Man who Shot PA Hunter Faces Manslaughter; Coldwater Conservation School; Native Fish; Saltwater Registry Bill
Sunday, December 19, 2010
HUNTING AND FISHING NEWS
compiled by CNBNEWS.NET
Lawyer charged with manslaughter in hunter’s death...Philadelphia Inquirer
By Larry King
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County attorney David M. Manilla faces involuntary manslaughter and firearms charges in connection with the Nov. 29 shooting death of a Bucks County deer hunter.
In court records, investigators portray the fatal shooting of Barry Groh as a mixture of reckless hunting, disregard for firearms laws by a convicted felon, and after-the-fact deception by Manilla, 49, of Worcester, an attorney since 1992.
The records also paint an unflattering picture of the three-man hunting party that included Manilla and his uncle, former Montgomery County District Attorney Michael D. Marino.
A court affidavit said Manilla failed to render immediate aid to Groh after shooting him, that the men stood by and said nothing when paramedics initially misread Groh's death as being caused by a heart attack, and that they left the scene before authorities had a chance to interview them in detail.
READ via www.philly.com
Coldwater Conservation School
The NJ School of Conservation in Sussex County will be the host site for an exciting Coldwater Conservation School being offered in 2011 by the NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife and the NJ State Council of Trout Unlimited and its supporting chapters. The School will be held from June 23 - 26 and is open to youth who will be between the ages of 11 and 14 at the time of the program.
The goal of the School is to foster a knowledge and appreciation of trout and the coldwater habitats on which they depend. The cost of the Coldwater Conservation School is only $200.00, which includes food, lodging and equipment for the entire 4 days and 3 nights.
Applications are due no later than April 1, 2011. Students accepted into the School will be notified by the end of April.
Information about the Coldwater Conservation School including the official application can be found at: http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/conservation_school.htm .
Information about Trout Unlimited can be found at: http://www.njtu.org/ and the NJ School of Conservation at http://csam.montclair.edu/njsoc/ .
Questions about the School should be directed to Jessica Griglak at (908)-637-4125 or [email protected] .
NATIVE FISH of New Jersey
Students in grades 4 through 7 are invited to learn about New Jersey's native fish by participating in the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife's 2011 Native Fish Art and Writing Contest.
The purpose of this annual contest is to encourage children to learn about New Jersey's native fish species and their biological requirements, including the habitats they need to survive. Participants must write an original short story about a year in the life of a native New Jersey fish of their choice and draw a scene from their story.
The story must include accurate biological and ecological information about the fish, such as its habitat needs, food preferences, and behavioral characteristics. Stories must be typed and be at least 500 words long.
The drawing must have a finished size of 8.5 x 11 inches and can be done in acrylics, pencils, watercolors, oil, oil pastels, crayons or ink. Creativity and originality in both the story and artwork will weigh heavily with judges, as will the use of proper grammar, sentence structure and spelling.
First and second place winners from each grade level will receive a fishing rod and reel and a certificate. First place winners will also receive a youth membership in Trout Unlimited.
All winners will be invited to the Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center on the Opening Day of Trout Season, April 9, 2011 for a special luncheon, awards ceremony and the opportunity to fish for trout in the Pequest Fishing Education Pond.
Entries for the contest must be received no later than Friday, March 4, 2011 at the following address:
Native Fish Art and Writing Contest
Pequest Trout Hatchery and NREC
605 Pequest Rd.
Oxford, NJ 07863
Entries become the property of the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife and will not be returned.
Sponsorship for the Native Fish Art and Writing Contest is provided by NJ Chapters of Trout Unlimited.
For more information, see http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/fishart.htm .
Update: Free Saltwater Registry Bill
Belmar, NJ
12/17/10
On December 20, 2010 the full Senate is scheduled to vote on bill S1122 (free saltwater registry.) The bill is sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Beck (R) and Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D), and would require the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to administer a free saltwater registry program to comply with the federal mandate for data collection. The bill was approved 4-0-1 in the Senate Environment and Energy Committee last week.
"I'm sure that most anglers are ecstatic about the prospect of a free saltwater registry, and who wouldn't be?" asked Anthony P. Mauro, Sr, Chairman, New Jersey Outdoor Alliance (CF). He continued, "But our due diligence on this bill leaves us short on answers. We've yet to be told where the funds will come from to pay for the free registry. Frankly speaking, we also have some unease about whether the bill best accomplishes what it is designed to do."
The reason some anglers are concerned with knowing the source for funding the implementation and management of the registry is that the projected cost of $600,000 is equal to the entire 2011 appropriation for the Bureau of Marine Fisheries (BMF). The cost of the registry was not budgeted and could exhaust the entire BMF appropriation.
In spite of the above uncertainties the bill is expected to pass in the Senate and head to the Governor for consideration. When pressed for his opinion on whether his concerns are justified Mauro said, "The NJOA has helped to give voice to New Jersey's 600,000 saltwater anglers and this tremendously large bloc of constituents creates significant pressure to appease the angling community from both inside and outside of the political realm. The bill is like a hot potato flipping to the Governor to hold. I'm concerned because we haven't been given the finer details and it's the details that always tell the whole story."
Governor Christie has the option of signing the bill. He could also sign it and announce a source of funding at that time. The Governor can choose to conditionally veto the bill and return it to the legislature for amendment(s) or he could exercise a veto.
The NJOA (CF) council had reached a consensus of a $2.00 saltwater registry to cover the projected $600,000 cost. The BMF budget has already been slashed to such a degree that there is concern by conservation organizations as to whether the bureau will be able to adequately adhere to federal requirements for fisheries research and management. Ultimately, a weakened BMF could contribute to fishery closures.
The 23 organizations that comprise the NJOA (CF) council agree in theory with the free registry. They were represented in Trenton by Mauro to testify before the Senate Environment and Energy Committee. It was planned for Mauro to receive assurances about a funding source and get answers about the viability of the bill from the Senate committee. However, a vote was taken on the bill without public comments.
Mauro emphasized, "New Jersey has a looming deficit of $10.7 billion for 2011 and we feel it is in the best interests of anglers to know upfront whether monies currently budgeted for natural resource management will be cannibalized. Also, with a $15.00 Federal registry fee to be imposed in a few weeks it could be very problematic should the bill need amending." Mauro continued, "We are not against a free saltwater registry, we are simply proceeding with caution and trying to gain a better understanding of all the variables. As I've said before our priorities are the integrity of our natural resources and the interests of the angling community."
The NJOA (CF) will continue to provide updates on the bill.
NEW YEAR MEANS NEW PENALTIES FOR WORST OF WILDLIFE VIOLATORS
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that, on Jan. 1, Pennsylvania officially will become the 36th member state of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, under which the worst of convicted wildlife violators will stand to lose their hunting privileges in all states enrolled in the Compact.
“The coming New Year will bring a whole new penalty for those who are convicted of some of the worst violations of our state’s hunting laws,” Roe said. “Pennsylvania will band together with 35 other states in a united front against convicted poachers, who steal from all citizens, most especially, law-abiding hunters.
“Now, that we are an official member of the Compact, someone who loses his or her hunting license privileges in Pennsylvania for certain poaching offenses, on or after Jan. 1, will lose those hunting license privileges in all states that are members of the compact. By the same token, those who lose their hunting privileges in other Compact member states, on or after Jan. 1, will no longer be able to come to Pennsylvania and lawfully hunt.”
Under the new law, the Game Commission must report to other Compact states those convicted of the following offenses under Title 34 (Game and Wildlife Code): hunting or furtaking while on revocation; unlawful use of lights to take wildlife; buying and selling game; hunting or furtaking under the influence; shooting at or causing injury to a human; counterfeit, alter or forge a license or tag; threatened or endangered species violations; assault/interference or bodily injury to a wildlife conservation officer; illegal taking or possession of big game in closed season; and accumulated wildlife violations for which the penalty provided by Title 34 is no less than a summary offense of the fourth degree and the violation is not the only violation in a 24-month period.
The law also requires that the Pennsylvania Game Commission only recognize the revocation of an individual’s hunting privileges in other Compact states for offenses that have the same elements of the offenses listed above.
On average, about 1,000 individuals are added to Pennsylvania’s revocation list for hunting and trapping license privileges annually. Of that, only about 25 percent would be submitted to the Compact.
“Coupled with the recent increase in fines and penalties for certain poaching offenses, Pennsylvania has finally slammed shut the door previously left open to convicted poachers who would willingly go from state to state and flaunt laws and regulations designed to conserve wildlife resources for current and future generations,” Roe said. “It is important to note that these efforts could not have been possible without the overwhelming support from the majority of law-abiding hunters and trappers in Pennsylvania, who have long been on the vanguard of wildlife conservation.”
Pennsylvania’s enrollment in the Compact was made possible by the enactment of Senate Bill 1200, sponsored by Senate Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Richard L. Alloway II (R-33). The bill unanimously passed the Senate on March 23, and was approved by the House, on Sept. 13, by a vote of 178 to 15. Gov. Rendell signed the bill into law on Sept. 24, making it Act 60 of 2010.
Those states that are a member of the IWVC are: Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; California; Colorado; Florida; Georgia; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nevada; New Mexico; New York; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; and Wyoming.
The law to increase fines and penalties for poaching was made possible by House Bill 1859, which was sponsored by House Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Edward G. Staback. The bill was approved by the House on July 21, 2009, by a vote of 196-3. The Senate, after making minor adjustments to the bill, approved the measure unanimously on July 3, 2010, followed by a 189-6 concurrence vote in the House also on July 3, which sent the bill onto Gov. Rendell, who signed it on July 9, making it Act 54 of 2010.
