05-24-2010, 05:01 AM
Part of the problem is nobody really knows what the ultimate effect of this will be. I would suggest reading the law for yourself, gaining a good understanding of it, and acting according to what you find out. Also study closely the new trespassing laws that were enacted in 2009. Basically removed the requirement to post private property to keep people out.
I can say with a fair amount of confidence that I know this law inside and out. And I wouldn't follow my advice on it if I were someone else. We just don't know the final impact it will have.
Here's my best guess. Some group will be contacting landowners on the walk-in access program for fishing and asking them to close off that access, and set them up as a steward to manage the land for a pay-to-play fee. You all have probably heard of organizations who have done this for big game hunting and really took it to the average joe big game hunter. If this bill is not overruled in the Supreme Court, I see fishing going the same way in our state. I had done good not thinking about this issue much lately, and this just totally depressed me on the status of our fisheries once again. The day our elected officials stuck their noses up at the public in Utah and sold out to the Farm Bureau, Utah Association of Realtors, and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife will live as a day of infamy for me for the rest of my life. Sad,
day....
[signature]
I can say with a fair amount of confidence that I know this law inside and out. And I wouldn't follow my advice on it if I were someone else. We just don't know the final impact it will have.
Here's my best guess. Some group will be contacting landowners on the walk-in access program for fishing and asking them to close off that access, and set them up as a steward to manage the land for a pay-to-play fee. You all have probably heard of organizations who have done this for big game hunting and really took it to the average joe big game hunter. If this bill is not overruled in the Supreme Court, I see fishing going the same way in our state. I had done good not thinking about this issue much lately, and this just totally depressed me on the status of our fisheries once again. The day our elected officials stuck their noses up at the public in Utah and sold out to the Farm Bureau, Utah Association of Realtors, and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife will live as a day of infamy for me for the rest of my life. Sad,
day....[signature]