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Marblehead closes docks to Squidding....Cambodia?

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The Riddler

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Read this article.....I know this area. Paul McCauley forgot to mention my Mexican cousins. We frequent there. Why single out "Cambodians"? Why not say....Fishermen and Fisherwomen? That spot is a melting pot. English, Brazil, Irish, Vietnam, Russia....lol....they all love squid equally and will equally make a mess. The squid don't care about your ethnic back ground either. They will ink that dock without prejudice. I just hope it reopens for fall smelt.

 

In Marblehead, squid seekers prompt dock-fishing ban

 

Posted: 08/08/2013 11:07 AM

 

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“The Commercial Street waterfront facilities have been overrun by squid fishermen,” Paul McCauley wrote in a letter, which the Marblehead Harbors and Waters Board discussed and ultimately acted upon at its Aug. 5 meeting, enacting a ban on fishing from all town-owned docks and floats.

 

In his letter, McCauley noted that most of the squid fishermen did not seem to be Marblehead residents. Harbormaster Webb Russell added at the meeting that there is a strong Cambodian contingent among the throngs packing the floats on Commercial Street and casting lines to hook the squid that began coming back to Marblehead waters last year and had returned in great numbers this year.

 

“Somehow, the Cambodian community found out,” he said.

 

Board member Jay Michaud attributed the surging squid population to changing water temperatures. A fisherman and lobsterman, Michaud reported that he has landed different species of fish and types of lobster in recent years, and the squid coming to Marblehead’s harbor to spawn is just another manifestation of the warming ocean.

 

Russell estimated that there are frequently between 50 and 60 people on the floats. McCauley said he had seen as many as 130 on the two floats in the area. The heavy activity, Russell noted, has left a brand new float “all black.” But more than the aesthetics of the pier, McCauley explained he is concerned about access and safety.

 

“We are paying taxes and mooring fees to support our access to the water, and this overactivity is making docking and use of the facilities almost impossible at certain times of the day,” he wrote.

 

McCauley noted that the squid fishermen were “becoming more aggressive” and not yielding to fishermen coming and going from the docks. Harbors and Waters Board members were also sensitive to other issues McCauley highlighted, including that the fishermen were casting into boat traffic, which board members agreed could damage engines, and that children of the fishermen were running around the waterfront area without life jackets.

 

“This could be a significant liability issue for the town,” McCauley said.

 

Board members Michaud and Doug O’Leary noted that fishing from town docks is a time-honored tradition, something fathers and children would do for sport or to bring home something for the dinner table. But all agreed that the extent of the squid fishing -- fishermen frequently stay there all night, leaving in the early morning hours, Harbormaster Webb Russell reported -- goes far beyond what is necessary for personal consumption.

 

As a result, McCauley noted, “The fish being caught may be entering our food supply without proper handling.” He added that, given that the fishermen are pulling all-nighters without access to bathroom facilities, he wondered where they were “doing their business.”

 

Russell noted that he had found in his research that squid fishing is no different from other types of fishing; those doing it need to obtain licenses from the state. But he added that, while the Massachusetts Environmental Police would love to assist with enforcement and check for licenses, its resources are stretched thin, with only two officers to patrol an area that stretches from Nahant to Gloucester.

 

Russell noted that, in concert with Town Administrator Jeff Chelgren, Police Chief Robert Picariello and Fire Chief Jason Gilliland, parking restrictions had been developed to curtail what had been unrestricted parking at the end of Commercial Street to ensure emergency vehicles could access the area at all hours. Selectmen recently approved the parking restrictions, but board members agreed that parking was only one of the problems the squid fishermen were creating.

 

Marblehead is not alone with having to grapple with an influx of squid fishermen. McCauley noted that his research showed that Beverly, Gloucester, Provincetown and Chatham were among the communities to develop “effective solutions” to combat the problem. Provincetown’s solution was to start selling permits for $500 for fishing on its piers, Russell noted.

 

Board Chairman Gary Gregory eventually noted that the board would be well within its rights to ban fishing from town docks and floats. Some on the board wistfully expressed some reticence to the suggestion. O’Leary said he had fond memories of fishing for smelt for dinner when he was a child and having recently taken a grandchild to “jig” squid.

 

“People in the neighborhood should have access to that,” he suggested.

 

But eventually, the unanimous sense of the board became that a ban should be given a shot.

 

Board secretary John Doub said that the board could at its September meeting review how the ban was working and take down the signs if necessary.

 

“But right now, we’ve got a problem,” he said.

 

The board voted unanimously to ban fishing from all town-owned docks and floats, effective immediately. The next morning, Russell said he hoped to have the signs created and posted as soon as possible and would rely on the police department for assistance in enforcing the ban.

 

 

 

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Another fishing spot gone :(



 



I know the area as well, and stupidity does not  discriminate, it goes beyond race :D 



 



So instead of going after the people that cannot act civilized in a public area, they shut the whole thing down for the rest of us. Sometimes i feel that they are just looking for a reason to shut down access  to people.



 



and  I think the $500 permit in provincetown is for people who gets more than 5 gallon everyday which they consider commercial fishing.



 



I do hope they fix this as soon as possible, but knowing like things like this goes... remember beverly pier? i doubt a sensible solution will be reached



 



personally, I always bring a garbage bag with me and once i pick up trash and start cleaning up, good people put their rods down and help, and some just look and ignore me.



 



If i find a time , I would probably make a trash bag bin ,that i can hang and leave on a public fishing place and see how it goes , either that somebody will help and donate more garbage bags or someone will take the bags home lol


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^^^good points.

 

I just zoomed in the photo from the article. All red arrows do not appear to be Asian. I think it's safe to say the women wearing "pink" or funky hats are of asian decent, but there is a variety of folks. You can even see some of those crazy dudes from Salem Willows. They own the point of the dock! They are the ringers! :laugh:

 

It's a bunch of people having a great time is what I see. Squid, make a mess and I understand the concern from those that pay the fee to use the dock, and say they have trouble accessing it. So they say at least. If a lobster guy pulled up and tried to unload totes, it's gonna be "different". I can't see rude people who won't move. If anything I think they would help. Some Marblehead Headers hate everyone equally if you are different from them. However, I know some folks who live in Marblehead and they are great people.

 

1000

 

 

 

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lol yeah the crazy pink funky hats are a dead give a away biggrin.gif and i do recognize the crazy salem guys in there, good thing i was not in the pic! i bet some people in this forum is in that pic , raise your hand if you see your self in there ! : D



 



but seriously, if towns will just take their time and plan their public fishing places during the season, i see business opportunity with all the influx of people that goes out and visit their town, from bait/ tackle shops, snacks, to batteries/ flashlights, boat rentals, fishing lessons for kids, paid bathroom, i can go on and on and on.... but that will make sense... so  just close every public fishing place-problem solved


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I am a Marble'heada...born and raised there until I moved to the Cape 22 years ago.



Its really sad to hear this story, I fished that dock for macks as early as I could ride my bike there. All the public docks were great for fishing. We got yelled at by comm fishermen when they wanted to land, but it was all good stuff and no harm done.



In my 20's I would board my buddies from that dock for a day of offshore fishing as well.



 



I think the town should have enforced some restrictions rather than a outright ban. What a darn shame.shakehead.gif

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It is a shame that any nationality is singled out , no matter what the occasion may be,

 

Every one has fishing should be judged by what they do as a person, not by what language they speak, what color the skin is or gender. it is also unfortunate that the town fathers could not have worked out some sort of compromise as well.

 

It is also encumbant upon each of us to police the places we fish, be courtesy to those in charge , for in the end the only ones we hurt are our selves.

 

Squid fishing can be an unclean fishing experience, but that does not give any one the right to make a mess of any place they are being caught from. A simple wash down with a bucket of water before leaving could make all the difference in the world and above all one needs to respect the properties of others that have boats tied up that they may be squiding around. All it ever takes is one disrespectful fishermen to close a place down and one to show them that is not how we fish a place and then leave it clean.

Life member M.B.B.A #509

Life member Izaak Walton Fishing Association

Life member Cape Cod Canal

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From a local board;

The real issues that caused this action to be taken by the Harbors and Waters Board became very clear. The neighbor stopped counting at 80 people one night at 11 PM. She was the first to talk about the fact that all these people come for upwards of 8 hours ad there are no facilities in the area and the proof of that is evident on a daily basis. Then the trash was talked about. Ink all over, rubber gloves, fishing line (with seagulls getting caught up in it) and all out trash left behind. This has spilled over into Hammond Park, which is mostly a Memorial Park. All of the parking is taken up and when people go to take their boats from the floats with their families, people to not wait and cast lures in their direction. The new docks are trashed and the people are not taking care of the town or the resource. It is like a keg party with the word fishing instead of keg. From the Harbor and Water Board's Meeting Minutes of August 5th, 2013... "The board voted to post “No Fishing “signs on all public docks and floats due to the severe overcrowding from Commercial Street docks to the Coal Wharf bulkhead which presents significant health and safety concerns. The board will revisit the subject at the next meeting in September."

 

Now I am a local who has been occasionally squidding on an adjacent dock the last two summers. But the crowds this year have kept me away for the most part. New arrivals would see me land a squid and move in beside me, actually touching shoulders, to cast where I had just caught.... and then the no speak English crap.... The trash was getting ugly. Work boats that are regularly tied to the docks on the side overnight were being used for access and left with ink all over their decks and consoles. But when people are taking a crap and leaving their pile with telltale toilet paper in the memorial park and on the rocks in front of parked cars, it's time to call a halt to the activity until such can be eliminated. I never saw an EPO down there to check licenses..... might have lessened the crowd. Sucks that families now have no public access to squid with their kids or grab a little fresh calamari without getting on a boat. It will be interesting to see how this plays out and whether anyone challenges the loss of access. I am surprised there were not any physical confrontations with the commercial fishermen who depend on that dock for loading and offloading......

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Unfortunately there is a legion of people who fish and who don't give a damn.......I don't blame the town for doing what they did....They had no choice.....The Sandwich harbourmaster did the same years ago about folks fishing on the marina docks.......It is just a real shame that there is those of us who have used the docks and were quiet and cleaned up after ourselves( and others) get lumped in with all the riff raff............

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From a local board;

The real issues that caused this action to be taken by the Harbors and Waters Board became very clear. The neighbor stopped counting at 80 people one night at 11 PM. She was the first to talk about the fact that all these people come for upwards of 8 hours ad there are no facilities in the area and the proof of that is evident on a daily basis. Then the trash was talked about. Ink all over, rubber gloves, fishing line (with seagulls getting caught up in it) and all out trash left behind. This has spilled over into Hammond Park, which is mostly a Memorial Park. All of the parking is taken up and when people go to take their boats from the floats with their families, people to not wait and cast lures in their direction. The new docks are trashed and the people are not taking care of the town or the resource. It is like a keg party with the word fishing instead of keg. From the Harbor and Water Board's Meeting Minutes of August 5th, 2013... "The board voted to post “No Fishing “signs on all public docks and floats due to the severe overcrowding from Commercial Street docks to the Coal Wharf bulkhead which presents significant health and safety concerns. The board will revisit the subject at the next meeting in September."

 

Now I am a local who has been occasionally squidding on an adjacent dock the last two summers. But the crowds this year have kept me away for the most part. New arrivals would see me land a squid and move in beside me, actually touching shoulders, to cast where I had just caught.... and then the no speak English crap.... The trash was getting ugly. Work boats that are regularly tied to the docks on the side overnight were being used for access and left with ink all over their decks and consoles. But when people are taking a crap and leaving their pile with telltale toilet paper in the memorial park and on the rocks in front of parked cars, it's time to call a halt to the activity until such can be eliminated. I never saw an EPO down there to check licenses..... might have lessened the crowd. Sucks that families now have no public access to squid with their kids or grab a little fresh calamari without getting on a boat. It will be interesting to see how this plays out and whether anyone challenges the loss of access. I am surprised there were not any physical confrontations with the commercial fishermen who depend on that dock for loading and offloading......

 

 

Well said. :th:

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The Beverly pier is inked all over where the no fishing this side signs are. Get ready for another closure soon.

 

Used to squid there back in the 80s and early 90s. There were no "No Fishing" signs back then and it was all fairly civil. Yeah the docks got inked which will happen when there are squid, but most of us picked up the trash and didn't act like pigs.

 

Now it's just sad. :dismay:

 

-bd

Pfantum Pfishah

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Quote:
Originally Posted by bdowning View Post



Used to squid there back in the 80s and early 90s. There were no "No Fishing" signs back then and it was all fairly civil. Yeah the docks got inked which will happen when there are squid, but most of us picked up the trash and didn't act like pigs.

Now it's just sad. shakehead.gif

-bd

 



Bingo!!! The problem is not ink.....The problem is many of THESE fisherman are damn slobs.
I keep telling them to clean up after themselves and to take their trash with them. But to no avail.
I'm not racist but yes, 90 % of them are Asian...........FACT.
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