TO THE EDITOR: THE NORTHFIELD NEWS IN OCTOBER of 2009 the Vt. Fish and Wildlife Commissioner through a “commissioners rule” (meaning no input from the Fish and Wildlife board) enacted a regulation that establishes a “no-kill” “artificial only” (eliminating ALL bait fishing) fishery on the lower section of the Dog River from the confluence of the Winooski river (Junction bridge in Montpelier) eight miles upstream to the Dam in Northfield Falls (behind Moot’s/Black Bear Woodturning).

A petition was circulated (gathering 119 signatures) asking the Commissioner to amend the regulation to allow any child under the age of 16 to continue to be able to bait fish this section as well as requesting the test water be moved from the Junction Bridge in Montpelier to the Riverton Bridge on Rt. 12 (as originally proposed) and that the restriction sunset after two years.

A copy of the petition was sent to every member of the Fish and Wildlife Board (as a courtesy as they had no input on the restriction) the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, the head of the Water Resources Board, the Fisheries Biologist in charge of creating the regulation as well as the head of the Natural Resources Board. To date, only one member of the Fish and Wildlife board has responded in any manner (and agreed that this regulation is without merit and questioned if there are “other agenda” at work, given that the board was not consulted and the river is easily accessible from just about any point and is within easy reach of downtown Montpelier).

We feel that in a time where our kids are increasingly busy and have a multitude of activities to choose from that any regulation restricting their ability to enjoy the outdoors is a poor one and that punishing one demographic of anglers while allowing unrestricted access to another is unacceptable.

We ask that if you are concerned about losing this section of river that you email/phone/write your representative and/or the commissioner and voice your concerns.

Your representatives for Washington County are:

Anne Donahue, 148 Donahue Dr, Northfield VT 05663 (802-485-6431, email adonahue@leg.staet.vt.us or counterp@tds.net.

Maxine Grad, 301 Paddy Hill Rd. Moretown, VT 05660 802-496-7667 email mgrad@leg.state.vt.us or maxjg@wcvt.com.

The Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife can be reached at fwinformation@ state.vt.us.

JOE BAROFFIO

Northfield