I went to a meeting yesterday about....

[Flaptail]

Monomoy Island. I attended a meeting yesterday at the U.S.F.W.S Monomoy Island refuge HQ on Morris Island. There were a dozen or so of sportsfishermen, including myself who met with Bill Perry, Refuge Planner for the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Bill is preparing the Comprehensive Conservation Plan that provides a 15 year management plan for the refuge. I must say I, along with one other gentlemen, were outnumbered by the Fly Fishing guys but we managed to get along and understand the purpose of why we were all there. This was a chance for the USFWS to get ideas on use by several major user groups. The USFWS refuge system is bound by an act of congress to see that besides, the welfare of the wildlife as being the main concern, that hunting and fishing be allowed to continue there as always. The forum offered yesterday an opportunity to air our concerns, dispel rumors, offer suggestions and ask for certain changes in policy. Major concerns were forwarded for rule inforcement ( not going where the posted signs say you can't go etc.), maintainance of the water "taxi" service to and from South Beach and North Monomoy( making tha service available at the Monomoy HQ @ Morris Island etc.), Compatibilty studies ( is a use compatible with the refuge, clamming yeah, Parasailing no) and having all activities on the island be based on Wildlife resource dependent ( ie; hunting and fishing, bird watching etc not jetskiing)

All who were there participated and many good solid suggestions were addressed. As for myself I asked if you could still land on south Monomoy to fish from shore. The answer is yes but only in daylight hours and avoid posted areas. I asked why couldn't we be able to fish there at night on either north or south Monomoy ( only Morris Island is available to night fishing) Nobody from the service in the room had any idea why and when that rule had been implemented but they said they would look into it) and I also asked that "when" not "if" South Beach joins south Monomoy would surfcasters be allowed to fish at night and asked that that be made part of the CCP plan. That would be one fine stretch of beach. ( The UFSWS is responsible for Monomoy and the National Park Service for South Beach, an agreement between the two or a demarcation line would have to be drawn somewhere along the beach). Even with the seal problem the fishing there could be outstanding.

There is a meeting to be held on April 5th at the Eldredge Library in Chatham from 11 am to 1 pm and another that night at the Chatham High School cafeteria from 7 pm to 9 pm. These will be scoping meeting where all are welcome to come where the USFWS explain the CCP and everyone there will be broken into working groups. You can also address your concerns/suggestions by writing to : Bill Perry, Refuge Planner, Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 73 Weir Hill Rd., Sudbury Ma 01776.

Monomy was once the greatest Surfcasting spot on Cape Cod. Many enjoy the flats and light tackle fishing there now. We have a chance to keep it that way and maybe make some changes that both protect the resource but get some lost access back.