that permit idea is sweet. there are way too many boaters there. this will cut the out of staters from coming for 1 tourney.i've yet to take my boat there its so crowded.you have to go during the week, don't even attempt a weekend. thats a big money maker
#921853 - 02/24/0801:01 AM
Re: Proposed $50/boat fee on Candlewood-Sticker
[Re: Mitch P.]
BigLee
Member
Registered: 11/13/05
Posts: 1132
Loc: New Milford CT
I hate to disagree with you Orvis But it will do nothing to detract the number of boaters. Have you noticed the size of the boats on the water they are mostly 25- 30 feet long.
There are around 4000 boats moored on the lake they are paying $100 dollars a foot plus tax do you think another $50 is going to stop them? I know once you think of it you know it will not.
The State will only give a permit for 50% of the launch parking. The DEP hand book lists 100 boats for each launch. The most boats that can be on the water for a tournament from the two state ramps are 100 boats.
That amounts to one boat for every 50 Acres or 1 boat for every 3120 feet of shoreline. Surely you can find some room to fish in between them. The one day tournament guys can get a reduced fee of $20 or $30 for the one or two days. This again is not a real deterrent to come to the best Lake in the state.
Yes it will stop some people the guys that are retired and living on a fixed income the guys with little expendable income, a family that wants to go fishing in general those that can not afford additional tax burden. Are these the people you want to keep of a lake that is federally mandated. Some of these same families may be descendents of some of the people that lived in the area and had their property seized by Eminent Domain laws when the lake was created. Rules and Regulations were introduced then to ensure access for all not just the wealthy.
Once this is enacted you will no longer be able to fish for multiple species at different lakes. Every Lake homeowners group will try to get the some fee to try to keep people off their lake. What is to stop them from making the fee $100 -200.
I think we already pay enough taxes to use the lake $ 20 Fishing License $ 45 Boat registration $ 18 dollar trailer registration $ 20 – 50 Trailer taxes Taxes on the Gas we use in our boats 6% sales tax on everything we purchase related to fishing On top of that there are the Wallop-Breaux taxes usually 10% on every fishing and boating item that you purchase. These are paid at the Manufacturer level
Have a safe time on the water and may that tight line be pulling back.
A member of Schaghticoke Bassmasters http://members.tripod.com/~bassmasters_ct/index.html A member of the TBF. The Bass Federation Tournament Bass Fishing for everyone. http://www.ct-tbf.com/
I think the think that is being missed here is that the State does not own the lake. What the state can and should do if they decide to make this a pay to play lake is suspend all stockings, close all state ramps and withdraw any DEP funds that go to the surrounding towns annually related to Candlewood. If they are charging fees and restricting access, the state should not be paying to fund their playground.
I think the whole thing is a bad idea on many levels, most of which are already mentioned in this thread. It sets a bad precedent and starts us down a road we really don't want to go down.
Regardless of whether this goes into effect or not, I think every regulation regarding the fishery inevitably goes back to our severe lack of Encon officers in the field. With so many laws already being broken, how the heck is one more new law (i.e., the sticker) going to be fully enforced?
Bottom line, we need more officers in the field. For the amount of money we already pay in this state, I think it's inexcusable that there are so many people who laugh in the face of our fishing laws.
Here's info. on a bill proposing more Encon officers:
#921869 - 02/24/0802:14 AM
Re: Proposed $50/boat fee on Candlewood-Sticker
[Re: Mitch P.]
BigLee
Member
Registered: 11/13/05
Posts: 1132
Loc: New Milford CT
The Towns do not own the land surrounding the lake. First Light Inc a power generating company does. For those that do not know Candlewood Is a Man Made Lake that is a Pump Storage Facility with a dam that creates a water depth of about 90 feet at its deepest location. The power company also owns the land up to the 440 elevation line. The water level at normal pool is 429 feet above Sea Level during the summer. A court decision this week states that the towns have no control over the lands below the 440 line as this land is controlled by a federal government mandate ( Geralds Marina Vs Town of New Milford). The Water levels and the Water Flow in both directions is Controlled by the water utility.
The Power Company is under federal regulations and one of their mandates is unbiased public access to the water. That has nothing to do with the number of boats on the lake. With the addition of every new development there are new docks being built with more boats being added to the water. Many non waterfront owners such as myself have deeded right to the water due to sub development of the land parcels. Each development has docks.
Many homeowners are adding additional dock space and renting out moorings for friends and family. On top of that you have the huge marinas that will continue to try to expand if they can. My guess is there are 3000 – 4000 boats at the marinas if you use an average boat length of 20 feet times $100 per foot and low ball it, that is SIX MILLION dollars just in docking fees. Yet the towns keep crying they are not getting any benefit from the lake. Never mind the other items that each boater contributes, such as gas, repairs, food, and accessories purchased at the marinas.
Trying to stop the number of boats on the lake through the two state ramps will have little to no effect on the total number of boats. The Number of boats that can access the ramps is already fixed at 200. The problem is the other 6000 boats DOCKED on the lake not the ones that are trailered.. The number of Boats is Going to continue To grow as there are still many parcels that can still be developed sub-divided and new boat docks put in. In order to control the number of boats on the Lake You need to control the number docked boats. The Number of Trailered boats is already controlled.
Mitch I agree with you 100% WE need more DEP Conservation officers. They are the ones who are trained to be on the Water and know the rules governing sportsmen.
I do not think we should allow each lake to assemble its own armed biased malitia to selectively enforce the rules they as they see fit.
Have a safe time on the water and may that tight line be pulling back.
A member of Schaghticoke Bassmasters http://members.tripod.com/~bassmasters_ct/index.html A member of the TBF. The Bass Federation Tournament Bass Fishing for everyone. http://www.ct-tbf.com/
AN ACT CONCERNING CANDLEWOOD LAKE BOAT USE PERMITS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2008) (a) In addition to any other required permits or registration pursuant to section 15-142 of the general statutes, no person shall launch, moor or operate and no owner shall permit the launching, mooring or operation of any motorboat or sailboat upon the waters of Candlewood Lake without a permit issued by the Candlewood Lake Authority, established pursuant to section 7-151a of the general statutes. For the purposes of this section, "horsepower" shall have the same meaning as section 15-141 of the general statutes; "motorboat" means any watercraft fitted with a propulsion machinery, whether or not such machinery is the principal source of propulsion, that has a horsepower of ten or greater; "sailboat" means any vessel propelled by sail alone which has a length of nineteen and one-half feet.
(b) Said permits shall be issued by the Candlewood Lake Authority in cooperation with the town clerks of its member towns or an agent of such town clerks.
(c) The fee for said permits shall be: (1) Fifty dollars annually for state residents, (2) one hundred dollars annually for nonstate residents, (3) twenty dollars for a state resident for a temporary pass which shall be valid for one calendar week, and (4) thirty dollars for a nonstate resident for a temporary pass which shall be valid for one calendar week. The Candlewood Lake Authority shall have the authority to increase permit fees, but shall remain uniform in all the member municipalities.
(d) The Candlewood Lake Authority and commercial agents of the town clerks may retain one dollar of the fee for each permit they issue pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
(e) Application for a permit must be made on a standard form which shall be issued by the Candlewood Lake Authority. Said forms shall require the motorboat or sailboat owner's name and address, a description and the registration number of the motorboat or sailboat. Upon receipt of a completed form and permit fee, the applicant shall receive a decal which shall be affixed to the motorboat or sailboat and shall clearly display the effective dates of the permit.
(f) The Candlewood Lake Authority, in cooperation with the member town clerks, shall designate sufficient agents to ensure, during the period between the third Saturday in April through Columbus Day permits and decals will be readily and immediately available to applicants seven days a week. Applications for permits received by mail shall be processed and issued by mail upon five days from the receipt of said application and correct fee. Application forms shall also be made available through the Internet on the Candlewood Lake Authority and Department of Environmental Protection web sites.
(g) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall establish a Boating Fund on behalf of the Candlewood Lake Authority. All permit fees collected by the Candlewood Lake Authority, town clerks and the town clerks' commercial agents, with the exception of those described in subsection (d) of this section, shall be deposited into the Boating Fund. Said fund shall be used to cover all costs associated with the assignment of a Department of Environmental Protection law enforcement conservation officers or enforcement officers specific to Candlewood Lake. Additional funds available in the Boating Fund may be used to fund Candlewood Lake Authority or Department of Environmental Protection educational programs on boating safety, invasive species and water quality specific to Candlewood Lake.
(h) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, the Candlewood Lake Authority and all member towns shall produce an annual accounting of revenues collected from the issuance of permits pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
(i) The fine for launching, mooring or operating a motorboat or sailboat on Candlewood Lake without a valid permit shall be two hundred dollars.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
October 1, 2008
New section
Statement of Purpose:
To require a permit to operate certain motorboats and sailboats on Candlewood Lake
David Santos Environmental Director CT B.A.S.S. Federation Nation www.ctbass.com
#924550 - 03/02/0802:05 PM
Re: Bill Has Been Raised for Candlewood Lake Boat Use Permits HB5828
[Re: DAS]
BigLee
Member
Registered: 11/13/05
Posts: 1132
Loc: New Milford CT
Meeting notice posted in the DAnbury news times
Candlewood Lake boat sticker forums scheduled By Robert Miller STAFF WRITER Article Last Updated: 02/29/2008 03:54:35 PM EST
The spectrum of people who use and love Candlewood Lake - anglers, boaters, swimmers, residents - will get two chances to speak their minds on the proposed boat sticker program. The program, if it comes into being, will require that all boaters buy an annual sticker before setting out on Candlewood. The stickers will cost state boaters $50 a year and out-of-state boaters $100 a year. Those who use the lake only once or twice a year can buy temporary stickers - $20 for state residents, $30 for out-of-state residents. The first forum will be held March 8 at noon at New Fairfield High School. The second will be held on March 11 at 7 p.m. at John Pettibone School in New Milford. In addition, the General Assembly's Environment Committee will hold a hearing on the legislation creating the program within the first two weeks of March. The money raised would pay for the cost of an expanded lake patrol run by the Candlewood Lake Authority. "We know a lot of people won't go up to the hearing in Hartford," said state Rep. Mary Ann Carson, R-New Fairfield, who is sponsoring the hearings with state Rep. Clark Chapin, R-New Milford. "So we wanted to give them a chance to comment locally."
Have a safe time on the water and may that tight line be pulling back.
A member of Schaghticoke Bassmasters http://members.tripod.com/~bassmasters_ct/index.html A member of the TBF. The Bass Federation Tournament Bass Fishing for everyone. http://www.ct-tbf.com/
Previous Topic
Index