self Censored]

There were many boats out in the 500' foot area Saturday. Today they came from the north west towards me I could see them coming for 4 miles and there was not another boat between us. I just hold up the number of fingers for the # of rods I have out, that is all they are looking for.

Don't complain about them riding by, they could just as well have made you pull up your lines and show your license.

Ray,

I just put a hat on my Afgan Hound and they always mistake her for my GF.

[Time Out]

The DEC has been stepping up on firewood transportation enforcement this summer since the discovery that the Emerald Ash Borer is getting closer to the area. Its been found as far west as Steuben and Livingston counties. You are only allowed to transport wood 50 miles from its source, or you are breaking the law. Seems like a road block would be a good spot to check.

[Has Been]

Don't complain about them riding by ?This is commonplace? The DEC states that they don't have 2 nickles to rub together & need progam cuts & we are 10 miles offshore riding around looking for extra rods at 12 gal / hr? How many tickets written compared to expenses incured , or net profit. Not an efficient way of doing buisness IMO.But thats how it goes I guess. No wonder we are in the mess we are in and are so broke. In Rochester, they can't even figure out how to turn the water off for crying out loud. What was I thinking?

[skipper19]

500 feet of water and further.....hmmmm....isn't that getting kinda close to the border?....don't know what they might be checking for there....gosh....maybe a stray fellow without credentials for fishing on one side of the fence or the other? Registration issues? Just whatever? Don't worry about what the DEC is wasting their time or our money on. They are doing their job, which is a lot more than I can say about the fools in Albany.....Now there is a waste of taxpayer dollars. Let the DEC do their job but make sure the Big guys in Albany appropriate the money and put it where it belongs. Vote in November to bring sensible management to fund the necessary stuff and not the useless crap like the study done with no answer as to why we pay more for fuel in NY than anywhere else in the country. I think we all know what is wrong there without much help from a politicians study. The DEC is real and necessary and should be funded appropriately IMHO.

Mark

[LongLine]

Hey Skipper, he’d of been happier if he’d gotten a ticket.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/65.html

ECOs are sworn Police Officers authorized to enforce all state laws, with special emphasis on enforcing New York's Environmental Conservation Laws, including those relating to environmental quality, hunting, fishing and trapping and protection of natural resources.

Hmmm….ALL state laws. Guess they’re empowered to be “super troopers.†Read down the link…â€vehicles producing illegal emissions†could be an environmental reason for being at the speed trap.

I've been searching for a total revenue NYSDEC has brought into the state but can't find anything other than the large settlements. How many million did they nail Occidental for...which they put into fishing?

Oh well,

Furthermore, I pledge to offer my support to all those involved in the fish, wildlife and habitat conservation efforts, while striving to improve upon my outdoor skills and understanding of wildlife.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[skipper19]

Hey Skipper, he’d of been happier if he’d gotten a ticket.

Hey wow Tom you should be a DR. of PSYCHOLOGY.....I think you just figured out what is wrong let'see .....what was that song? .....Don't worry...be happy .....yeah that's it Wait a minute ....Didn't that guy off himself .......uh oh

[Has Been]

Bang for our buck, thats what I'm looking for. Yes, they have a job to do but it seems to get broader & more expensive to do each day getting away from it's original intent. Who's out there on the 30 lines? Mostly charters & Hardcores as I see it. Is there a lot of lawbreaking going on out there on a regular basis?( No one from this board would ever ) Are they doing their job In THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE is my concern. On one hand DEC wants to make cuts which enrages some but when they seem wastefull some say let them do their job. Maybe the extra rod police could be a place to cut. DEC has gotten political like all gov entities and it needs to stop. Don't worry about DEC wasting my money? Come on. I'm all for the DEC . But as citizens we are suppose to question our gov on what we feel is not right. I would think some would know that.

[Time Out]

I guess this could go on forever, and since nobody knows the reason they were out there, everybodys right. Maybe they were joy riding, looking for rods, or maybe they know about drugs, illegals, or terrorism threats. Drawing negative attention to an organization that is supose to benefit the outdoorsman during a time of budget, program, and staff cuts is . Hows the fishing out that deep?

[Broadhorizons]

They probably got bored a the pierheads dealing with the "other boaters"

"Can I see your flares? What flares, I didn't know I need flares.

Can I hear your horn or sound signaling device? Umm ahh, can't I just yell?

Can you turn your navigation lights on for me? I have lights on this boat?

Can I see your fire extinguisher? Why do I need one, I'm on a lake full of water?"

I think that would get frustrating. From my experience with DEC officers, most don't like writing tickets. The guys I know get more satisfaction out of checking people and finding out they have everything in order and are following the laws. It shows them that people care enough about their activities to look up and follow the rules.

I was at Wright's Landing one time and 4 teenagers showed up with a 11 or 12 foot tin boat. They were unloading the boat from the back of the truck at the launch and the DEC Officer came over to them. He said "Now before you guys head out, lets make sure you have everything you need to have for that boat." The kids didn't have everything they needed and packed back up and left. Sure it ruined their afternoon plans of rowing around the harbor with their girlfriends but now they are informed and didn't get any tickets. I guess if it's all about revenue, he could have let them get 20 feet off the end of the dock and called them back to check them since they would have been in violation at that point.