View Full Version : Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge


Swimmer
02-28-2004, 04:33 PM
I heard about increased costs to gain access to the best fishing area this side of heaven from Squidmama yesterday, but it did not sink in until I received my mail today. The member fees increased from $80.00 to $130.00, which is outrageous. I emailed the trustees and the Vineyard Derby Chairman to voice my outrage. Anyone who goes to the island fishing should consider emailing the trustees at ww.thetrustees.org and the MV Stripedbass and Bluefish Derby chairman to voice their concern. It strikes me as the conservationists, otherwise known as _____ (fill in the blank- peta, birdwatchers ect. ect. ect.) against us. It would not surprise me one iota if we found out that the monied not so liberal conservationists brought about this increase to bring about a large decrease in numbers of sportsmen and women from accessing Wasque and the other favorite fishing spots of many of us. A $70.00 increase is outrageous. Their increase in cost for one year to the next should reflect a change in costs from one year to the next not one generation to the next generation. This type of attitude from the trustees smacks of the realistic viewpoint that they only want our money, not us.

BigFish
02-28-2004, 05:08 PM
Swimmer, I do not fish there but I feel your pain and I agree! That is an outrageous hike from last year to this! The rich get richer and the poor get poorer....what else is new? Did they give a reason at all for the price hike??? Who votes on this and approves it???? Just curious.:confused:

slapshot
02-28-2004, 08:30 PM
I remember when the passes were less than 25 bucks. Back in the days when my parents had an Isuzu Trooper II. One of the first off the line. IT lasted three seasons out there before the rusting in the frame and suspension caused a seaparation of the parts in the front end and left the car unrepairable.

beachwalker
02-29-2004, 09:33 AM
you guys sure this shouldn't be in G.O.F. 's ?


sorry. do you want it pristine and perfect with trash and goofballs littering the beach ?

Most of these refuges have associations that have discounts for members as opposed to driving up to the gate.

:)

basswipe
02-29-2004, 10:14 AM
I'm just a new guy puttin' in his 2 bits on the subject.This is happening everywhere.
For example here on Aquidneck Island the town of Middletown started charging $20 for after hours parking permits at the Sachuest Pt. NATIONAL Wildlife refuge.This money goes straight to the town for whatever purposes they see fit.Our federal income taxes pay for any refuge related upkeep,such as the massive habitat restoration project now in progress and last years completion of a brand new visitors center.
What right does the town have charging fees to a national refuge?None in my opinion,especially when the money isn't being used towards said refuge.
I understand $20 bucks doesn't seem much.But what happens when the town coffers are running low on money?Take a guess.
Possible fee increase?More than likely.
Its us bass fisherman who'll be paying.

beachwalker
02-29-2004, 10:56 AM
And there is blame ?

1989 - 3rd Beach parking lot. They were charging $10 a day to park.

By July (I think) that summer they discovered a massive employee/fee handlers scam that was skimming thousands.

Fact

not opinion

Swimmer
02-29-2004, 11:12 AM
Bigfish,
The people who vote on this particular price rise are the Board of the Trustees with input from the local managment team probably. The trustees run 80 to 90 properties in the Commonwealth of Mass. such as the Crane reservation, Cape Pogue, Worlds End and so on. From the feedback I have received so far that this is taking place because the residents who abut Cape Pogue are disturbed over increases in traffic during the summer months on the little spit of land. Thats to bad about traffic increase. The island roads are public ways. They can't keep us of them thats for sure. I know the people who own the on-time ferry will be upset over less people taking the ferry to gt to Cape Pogue. The bass derby might suffer beacuse many people go to the Vineyard just to fish this area only.
Like I said in my email to the trustees and the MV derby committee chairman, prices rises that reflect cost increases from one year to the next are acceptable, but when prices rise in one year (87.5%)it doesn't reflect cost increases from one year to the next it reflects cost increases from one generation to the next in one years span of time.
I remember the day that the Cape Cod National Seashore was officially dedicated by Bob & Ted Kennedy on behalf of his brother the president. When that old black helicopter landed at the middle school in Eastham in 1961 it signaled a change in public policy regarding open space that no one then could truly understand as they do now. My 10 year old friend and I were there to see it land, and we rode our bikes to the dedication at the visitors center and heard Bobby speak about what the national seashore would do for the Cape. For the most part it has been benificial to the towns of Eastham and beyond all the way to P-town. But their are drawbacks. The towns lose most if not all of their say in what happens there. Property owners no longer could sell outside of the family. I'm sure you have seen many things change over the years with all of your beach travel down the lower cape.
What it really boils down to with all of this is that the people who have money think they can make all the rules. The individuals who first joined and made the Trustees of Reservations a powerful entity were the birdwatchers and treehuggers. Powerful monied resdients who enjoy this type of atmosphere and activity had another place to donate their tax deductable donations so the trustees could buy up large tracts of land such as Cape Pogue. For the most part their intentions are reputable and above board, with the exception of this price increase. To me it represents the hypocrasy of that invisible line between the people who have money and those that sweat and toil to make the monied people richer. When some of Chappaqui#^&#^&#^&#^&'s resident can pressure the trustees to decrease traffic by increasing permits fees its simply class warfare disguised as something else. All though the miles of beaches out there do not belong to them the monied residents there think they can institute policy within the trustees organization.
What really sad is that the PETA crowd has moved in on the island to some extent I'm sure, and to me they are nothing more than terrorists who give life to thier opinons by donating large sums of money to organizations that opposed just about every outdoor activity we participate in. I have said enough I have to split some wood.

BigFish
02-29-2004, 11:21 AM
Thanks for the info Swimmer, I must say I am in agreement with you. I just called Race Point Ranger Station to check and see if their fees were increasing and I was told that they would be going from $65 to about $100.00.....that is a hefty increase in itself but not instituted for the same reasons as your situation. Still stings a little though. Good luck with that.:af:

beachwalker
02-29-2004, 11:37 AM
Swimmer,

good report.

anyone facts supporting your assumption that the rich are influencing the trustees ?

Over here (nantucket) the increase in fees lowered beach driving pressure and pays for a far better equipped ranger core

does cape pogue have a discounted pass available to reservation association members like coskata/coatue have ?

think of the fuel we pay for every time we chug out to our happy slaying grounds. doesn't a number like $35 seem a little cheap ?

fuel prices go up .10 c and you will, in the average P/U pay and extra $ 2.50 per fill up. do that for 8 months.

with a single tank per week factor that change comes to $80

but I hear ya bigfish. it does suck :af:

leptar
02-29-2004, 11:59 AM
Originally posted by basswipe
I'm just a new guy puttin' in his 2 bits on the subject.This is happening everywhere.
For example here on Aquidneck Island the town of Middletown started charging $20 for after hours parking permits at the Sachuest Pt. NATIONAL Wildlife refuge.This money goes straight to the town for whatever purposes they see fit.Our federal income taxes pay for any refuge related upkeep,such as the massive habitat restoration project now in progress and last years completion of a brand new visitors center.
What right does the town have charging fees to a national refuge?None in my opinion,especially when the money isn't being used towards said refuge.
I understand $20 bucks doesn't seem much.But what happens when the town coffers are running low on money?Take a guess.
Possible fee increase?More than likely.
Its us bass fisherman who'll be paying.

Basswipe, It wasn't enforced in 2003 because it was issued that year. It's not something that they are trying to stick it to fishermen... what they are trying to do is discourage party goers, vandals and so forth..
I'll find out more about it on Monday.. or anyone can call (401-847-5511).
It's pretty pathetic when you see "fisherpeople" ripping the place off for firewood.. like breaking benches knocking parts of the fence down.. I've seen it countless of times and countless of times i've called the Middletown Police...

Since the Park CLOSES at sunset and opens at sunrise.. this $20 fee will ALLOW fisherpeople to fish at night. It gives you access to the gate. enuff said..

Without the pass your car will be towed.

I think it's very fair.

Mike P
02-29-2004, 12:58 PM
Originally posted by slapshot
I remember when the passes were less than 25 bucks. Back in the days when my parents had an Isuzu Trooper II. One of the first off the line. IT lasted three seasons out there before the rusting in the frame and suspension caused a seaparation of the parts in the front end and left the car unrepairable.

Hey--I think I know you. First name begin with the letter "K"? Used to hang with a couple of guys Brad P called the "Slapshot Twins" because they looked like 2 of the three Hanson brothers?

basswipe
02-29-2004, 01:24 PM
Originally posted by leptar
Basswipe, It wasn't enforced in 2003 because it was issued that year.

Since the Park CLOSES at sunset and opens at sunrise.. this $20 fee will ALLOW fisherpeople to fish at night. It gives you access to the gate. enuff said..

Without the pass your car will be towed.

I think it's very fair.

Last year myself and a fellow fisherman upon returning to our vehicles were surprised to find "parking tickets" under our wiper blades.We were both fined $25.As there was no announcement
that a $20 permit was required and at the time no sign posted we didn't know.We paid.Maybe we got a "break" not having our trucks towed.
I understand that the park closes at sunset and opens at sunrise
but before the fee was introduced I could park there provided I got a sticker that cost nothing.I don't mind paying money as long as that money goes back into what its designed to protect.

basswipe
02-29-2004, 01:44 PM
Originally posted by beachwalker
And there is blame ?

1989 - 3rd Beach parking lot. They were charging $10 a day to park.

By July (I think) that summer they discovered a massive employee/fee handlers scam that was skimming thousands.

Fact

not opinion

I absolutely remember that ordeal.One has always had to pay cash to park at the beach during beach hours.Thousands of people paying tons of cash,an opportunity for the unscrupulous
among us.
That whole scam had nothing to do with implementing the after hours parking permit at the Pt.
3rd beach isn't part of the refuge and there's never been parking
allowed at 3rd beach after dark.This was never enforced until
last year when the fee was introduced for parking in the refuge parking lot.

slapshot
02-29-2004, 03:01 PM
Mike P. Thats not me. I was about 12 years old, fishing in 85. All bluefish then for me, but I remember counting 60-100 4x4s at Wasque back then. There was a beach in those days, and room for everybody. I go back once a year now. Where did Wasque go? It has changed so much, it looks like a small tropical storm could punch a hole thru to the swan pond by the fishermen's walk.

beachwalker
02-29-2004, 03:44 PM
and one day it will

erosion is wearing us down

likwid
03-01-2004, 07:36 AM
PETA is notorious for sticking its hands in things it dosen't belong, along with running their mouths while doing very little.

I forgot the exact figure, but alot of the heads rake in some large amounts in donations while kill shelters still exist (more than enough money to stop a reasonable amount of kill shelters infact) or offer free neutering/spaying etc.

Its sad when the gimps try to dump their holy opinion on the rest of us.

leptar
03-01-2004, 10:34 PM
Basswipe... i got a half arse answer today...

what the money does is protects you from commiting a violation...

that fee gives you permission to park and have access to the grounds.

I asked where does the money go... i got....... repeat line above...

gonna call again tomorrow...


see ya around the point......

3rd beach.. you mean 2nd beach.... :p
and easton

and if you think parking is wacked... get caught at the point at FT. Adams... :P

you "CAN'T drive to the back anymore"