25 February 2011 Trout flushing in America.

“You can drive all night long but you can’t get there from here.”

Fish hatchery in jeopardy

By Brad Hicks

Erwin Bureau Chief

bhicks@johnsoncitypress.com

“ERWIN — If the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s proposed budget for the 2012 fiscal year passes as proposed, a reduction in the funding of national fish hatchery operations would occur and could lead to the closure of the Erwin National Fish Hatchery and eight others throughout the country. “

“The Erwin National Fish Hatchery has been in Unicoi County since 1897. Eggs from the hatchery are shipped to federal, state and tribal hatcheries throughout the country, Robinette said, with the fish raised going into waterways where the public has access to catch these fish.

“For every dollar that the Fish and Wildlife Service spends in producing trout for the fishermen, it generates $67 in economic return,” Robinette said.

“U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, said he would “work overtime” to ensure that nothing happens to the hatchery. He also said the hatcheries have a tremendous economic impact.”

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?ID=86815



Cassi Creek:

I find it highly hypocritical for a legislator to vote the pure party line in concert with the teavangelist effort to abolish all social safety nets, NPR, FDA, etc.; only to break with the party over funding for the Erwin trout hatchery. If you look at his voting record, he is apparently opposed to health care for the poor, to safe food, to quality radio and television programming, to wildlife, national parks and forests, social security, and any other facet of the American government that can’t be privatized.

Mr. Roe has a voting record that describes him as more of a teavangelist than as a GOPer. Given an option to vote for business or the welfare of the nation and its citizens, or the preservation of its resources, Roe will roll over, assume the dying cockroach position, and vote for business every time. Obviously, there are commercial trout hatcheries operating in the U.S. Therefore, the option for some or several GOP supporters to benefit from closing federal hatcheries is there. That makes Roe’s break from pattern all the more suspicious. I don’t believe he’s at all concerned with the harm to the local economy that would follow the hatchery closing. I think this is simply a grandstand ploy to make him look good to local sportsmen. He’s already voted against trout fishing in America with every vote that favors business over conservation of wildlife and our environment.



While I am an avid fly fisher and appreciate the presence of the Erwin hatchery, it does little good to save it from funding cuts while the GOP has cooperated with the mining industry to allow mountain top removal. Mountain top removal is highly destructive to trout habitat. Why breed trout if they will be released into water that will kill them?

One of the many good things about fly-fishing for trout is that trout don’t live in ugly places. The teavangelists, teahadists, GOPers and assorted mining, oil, and gas interests are doing everything in their capability to destroy every last meter of trout habitat except that owned by business magnates. Thank you, Mr. Roe, for your part in destroying our fisheries.