Our open letter to the VDGIF in ref to the attack on Blue Catfish

[WVBowhunter]

HC 71 Box 16B
Franklin, WV 26807
11 May, 2011
FlatheadsRus@gmail.com

Mr. Greenlee,

I am writing you as both an avid trophy cat-fisherman and owners of a Catfishing website www.MasterCatters2.com of over 1100 members. I ,like others, have been following been following with great interest the attack on the Chesapeake Bay Tributaries blue catfish in the name of science. As we both know there is both good and bad science on many given subjects both in the past and present and data can be skewed towards desired results. I'm quite sure that labeling the blue catfish as a Invasive and Non-Native species has already doomed a sport and species with out a second look at benefits. Granted our beloved species plays second fiddle to other species such as bass, rock-fish and a few other tidal fish, but none the less, it has a strong following as a sport. I would estimate that 40% of our members have fished the James River for it's prized trophy catfish during the last 5 years as it is an easy drive for 80% of our members (less than 4 hours).

Nearly all of our members place a trip to fish for trophy cats in Va very high on their “bucket list” in the near future. Personally I fish the James River around 20 days a year, and estimate my expenditures are roughly $250 day for gas, food and lodging that is spent from the Shenandoah valley all the way to the Chickahominy River. So my money isn't just felt in the Richmond / Hopewell area – but a vastly larger area in pursuit of my chosen sport. Take that opportunity away and now I will have to head westward to the Ohio river – guess which direction my money will now take. I haven't even included my expenses for tackle and my boat of which is spent at Bass Pro shops, Green tops, and Bottom dwellers tackle – all located in Va. I share my sport with my friends, family and neighbors here in WV and bring them along for a shot at catching a truly remarkable trophy that is now being labeled as a Invasive Non-Native species.

I am a veteran, and I also use these trophy cats to reach out to our disabled and injured vets in the Richmond area. Once or twice a year we take the wounded warriors catfishing for a day on the river. It is a time of healing and normalcy as they leave their units and hospitals just to spend a day on the water catching remarkable trophys and it takes their minds off of their troubles and in many cases the dismal life of prolonged hospital stays. Ask them and those that will follow if eradicating the trophy blue cats will bring a smile and general well being as they have experienced. I have experienced the young man who suffered traumatic brain injury in Iraq – it left him with severe short term memory loss – he was in tears as he left that day for fear he would not remember his accomplishment of catching and releasing a true trophy catfish that day. I have seen the young lady with a large portion of her skull and brain missing who admittedly would never be the same – catch a 60 some pounder without assistance as she fought to over come her disabilities – she wanted to catch that big cat.

You see Mr. Greenlee, as much as many educated men want to take things back to nature before there was man, the cost to man and his spirit cannot be measured. The rewards of our mistakes sometimes have a far greater value than we can measure, both in money and our intentions. So I beg of you not to destroy what God has given you and let your wisdom guide you in making decisions that will keep your fabulous trophy blue cat regulations in place.

Jim Pauley, Doug Goodwin, Earl Phillips
Admin/Owners

[Leatherneck]

well said Jim!!!