Posted to www.pierfishing.com
(message board)
Subject: Letter to DFG Cal-Tip ...
Name: pierhead
Date: Sep-29-06 1:09pm
Dear Lt. Schwall -
Our organization (UPSAC - United Pier and Shore Anglers of California)
has been working with the staff and regulars at Goleta Pier (Santa Barbara
County Park) to address some of the problems created by the night-time
anglers fishing for sharks at the end of the pier. The attached picture
shows how out of control the situation has become. We have been told by
a number of regulars that they no longer fish the pier at night out of
concern for personal safety.
In addition to the above fish waste and mutilations we have received
numerous reports of illegal late night snagging/keeping of undersized halibut
and white sea bass as well. With the lobster season about to begin we can
also expect a repeat of last years experience where boat-assisted scuba
divers worked the pilings and stripped all of the lobsters on the opening
night even though the pier is clearly posted with a 100 foot no-diving
zone.
We have reported the multiple problems to the Santa Barbara County
sheriffs and were told we should also contact your agency as well and request
help in the form of regular (or at least occasional) patrols of the pier,
especially at night and the weekends. Such walk-throughs would not only
serve as a deterrent but would also provide a bit of moral support for
those of us trying to make a difference on the pier.
Thank you in advance,
____________
Pierhead
Proud Supporter of UPSAC
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Subject: Disturbing and Disgraceful...
Name: pesk21
Date: Sep-29-06 1:16pm
I cant even find the words...
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Subject: Re: Disturbing and Disgraceful...
Name: D.T.R.B.
Date: Sep-29-06 1:18pm
are you kidding me?
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Subject: Re: Disturbing and Disgraceful...
Name: geekster
Date: Sep-29-06 5:18pm
Having done 24 years in the enlisted part of the U.S. Navy - I definitely
have the vocabulary - but for the sake of Ken and the mods will keep them
to myself.
Hope the gang unit puts a watch out there who can call in the troops
when he witnesses enough to justify it... "Turf war" on a public pier my
hairy old hind end - the crap has to stop.
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Subject: that is simply disgusting
Name: claytona
Date: Sep-29-06 1:23pm
and i thought i saw the worst of it...
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Subject: Good job Boyd, hope ya get some results.
If
Name: Santa
Date: Sep-29-06 1:28pm
I ever see anything like that happening, I promise, you WILL be
happy with MY results. The anal-aperatures who do that, should watch out
for a fat old man with a white beard fishing near them, because I'm their
worst nightmare, HO HO UH-oh! "Please sign on the bottom line" ;-)
____________
Best to have a kid standing on a pier catching fish,
than on a street corner catching somthing else.
Support UPSAC
mcats@sbceo.org
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Subject: Be sure to leave dead fish in their stocking
Santa
Name: Red Fish
Date: Sep-29-06 1:37pm
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Subject: Re: Good job Boyd, hope ya get some results.
If
Name: riorust
Date: Sep-29-06 5:34pm
I'll ditto, except, I'm not portly and I don't have a beard. But
the end result will be similar. That is probably the most thoughtless,
disgusting waste of life since the news regarding the war in Iraq. Appprox
3k killed on 9/11 and about 3k killed trying to avenge it, maybe its time
for a chage in tactics? on both fronts.
____________
Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality
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Subject: Nope, Nothing physical, just a signature
at the
Name: Santa
Date: Sep-29-06 9:01pm
bottom of a citation and a big fine should make some think next
time.
____________
Best to have a kid standing on a pier catching fish,
than on a street corner catching somthing else.
Support UPSAC
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Subject: With something like that I think a citzens
arrest
Name: illcatchanything
Date: Sep-30-06 7:15am
would be in order.
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Subject: Re: Letter to DFG Cal-Tip ...
Name: fishinhat
Date: Sep-29-06 1:32pm
Please let us know if you get a reply... this just makes me sick.
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Subject: Re: Letter to DFG Cal-Tip ...
Name: big bait big ffish
Date: Sep-29-06 1:44pm
i just want to know what makes people think that this kind of behavior
is ok.it makes me sick.i was raised that you only kill what will be eaten
or will be used as bait. do you really have to kill everything that you
catch??
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Subject: What it is....
Name: Kawtnuffin
Date: Sep-29-06 1:50pm
... in addition to animal mutilation is a display and implied threat,
an
attempt to "turf" the pier. Boyd is doing an outstanding job of removing
trash and graffiti here on a daily basis, and it is encouraging the daytime
crowd to help keep things presentable. The rest of us need to make it clear
to County Parks and law enforcement agencies that the small number of poo-bottoms
turfing the pier at night have got to go.
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Subject: Re: What it is....
Name: quai loh warrior
Date: Sep-29-06 4:06pm
You are the only one who gets it. Everyone else wants to charge
in and go all physical, but that mentality will only get someone killed,
and more than likely someone who is innocent. This is a matter for the
authorities. Minute Men need not apply.
Boyd, carry on, and keep out of harm's way.
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Subject: Sick people do sick things and the jerks
who...
Name: ken Jones
Date: Sep-29-06 2:25pm
do these things are sick. I know how these pictures make me feel;
I can only imagine the anguish Boyd feels.
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Subject: Remember this story...
Name: ken Jones
Date: Sep-29-06 2:25pm
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Subject: Preacher Man
—
Name: ken Jones
Date: Sep-29-06 2:30pm
Preacher Man
Ken Jones - 2006
We shall meet but we shall miss him / There will be one vacant chair
/ We shall linger to caress him / While we breathe our evening prayer /
When a year ago we gathered / Joy was in his mild blue eye / But a golden
chord is severed / And our hopes in ruin lie.
Henry S. Washburn
Looking up, Jim saw an ebony-tattered sky and a cold, dirty moon.
The sky mirrored the mood of the boys but their questions and despair went
much deeper. Even the chicory-bitter brew that percolated on the beat up
old pot didn't elicit a comment this night. If there ever was a time that
the group needed a little silent time this was it. The moisture on Jim's
cheeks puddled into rivulets and bridal veiled to the pier's surface as
he mused. What had gone wrong?
The group had been together nearly fifteen years, from their testosterone-goofy
years in high school until they were men. Originally there were eight but
Josh had been gung ho to prove his valor by enlisting in the army; he had
paid with his life fighting that bastard Sadam. The seven remaining members
declared themselves the Seven Horseman of the Acropolis until someone suggested
that was just a little too extreme. Then someone mentioned the Seven Samurai
and that seemed to stick until their fishing got serious. It's funny how
things change but change did indeed take place when the gang adopted the
bat rays as their own. Thereafter, their moniker was The Mud Marlin Gang.
For years the gang had sought out halibut as their main goal but
as time went on, and their lives entwined with job and family, they found
that the nocturnal hours were the only reliable time to meet. Sharks and
rays became the goal and they quickly became masters at coaxing in the
big leppies, hounds, and guitars. Some would frown on these fish but not
the gang, the fish were big, put up a good fight, and provided thrills
to a sometimes all-too-boring world.
The bat rays-mud marlins, train engine immitatin' slammers, bats
out of hell-were the largest and strongest of their foes. They were the
beasts that really required the heavy lines and group efforts needed to
bring a big 'un up to the pier. Hundred pounders were the goal and many
had been landed over the years. Even so, they were not seen as anything
special until the night Preacher Man looked into the Bette Davis eyes of
a big female and received the message. Fish are fish, or at least that's
what most believed. But Preacher Man swore that the beast had spoken to
him. "She looked me in the eyes and told me it's our job to protect the
fish on the pier." His friends suggested that the half-empty bottle of
Jack Daniels had a little to do with the vision but Preacher Man angrily
poked a finger at the group and shook his head. "No, you didn't feel the
message." He received salvation that night, and soon, seemingly by osmosis,
the group conversion had begun.
Thereafter, the fish were returned to the sea unless injured. If
injured they were dealt a quick death, and a group member each week was
designated as the person to eat (and not waste) the flesh given up by the
fish. It seemed a little silly at first but if it kept Preacher Man happy,
the group was willing to oblige. Having seen the light, Preacher Man took
it upon himself to enlighten the other anglers on the pier. "Don't you
see? You need to keep only what you will use. Treat the fish with dignity
and you become more dignified. Practice catch and release." The sermons
were short and simple and some listened if only because he seemed so sincere.
Over time his preaching's did have an effect on the pier-even if some still
continued to ignore his exhortations.
Actually, Blaine (Preacher Man) had started to change before he
met the ray and perhaps that change had given impetus to his conversion.
Of all the gang he seemed to have the ideal life. Always the lady's man,
he had charismatic looks and brains to spare. By his mid-20s he was already
close to being a millionaire and he had a beautiful wife and two wonderful
children. Then the market collapsed, his business failed, and he was soon
a virtual pauper. Shortly thereafter his wife, not so discreetly, hooked
up with an old friend and left with the children. There is a fine line
between love and hate and the same can be said for success and failure.
And failure, in marriage or in business, can change your soul. Mr. Daniels
became a frequent friend and Blaine seemed to change right before his friends.
He became thin, disheveled and withdrawn, but he still made it a practice
to attend the biweekly, Saturday-night get-to-gethers at the pier. Perhaps
he simply needed a new purpose and his conversation with the ray gave him
that purpose.
Sam and Matty were of a different faith. Pugnacious, quarrelsome,
and mean-spirited, they were happy to follow the path of their Neanderthal-like
ancestors. "Leave us alone and mind your own business" was their refrain
when first confronted by Preacher Man. They made their own rules and didn't
have time for the type of drivel that the Preacher Man was spouting. "Man,
that guy's goofy in the head. He better watch it or someone's going to
toss him over the railing. Serves him right trying to tell us what is right
and wrong." Like those Devil-trains in the night, they were destined to
collide.
Their first night at the pier, Sam hooked and landed a small bat
ray, a mere youngster less than a foot wide and under five pounds in weight.
After bringing it up to the pier, Sam stomped the fish into submission
and then used his knife to cut a large groove into the mouth so that he
could remove his hook and leader. Already destined to die, Matty finished
the job by stomping the still quivering youngster once more before tossing
it against the rail. The dirt, slime and blood-encrusted corpse lay on
the pier for all to see. Luckily, The Bat Ray Gang wasn't there that night
or Sam and Matty would have been in deep trouble.
The regulars at the pier knew and respected the gang. Heck, the
local legend Packy (with his trademark coonskin hat) had even found an
old, rusty Coca Cola tray somewhere and presented it to the gang. In the
middle of the tray Packy had put a picture of a bat ray and etched around
it were the names of the group- Jim, Gypsy Boy, Rambler, Rock, Karloff,
Slayer, and Preacher Man. It was a notable gift from someone they themselves
respected and the tray became a prized possession. Not all of the pier's
regulars were "converts" to Preacher Man's religion, nor did all practice
his catch and release rules, but all respected the gang and were on their
best behavior when the gang was present.
The regulars had a different view of Sam and Matty. Both could be
easy to talk to, especially if you shared a little wine or a smoke, but
they were also a little crazy. They once had told a group of tourists they
would butt heads for a dollar each. Soon after, they lined up at opposite
sides of the pier, put their heads down, and ran with heads lowered into
each other at full steam. No one knew how they had avoided concussions
but they sprang up laughing and collected their money. Another time Matty
lowered himself over the railing and down to the pilings just to collect
some mussels. When someone pointed out there was an easier way to collect
mussels, Matty just laughed and gave him the middle finger. Nor were they
interested in walking the long distance back to the restrooms at the front
of the pier. Urine stained spots on the pier were their legacy-and worse.
The night that the gang and the boys finally met was slow, at least
it was slow in the fish bite category. That, of course, gave Preacher Man
time to find Sam and Matty and deliver a sermon. It also gave Sam time
to tell Preach Man to leave them alone. Preacher Man understood, "sometimes
it takes a little time to teach them what's right." Jim said "be careful
with those two, they're not the convertin' type." But Preacher Man did
not give up so easily.
The third night that the groups met up was when the trouble started.
Once again Sam and Matty had caught some bat rays, in this case a couple
of twins about ten pounds each. The fish were tortured, cut up, and returned
to the water. But the gang had not seen their deeds. Unfortunately July
4 was only a few days away and Matty had brought some fireworks to the
pier. A few small fireworks were lit and made their normal explosions.
The gang decided to warn them that such actions were not permitted. Indeed,
fireworks a few years prior had led to a small fire and closing of part
of the pier for several months. Jim and Rock walked down to the duo and
tried to convince them of the danger of fireworks but Sam and Matty simply
laughed at them. "Mind your own business, this is a public pier and we
can do what we want to do." Such was their reasoning and Jim and Rock walked
back to the gang to discuss the response. Karloff and Slayer, both ex-wrestlers
who enjoyed a little action, declared their intention to teach them a lesson
but the rest said they should wait to see if the two continued to explode
firecrackers.
What happened next was unexpected. Sam caught a small swell shark,
no more than three or four pounds in size, and when it reached the pier's
surface the shark puffed up as they normally do when caught. Matty said
he had never seen anything quite so funny in his life. After kicking the
fish a couple of times he had a new idea. "Let's blow it up Sam! We'll
stuff a firecracker down its throat and when it explodes we'll have puffer
all over the pier!" It seemed like a fine idea to Sam so soon the young
shark was stuffed with a lighted firecracker and shortly thereafter the
fish was blown to bits. Yellow pieces of skin, scarlet blotches of blood,
and ivory flesh was scattered around the duo on the pier when the gang
returned to see what had happened.
"What did you do" screamed the Preacher Man? Behind him stood six
ready to fight members of his gang. Jim said "get out of here" and, for
the first time that night, Matty and Sam seemed to grasp their predicament.
They might put up a good fight but they were not going to win. As bullies
often do, they decided to retreat. "It was a mistake, a firecracker accidentally
went off as we were returning that fish to the sea." It was a stupid lie
but one that caught the group off balance. No one really believed it but
Matty and Sam quickly packed up and left before the fight could begin.
The group talked into the night and agreed they should have taken
action but now it was too late. They would be ready the next time they
visited the pier and make sure the two roughies were taught a lesson. Preacher
Man was the only one who didn't join in the discussion, a fact little noticed
that night. He would sometimes be thinkin' when others were talkin' and
they just assumed this was the same. But this was different! Preacher Man
was more than just offended, he felt a sin had been done and was determined
to right a wrong.
As Matty and Sam headed home they consumed the remaining beers and
discussed how they had been the victims. They too felt they had to right
a wrong. How dare those idiots try to tell them what to do? How dare scum
like that try to bully them in such a manner? What made that Preacher Man
think he was better than them anyway? Their anger gave way to a plan. The
gang was predictable, arriving at the pier every other Saturday around
9PM. Sam and Matty would visit the pier before their arrival and leave
them a surprise.
Their plan seemed simple enough. They would fish several nights
before the gang's arrival and catch some sharks and rays. They would then
nail up the mutilated corpses of those same fish in the spot where the
gang always set up. Only they would do it before the gang arrived and be
long gone before the gang's arrival. It seemed so simple and it seemed
a sure way to arouse the wrath of the gang. The gang would know who had
done it but not be able to do anything about it. They didn't plan to be
around the gang when it was at the pier.
Preacher Man was the flaw in their plan. He knew these two were
up to no good and were bound to do more evil. He couldn't be at the pier
every night but he talked to the regulars and told them to let him know
what was going on. Reports came to him on Wednesday and Thursday night,
two weeks later. Matty and Sam were seen catching sharks and rays and they
were taking them with them off the pier. It was strange because it had
never happened before. He decided to visit on Friday night and see what
was going on.
That night, out toward the end of the pier, Preacher Man confronted
them. Sam and Matty had just caught a medium-sized bat ray when he walked
up and startled them. "What are you doing" he asked. Noticing that Preacher
Man was alone gave them added courage and Matty proceeded to take the bat
ray and slice off one of its wings. "We're going to kill your precious
bat rays is what we're going to do" said Matty before tossing the wing
over the side of the pier. Something snapped and Preacher Man rushed forward
to be confronted by two younger and stronger enemies. Matty struck Preacher
Man twice knocking him down; Sam kicked him several times; both laughed
that he wasn't going to preach to them any more. As he lay on the ground
moaning, Matty and Sam sliced up the sharks and rays they had caught that
night and nailed them to the pier. The pier was quickly soaked with blood.
"Here, Preacher Man, here is something you can preach to."
The Preacher Man had seen enough and though hurt physically, the
injustices he had suffered during the last few years seemed to arouse a
new inner strength. He rushed the two as they continued to laugh and nail
the fish to the pier. Sam turned and held a knife out to Preacher Man.
"Get back or we'll nail you up next. Let's see what your friends have to
say about that." But Preacher Man grabbed the knife and wrestled it from
Sam's grip. Matty rushed at him and it was stab or be stabbed and Preacher
Man swung the knife up into Matty's gut. It was like Japanese seppuche
as the knife traversed the gut to chest and Matty's intestines rushed out.
Sam had grabbed another knife and he too rushed the still engaged Preacher
Man. A stab into Preacher Man's side didn't even seem to faze him as he
turned and slit Sam's throat. Two human bodies joined the bodies of the
fish on the pier but Preacher Man wasn't done.
Sharks are attracted by blood and will feed on human remains when
given the chance. In Preacher Man's way of thinking that night, the best
way that Matty and Sam could repay their debt to the slain sharks and rays
was to be eaten by them. He cut up the remains of his foes and, one by
one, dumped their body parts over the pier. The pier was awash in blood,
both human and fish, but Preacher Man used his remaining strength to remove
the mutilated bodies of the sharks and rays from the side of the pier and
carefully place them in a bag he had found.
There was one more thing to be done. What he had done was wrong,
he knew that, but he didn't feel guilty. In fact, in some funny way, he
felt a release from a cloud that had hung over his life for some time.
Still, he had no intention of going to jail for his deed. His work was
done. He would miss his friends but they would go on, such is life. He
had no desire to continue his wasted life. Dipping his finger in the blood
he wrote three names-Sam, Matty and Blaine-and under the names the date.
Enough said! He climbed up on the railing of the pier and plunged into
the dark and enveloping sea. Preacher Man had never learned to swim.
The next morning the early fishermen found the blood, the names,
and the equipment of Sam and Matty. Soon after, the police closed off the
pier. When two mismatched arms, a leg, and the body of Preacher Man was
found on the incoming tide later that morning, the entire beach was closed.
It was the crime of the year and newspapers speculated as they do. Biographies
portrayed the life of two losers, and a man who had been a winner-for a
time. None of the stories accurately portrayed how the three had come to
meet their deaths in such an insane and savage manner. None adequately
presented the story of how a soul that has been hollowed by defeat can
overcome the precautions and instincts ingrained by centuries of civilization.
None dared give truth to the fact that humans retain their most basic animal
instincts and can revert to a far more savage nature given the proper circumstance
and motivation.
No one guessed at the truth but the gang and perhaps a regular
or two at the pier.
They knew of the bad blood and the passion that resided in the soul
of Preacher Man. And they knew that sometimes a man can only take so much
before he goes a little crazy. The Preacher Man was a good man but life
had dealt him a bad hand. They would remember and always respect him. And
they knew that whatever he had done to the crazy duo was of their making.
Live a bad life, die a bad death. It was simple.
Still, the Bat Ray Gang was in shock. To them a friend, a life-long
buddy was gone. He had apparently killed himself after a fight with the
brothers and each wondered if the group itself had played a part. If they
had straightened out matters that first night perhaps this wouldn't have
happened. The group didn't fish for two months but at last Jim called the
others and said it would be the best thing to do- to continue to fish-
and to finish Blaine's work. They would all be disciples of The Preacher
Man and insure that people did indeed follow the rules.
They met on the pier the next Saturday, the night of the cold, dirty
moon and the stench of death still lingered on the pier. It would be many
a moon before normalcy returned to the group and as each gave inner thought
that night each suffered in his own individual way. Sometimes there are
simply no answers that make sense! Perhaps, as the ancient Greeks believed,
we are simply the pawns of some greater beings who themselves are imperfect.
Jim finally tried that hot coffee but no amount of sugar could relieve
the bitter taste in his mouth nor stop the tears that continued to flow.
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Subject: wow!
Name: big bait big ffish
Date: Sep-29-06 3:00pm
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Subject: So....
Name: songslinger
Date: Sep-30-06 7:16am
Link: http://www.songslinger.net/fishing.html
...gotta ask:
What is the county coordinator doing? What happened to the Goleta
grant? And how about RFA? It's been a year since the alliance. Doesn't
this interest/concern them?
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Subject: A fair question, I guess...
Name: ken Jones
Date: Sep-30-06 8:28am
(1) There is no UPSAC coordinator in that area. However no one could
do more than Boyd. Bad people are everywhere and it's unrealistic to think
we will stop all such actions. Closure of the pier at night is a possibility.
(2) The Goleta grant is strictly educational so perhaps will pay
off long term; little impact to this situation.
(3) RFA is involved in larger issues, that's why we need UPSAC
and people at the local level engaged in activities.
On the face of it though it would appear UPSAC and PFIC have had
little impact on poachers and people such as this. I suppose some will
suggest we pull the plug.
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Subject: Re: A fair question, I guess...
Name: songslinger
Date: Sep-30-06 9:05am
Link: http://www.songslinger.net/fishing.html
)Thought it was Dompha, or at least that he was involved with the
grant. Even so, given that Goleta is the site where so much of UPSAC was
given its birth...
2)The grant is germane because it is rendered moot by the pier being
lost to thugs. As for the grant, it is one positive development that appears
to be the best kept secret at UPSAC. You see no mention of it anywhere
on the site--which gets updated quarterly but needs to be more vigorously
maintained.
3)RFA, by its very name, ought to represent all anglers who fish
saltwater, especially since RFA has significant political influence.
4)"I suppose some will suggest we pull the plug." Not yet, but you
are close.
At the very least, stuff like this calls for an Official Statement
by UPSAC, made for the record and published widely. Keeping it all in-house
on-computer cannot address the situation. You have the live bodies (members)--why
don't you use them? Email campaigns, letters, even some gentle activism.
Imagine 100 letters like Boyd's!
So I don't end here on a wholly negative tone, let me suggest something
positive. High School students in many schools are required to contribute
service hours. An organization like UPSAC could kill two birds with one
stone, so to speak. You set up weekend work parties to pick up trash and/or
paint or fix up areas. Three hours per session would be reasonable and
not subject teenagers to too much at once. UPSAC missed the boat, again,
on the Annual Coastal Cleanup, but you do not have to wait for other people's
events. Make it a weekly of monthly effort. You may find more females helping
out and hence a reason for more males to show up. Sound okay?
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Subject: Re: A fair question, I guess...
Name: pescare
Date: Sep-30-06 9:33am
"On the face of it though it would appear UPSAC and PFIC have had
little impact on poachers and people such as this. I suppose some will
suggest we pull the plug."
Ken, in reality UPSAC does have little impact on this, but
I don't see that as a failure. No organization can get into the heads of
morons or truly bad people and make them change. Don't forget the influence
of drugs and alcohol on those all-nighters either. Is drunk driving fixed?
MADD has been around for more than twenty five years, has nationwide representation,
a huge budget and many high-profile supporters and activites. Still, millions
of people drive while drunk and more than 16,000 people were killed in
accidents involving drunk drivers last year. Best any organization like
these can do is get to some people, change some minds and
make some impact.
PFIC's impact? Tiny. Yeah, there is some influence, but lots of
us can tell stories of seeing PFICers knowingly breaking the regs and otherwise
breaking The Code. Get someone out in the field and away from the eyes
of this audience and you see what's really going on inside of them. How
many posts do we see that clearly indicate the authors don't know even
the basic regs, and have apparently never even tried to educate themselves
even though it's so easy now a child could find the info? Again, not a
failure. Touch a few and be happy for that.
================================================================================
Subject: Call 1-888-DFG-Cal-Tip....
Name: red fish
Date: Oct-1-06 7:30am
the next time you see a PFICer "knowingly breaking the reg." Or,
better yet, just confront them and let them know, "you ain't wit it!" Let's
keep us all honest! UPSAC has its place as well as the "street soldiers"
on the pier. Some can write letters, other can be "takin' it to the streets."
Another way to look at this is: What if these guys kept these thornbacks
as part of their legal daily catch and used them as lobster net bait, or
shark bait? Or, if they hung the thornbacks up to field dress them, but
left them for whatever reason (too drunk.) I don't think their would be
so many raised eyebrows at their mutilation. But, since they chose to hang
the fish up in some "Jeffrey Dahmer" like fashion in public display on
the pier, they represent themselves as strange degenerates. Of course Ed,
you have heard of the "Power of One." Boyd makes a difference (and he can
write letters too). I won't write letters, but I will mention to someone
to not be "dissin' my pier." And, if they "want to front, " I have no problem
blowing the whistle on them. I will protect my home, that's Berkeley, that
is where I was born. I can't say I'd be running things in Richmond or Oakland.
But, if that was my hideout, I would be claming it. Actually, the 7th street
pier is on the Oakland Army Base (no in a hood) so we still got a couple
of g.i.'s around with M16's to guard that spot in case someone doesn't
want to listen to my peaceful protest of non-compliance with the regs ;-)
I will let Slinger handle the waste mangement.
____________
Support UPSAC or there will be no pier or shore fishing to preserve
for future generations....
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Subject: OH Jeez.....please put a warning next
time
Name: Attila
Date: Sep-29-06 2:32pm
Link: http://l2enraged.com
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Subject: Knock off the language—deletion, deletion,
...
Name: Ken Jones
Date: Sep-29-06 2:52pm
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Subject: So...angry...
Name: Trogdor
Date: Sep-29-06 3:03pm
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY FAVORITE PIER!!!!
Gawd, people are sick. Me and my buddies used to fish for shark
and have a great time with some of the regulars at night at Goleta Pier.
This kind of trash is not acceptable. This makes me outraged and very sad.
____________
Poachers = teh suck
Do your part, report to DFG.
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Subject: Re: So...angry...
Name: big bait big ffish
Date: Sep-29-06 3:15pm
more and more piers are getting like that everyday.its just a shame.that
reason is why i fish the same places over and over again even when it gets
slow. at least i know who im going to be dealing with for the most part.
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Subject: Common place.
Name: gyt
Date: Sep-29-06 3:14pm
On another note, they kinda look like those cattle that get mutilated
by aliens. Maybe they did it? (<>..(<>..<>)..<>)
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Subject: No Excuse... Just Awful!
Name: baitfish
Date: Sep-29-06 3:15pm
Link: http://www.upsac.org
I think it is terrible that even in this day and age that people
can be so brutal. It is things like this that give PETA the ammunition
it needs to end fishing. thank you Boyd for making the effort to reach
out to the authorities and hopefully catch these JERKS!
Just a terrible shame!
____________
Adam
Support UPSAC and help preserve pier and shore fishing for future
generations.
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Subject: Re: Letter to DFG Cal-Tip ...
Name: hurleyintl186
Date: Sep-29-06 3:48pm
I have a feeling this is related to Irwin or someone is just suck
and twisted.
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Subject: We sure got really perverted sickos out
there!
Name: geckomd
Date: Sep-29-06 3:48pm
Draconian laws anyone? This simply goes beyond moral comprehension.
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Subject: Re: Letter to DFG Cal-Tip ...
Name: Trogdor
Date: Sep-29-06 4:21pm
In this instance, the police could step in right? I know poaching
is a matter that only DFG can handle (sadly; don't get me started on that
one) but as far as I know, animal mutilation IS against the law police-wise
right?
____________
Poachers = teh suck
Do your part, report to DFG.
================================================================================
Subject: Re: '... the police could step in right?'
Name: pierhead
Date: Sep-29-06 5:08pm
One of the regulars had also seen the display and took pictures
which were dropped off for the park rangers the following morning.
When I got to the pier I found more problems ... the midpier bathrooms
had been hit hard by a local gang in another 'turfing' attempt. Since they
had conveniently provided the name of their gang and the individual monikers
for 5 of them I contacted the park. The ranger who came out to witness
the graffiti also brought the mutilation pictures and left them with me
to show the sheriffs who he had just called.
While I was showing the damage to the officer who responded I also
showed him the pictures ... he agreed it was a clear case of animal mutilation
and handed the pictures back to me suggesting that I should contact the
DFG. He didn't take any pictures of the graffiti either although he had
brought his camera with him for that purpose.
He did say though that he was going to refer the incidents to the
'gang unit' and promised to inform his fellow officers of the problems
and our attempts to deal with them. He couldn't promise increased patrols
because they were 'short-handed' but he would do what he could.
____________
Pierhead
Proud Supporter of UPSAC
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Subject: Re: '... the police could step in right?'
Name: fishinhat
Date: Sep-29-06 9:30pm
Gee pierhead, I don't know about that deputy. If he didn't even
take pictures I'd chance that he's not going to write a report or pass
it to the gang unit. You might want to follow up with a call to the gang
unit in the next week.
If you haven't sent off that letter to DFG yet I would suggest indicating
that you're cc'ing at least one local paper or television station with
it. You're more likely to get some response with the "threat" of publicity.
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Subject: Re: '... he's not going to write a report
or ...'
Name: pierhead
Date: Sep-30-06 3:29pm
... pass it to the gang unit'
I'm wondering too ... here is a report I made to Ken on 8/29
about a gang fight the previous weekend and my attempts to get
more information:
'Recently there has been an upsurge in gang related graffiti
as several groups become increasingly territorial. This past Saturday night
the police had to be called twice as two of those groups began fighting.
I was surprised to learn Sunday morning that the head ranger
at the park had not been advised of the incidents. I called the Sheriff
Department to request a copy of the incident report and was even more surprised
to discover that no report had been written ... nor would one be written.
I questioned why as there were units from the Sheriffs, CHP and Airport
Security on the scene. It was explained that reports aren't written when
'there are no complaining victims and the alledged crime, public disturbance,
is only a misdemeanor'.
Wanting to see if a followup had been done to the 'gang unit'
I asked if I could speak to the officers involved. I was called back by
(named omitted) who had been assigned to research the incident for me and
he confirmed that there was no report.
He then read me what seemed to be a statement from the officers
on the scene. It indicated that several people appeared to be injured but
no one was willing to file a complaint or provide any details beyond the
fact that the larger group was shouting out the word 'Goleta'.
The officers left only to be called back again shortly when the
smaller group called for reinforcements who were apparently barracading
the foot of the pier. Again the officers were unsuccessful in gaining cooperation
from the witnesses. (Name omitted) said there was no referral to the 'gang
unit' since there was no report written.
He also explained that there was no 'gang unit' as such ... just
two
oficers assigned to 'Special Projects' who were terribly overworked
and probably wouldn't answer their phone. I asked for the number and was
transferred instead. Somehow I ended back at the dispatcher who suggested
I try back on Monday.
I tried back today and was transferred from one wrong extension
to another for over an hour before finally ending up in the 'capital projects'
department for Santa Barbara county!'
____________
Pierhead
Proud Supporter of UPSAC
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Subject: Use caution in dealing with these people.
Name: wings42
Date: Sep-29-06 4:59pm
As a one time probation office and then special education teacher
who worked with emotionally disturbed adolescents I can say with authority
that animal abuse is a sign of deep pathology. It is often a prelude to
violence toward helpless people.
Adults and adolescents who do this kind of thing are potentially
dangerous. I hope everybody here uses great caution and avoids confronting
these people. Instead, notify the authorities. Peace officers have the
training and the weaponry to deal with potential violence effectively and
hopefully with safety for themselves. Also, unlike us fisherfolk, peace
officers have the authority to make arrests which can be the start of stopping
the animal abuse.
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Subject: On a lighter note
Name: dkkim
Date: Sep-29-06 5:25pm
Soo Sad. On a lighter note, 2 DFG officers stopped by and said hi
to us (I'll let the other guys post a report). They were patrolling the
area and asking us questions about poachers and such.
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Subject: sickening!
Name: gordo grande
Date: Sep-29-06 10:55pm
Link: http://www.goodvideo.neptune.com
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Subject: ignorant punks.. how could they
Name: drudown
Date: Sep-30-06 1:05pm
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Subject: Re: Letter to DFG Cal-Tip ...
Name: Trogdor
Date: Sep-30-06 6:10pm
It made me sick when people abused rays at night. Some guys would
pull a Thornback ray or a Guitarfish and start crying Stingray! to their
kids. They would then hit it hard to stun it, cut the line (not even close
to the hook), and then proceed to kick it off the edge of the pier. I stepped
in one time and just grabbed it and pulled the hook out. I showed them
that it wasn't a stingray nor had I ever seen one at Goleta. I would also
show people around me when I caught one myself to educate them on the finer
points of fish identification.
Now all this wasn't as bad as what is pictured above, but the abuse
of fish is obscene. There's no need for it. No fish, no matter how dangerous,
should ever be casually kicked off a pier.
____________
Poachers = teh suck
Do your part, report to DFG.
================================================================================
Subject: Re: Letter to DFG Cal-Tip ...
Name: Amo_ Pescare1
Date: Oct-1-06 8:13pm
Very surprising as things were not so bad my last time out(2-3 weeks
ago). At heart, it's extremley disturbing, especially given the amount
of heart and time you've put forward to better things. I'll do my best
to get out more and police while fishing.
Thanks for the update Boyd.
Best Regards,
J
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