North Carolina Fishing Reports - save the inlets

Capt_Dave · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:29 am Post subject: "Save The Inlets"

I have been very quiet for the last week as they prepared to remove the buoys from my home inlet at Carolina Beach.

I was quiet because my head was buried in this computer writing a script to send e-mail and faxes to all of our elected officials.

It is called "Save The Inlets" and this my friends is a

Call To Arms!

Look on the left hand side in the main menu for a list of OUR Elected Officials.

All you have to do is type in YOUR Name, Address and E-Mail, a sample letter is included and it will send a E-Mail to that official and kick you back an E-Mail with that persons FAX numbers at the bottom of it.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

E-Mail...FAX...PHONE!

We the Anglers of North Carolina MUST Stand Up an make our VOICES HEARD!.

Captain Dave

Capt_Dave · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 8:04 am Post subject:

If you find any errors....have problems...or think something should be changed....PLEASE let me know.

This was 4 days writing and 1/2 day testing....I think we got most of the buggs out....but you never know. So let me know if you find any "Issues"

Dave

DocksideEd · Newbie Joined: Feb 14, 2005 Posts: 1

Captain Dave, thank you! What a wonderfull job you have done. We have to keep the pressure up and not lay down.

Thanks again!
Dockside Ed
Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce

Captain Stanman · 2nd Mate Joined: Jan 26, 2005 Posts: 41

Ed, hope to see you there tonight. Please bring a carful or two,

bluewaterpirate · Mate Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 21

I was one of the organizers & moderator of the meeting. My thanks to all that attended. Here are some hightlights. There is already monies there in the form of the Waterways Trust Fund. These funds have been garnished from commercial users for over 35 years. They pay 20 cents per gallon of gas used in the form of a users tax. Right now today there is over 400 million dollars sitting in this Waterway Trust Fund. Not a dime of this money has EVER been used for ICW or Inlet Maintenace because the wording of the bill states it can only be used for new construction in relation to the ICW. All congress has to do is change the wording. For the last 9 years congress has tried to move this money out the the ICW Trust Fund into other programs that it was not intended to support (nothing to do with waterways). There is another issue that needs to be addressed in the equation. When the GAO counts ICW usage it only counts barge traffic not commercial fisherman or recreational users. So when they cut funding they do not see the true use figures.

NC boaters can also get a refund from Raleigh on the gas they use for their boats which comes to about 24 cents per gallon. As of last year ONLY 2% of all NC boaters applied for this refund. The NC State Budget Office estimated (State Senator Brown brought this figure to light last night) there was over 15 million dollars in taxes paid by boaters that was never refunded. There is another way to fund waterways. If ur forced to pay taxes to both the Fed/State to fund roads why not the ICW/Inlets. They're roads just like the Interstates.

Last thing ..... this issue not only effects boaters but the entire economies of coastal NC. Looking at the list of attendees last night u'll c that we had regional representation Morehead City to the South Carolina Border. If these economies tank (tourism is king in the east) the loss in revenue to the state would be in the 100's of millions of dollars.

This was a great lesson in civics the power of individuals that band together in a common cause is simly amazing. By the way, the offical number was 718 the fire marshall cut us off. There was over a mile back up waiting to park when this happened. There were 28 people who signed up to speak & they all did a terrific job articulating their concerns & solutions.

Thanks again for all your support!
Tom

BWP

bluewaterpirate · Mate Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 21

Just a little more info:

Believe me our elected officals heard everything that was said last night very clearly. They were simply amazed by the numbers that showed up and also how well organized we were. The people who signed up were very articluate & to the point in their remarks. Chambers of Commerce representatives talked about some very sobbering economic figures if monies are not found for dredging. Our federal elected officals have already huddled with the Corp of Engineers prior to meeting & probably are seeking supplemental funding as we speak. It will very interesting to see what happens in the next month. Terrific regional response & cooperation to combat the problem. I can't thank everyone enough who came and supported the cause! Stan posted a good point on his web site keep the letters, emails, phone calls coming but be respectful & to the point. As I pointed out our elected officals got the message. We hit a home run! Cheers .....

Tom

BWP

Liquid_Addiction · MOD Joined: Jan 23, 2004 Posts: 723 Location: Wilson

Tom,
Thanks for the help. I got home last night about 12:00 and got to bed about 1:00. I was going to come in and write up a highlites report. I will still write some of the highlites that enlightened me but your report helped me out a great deal. For everyone that made it to the meeting, Thank You. I think that I can speak for everyone involved since I am a member of the Primary body that held the meeting"Onslow Bay Saltwater Fishing Club", a registered and long time user of www.capatainstanman.com, and one of the staff of www.fryingpantower.com when I say this. It has made myself as well as everyone involved very proud to know that we have accomplished the unity that it has taken to get this thing as far as it has. When I looked out across the floor last night and saw the pure number of people that were packed in this meeting I was amazed.
Now comes the battle. As one of our local officials said last night, we have to get the western part of the state involved. I challenge everyone of our users to contact there friends in the western part of the state and have them vivit our site. Have these guys send the e-mails. If all of our useres will contact at least 4 people that live from Raliegh and points west and have them contact some of there friends and have everyone send e-mails and letters to their representitives we will beat this issue. I live in Wilson. I am making it a personal agenda to let everyone in Wilson know about our fight. Newspapers, Tv,etc. will be notified. I challenge you guys to do the same
SAVE OUR INLETS "Toghether We WIll Be Heard"
_________________
Steve Brantley
Liquid Addiction
Fishing Team

bluewaterpirate · Mate Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 21

Capt Dave & Steve .........

Can't say enough good things about the job u 2 did rallying the folks to our south. It still amazes me the response we got & all the terrific folks that came together help us bring this issue to the correct closure. It just goes to show what a group of people can do when the collective minds & wills are brought together under the same banner. Terrific effort guys, I know you both spent a great deal of time on this issue & will continue to do so. Thanks again! Cheers ......

Tom
_________________
Tom

bwp

http://albums.phanfare.com/4892322/2160109_2325414#imageID=31024273

bluewaterpirate · Mate Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 21

We got them headed in the right direction!

Lawmaker looks for inlet funds
March 05,2005
PATRICIA SMITH
DAILY NEWS STAFF

MOREHEAD CITY - A state lawmaker from Jacksonville is looking into the idea of whether the taxes boaters pay to run their vessels could be set aside to pay for issues like dredging shallow inlets.

Sen. Harry Brown, a freshman Republican,, said he is considering introducing a bill that would set aside the portion of fuel taxes paid at marinas for dredging projects like the ones on New River and Bogue inlets.

"The way I see it, it's not going to really increase anybody's tax," Brown said. "It's just going to change where the money goes."

But he said he is also reluctant to go forward with legislation too soon for fear that any move toward state funding of inlet and waterway dredging would discourage appropriations from Congress.

"I just don't want them to think that they can hand it over to us," Brown said. "The first thing we need to do is put a lot of pressure on them to fund it."

It's what Greg "Rudi" Rudolph, Carteret County shore protection manager, called "a little game of appropriations chicken" when he spoke Thursday night before a crowd of about 600 boaters, fishermen, business leaders and government officials during a town meeting on the issue in Swansboro.

Budget allocation

The 2004-05 federal budget allocated about $888,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District for upkeep of shallow draft inlets in North Carolina, enough to dredge New River and New Topsail inlets once each and Lockwoods Folly inlet twice.

No money was budgeted for the upkeep of Carolina Beach Inlet or Bogue Inlet (though a state and locally funded inlet relocation project will dredge the Bogue Inlet channel, but there is no federal money to maintain a channel that connects the inlet to the Intracoastal Waterway).

Additionally, the Bush administration has proposed no funding for upkeep of any of North Carolina's shallow inlets in fiscal year 2005-06 and only $860,000 for maintenance of the Intracoastal Waterway, which officials said will not be enough for any dredging.

Historically, each shallow draft inlet has been dredged four times a year.

The channels have already shoaled so badly that the Coast Guard has removed buoys in Lockwoods Folly and New River inlets.

Several people who spoke at the Swansboro meeting suggested the fuel tax as an alternative funding source for waterway dredging.

Brown said he has asked General Assembly researchers for a breakdown on how much of the state's fuel tax gets paid at marinas.

"What I have found out is they don't separate it," Brown said Friday.

He said he believes the figures could be broken out because the tax is paid when the marina buys the fuel wholesale.

Brown said he has discussed the idea with Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Manteo, and he is hopeful he could get bipartisan support from the coastal legislators in the Senate leadership.

Basnight spokeswoman Amy Fulk confirmed Friday that Basnight's researchers are looking into the idea, as well as what kind of funding it would take for the state to purchase a dredge.

A coalition of area business and government leaders, now calling themselves the Alliance for North Carolina Inlets, held a strategy session Friday morning.

"There was some more talk as a follow up to (Thursday's meeting) about fuel taxes," said Allan Libby, president of the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Board.

There seemed to be a consensus, Libby said, that fuel taxes would be more of a long-term solution than an immediate one.

Tight Lines!

Tom
_________________
Tom

bwp

http://albums.phanfare.com/4892322/2160109_2325414#imageID=31024273

Liquid_Addiction · MOD Joined: Jan 23, 2004 Posts: 723 Location: Wilson

Thanks for the update Tom. Looks like if we put enough pressure on the reins then we can steer this horse in the right direction. YEE HAW!!! Now its time to start ridin em boys!
_________________
Steve Brantley
Liquid Addiction
Fishing Team

Capt_Mark · 2nd Mate Joined: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 42

I know that our focus has been on getting funds to maintain the inlet utilizing the support of the Army Corps Dredges. However (in the case of Carolina Beach), is the channel short enough and with some of the strong outgoing currents -- can we drag dredge ourselves?

For example, I am aware of a number of channels in the waterway that were maintained (prior to CAMA laws) by dragging chains and heavy debris behind boats on outgoing tides. A large amount of the top couple feet of shoaling tends to be light material.

If we get on the problem immediately, could we keep the current channel deep enough to, at least, maintain the needed access for the buoy tender (and not lose our buoys)? We might not be able to gain much on the depth, but maybe we could prevent increased shoaling.

Further, we could probably get on this right away -- if the proper permits were given to us to do so. It might not be a great long term solution, but we have the boats, know-how and energy to get on it right away.

I think we still need to find a long-term solution to our problem, but if we could stabilize the situation, improve the safety, and propose a solution for the perpetual survival of our inlet with these efforts -- maybe it is worth a shot.

ME-J · Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 11:02 am Post subject: TOPSAIL INLET

bluewaterpirate · Mate Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 21

It applies to both commercail & recreational boaters ......

first link is the instructions
http://www.dor.state.nc.us/downloads/Gas1201Inst_2004.pdf

next is the form itself
http://www.dor.state.nc.us/downloads/Gas1201_2004.pdf

Its for anyone that buys gas and uses it for non highway purposes, such as boating, farming etc. If you burn gas in your boat you paid state highway taxes of .2445 cents per gallon, which was nonhighway use. Get your reciepts together showing gallons purchased in 2004 & fill out the gas-1201 form with the state & get refunded .2445 cents X gallons used equals your refund.

If you're fishing just recreationally, isn't the amount you get back actually .2445 less .0696 = .1749 per gallon?

You use the same form for both ...... Cheers .......
_________________
Tom

bwp

http://albums.phanfare.com/4892322/2160109_2325414#imageID=31024273

fishhead · 1st Mate Joined: Feb 24, 2005 Posts: 82

hey guys! i;m sure some of you have already seen this but if not, on page 25 in the april issue of NC sportsman, the article on white house short changes NC beaches inlets, reads that the state is looking at buying a dredge( as bluewaterpirate mentioned) but probably under the ferry program says onslow senator harry brown but its hard to convince anybody from raleigh to spend money east of I-95. it;s a great and favorable article and also mentions that the swansboro meeting was delayed due to traffic backed up a mile long on hwy 24. AIN;T THAT GREAT! my concern is if the dredge is bought under the ferry plan, in which i know nothing about, will its primary use be for the shallow ferry routes up the coast a ways or will it also be used for the inlets. which weighs the most? overall revenue from tourism by ferry usage or recreational boaters revenue? hopefully the scales will balance for both. Confused

ME-J · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 1:21 pm Post subject:

Well Dave, just sent the same message to all officials again on save the inlets. Thought it would be just a little reminder. Haven't been keeping up so has a decision been made on our shallow draft inlets?

Thanks for the great site and your efforts. ME-J


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North Carolina Fishing Reports - save the inlets

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