Thanks for posting this and thanks for the replies. I'm the buddy Mitch is referring to. Some of the descriptions in these responses are perfect - exactly what I've been seeing - particularly the use of hand lines and the trash. The massive balls of fishing line that they leave behind are the same ones that me and my dogs get tangled in, and that most likely caused the demise of the left wing of the Great Blue Heron we found...
...it had to be euthanized by a DEP volunteer waterfowl expert that we reached out to when my dogs discovered the poor thing basically waiting to die, unable to fly...and they don't swim.
The amount of crap that appears there every Spring is staggering. There are of course bait containers, line, broken rods, hooks (to get stuck in my dogs paws) and other such fishing equipment. But that's the just the start. One particular group brings their whole family down there and leaves large quantities of fast food wrappers, dirty clothing, actual full bags of trash, balls of used baby diapers, as well as the occasional used tampon....I'm not joking here folks. You can't make this crap up. And the best part is that you have to walk directly past the dumpster behind my office to get down there.
I personally don't fish. I've never really even been much of an environmentalist. However, seeing this nice little spot on the river, which would be a fairly sweet fishing spot I would think.....desecrated season after season has really pissed me off. I usually take a "there's nothing I can do" attitude, but that poor Heron was sort of my last straw I guess.
So I contacted Mitch....and if getting them caught for illegal fishing is the way to get them out of there...so be it. I'll be reporting regularly.
However, illegal fishing aside....I'm wondering if there are any groups, or perhaps DEP programs, that help random concerned citizens clean up such a spot? I'm willing to do the dirty work of cleaning up the current garbage as best as I can. However, I would like to know if perhaps the DEP ever partners on such an effort to place sign-age and trash cans indicating that littering is not tolerated and what the fines are for doing so, as well as the phone number to report it.
I'm willing (within reason) to sponsor such efforts (I would do it as a charitable work through my company, which I own).
I'm all ears for any and all suggestions you all might have. Especially from Captain Camejo.
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