THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Hello, and welcome to the April 2008 edition of the Rise! I would like to take this opportunity to invite all HCTU members to the upcoming monthly chapter meeting on April 17th, 2008. Now that you have our monthly newsletter in hand, please take a few moments to browse through it, where you’ll find updates on some of the exciting HCTU conservation and youth education projects we currently have underway here in Connecticut.

With fishing season just around the corner, now is a great time to check your gear and to stock up on all the things you’ll need for opening day. You’ll find everything you need at Captain Morgan’s Bait & Tackle Shop located at 21 Boston Post Road, in Madison, Connecticut. Over the years, there has not been a more loyal and consistent sponsor of HCTU than Captain Morgan, who never hesitates to donate tackle, rods, and discounts to HCTU. This year, HCTU is happy to donate a Free TU Youth Membership to the largest trout caught by a child under the age of 16 years old in Captain’s Opening Day Trout Tournament. The best way for our members to say “Thank You Captain Morgan” is to support his small business this time of year. You will never find better service and all around fishing knowledge at any tackle shop anywhere.

Thank you for your continued support of HCTU through purchase of your annual TU membership. Your membership dues benefit our local conservation efforts directly, as our chapter receives a portion of the annual dues paid each year by all our members. On behalf of our Board
Members, please have a wonderful 2008 spring fishing season and take time this year to enjoy all that the great outdoors has to offer. Also, take time this year to introduce fishing to someone new to our passion. By sharing our passion for cold water fisheries, we gain the support of many who would not otherwise understand what it is that we work so hard to protect. Hope to see you all at the April meeting on the 17th. Until then, all the best.

Sincerely,

Darby Hittle

President ,Hammonasset Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Conservation News:

Delaware River Action for folks living in CT, MA, NH, VT

The Delaware River has been mismanaged since the Supreme Court partitioned the vast Delaware River and its many tributaries to ensure sufficient water supplies for New York City, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Inflexible and antiquated rules designed over a half century ago result in fish kills, a depressed recreational economy, communities in fear of flooding, and a damaged ecosystem. After years of educating the Delaware River Basin Commission about the enormous value of the Delaware River and its headwaters in terms of its ecology and its fishing and boating recreation, conservation groups at last have the opportunity to achieve what once seemed unreachable – a healthy Delaware River protected against inadequate and erratic water releases.
You can visit them at http://www.drarp.org to learn more.

The coalition’s adaptive release policy can initiate a new chapter for one of the premier wild trout river systems in the East, and potentially could serve as a national and international model for river management. Please feel free to get in touch with me with any questions or if you need more information. 
Nat Gillespie
Fisheries Scientist, Trout Unlimited
(703) 284-9431
ngillespie@tu.org

2007/08 Open Positions

The chapter votes in May to fill open spots for next years Executive and Board of Directors. Each position is for a two-year term unless, as is the case this year members are stepping down. The remainder of the current executive committee positions are in place through May 2008. Many of our BOD members enjoy their specific roles and find it easier to manage things over the years. However, one responsibility of any officer is to encourage new members to step forward and become more involved in leadership roles. Any member in good standing with the organization is encouraged to participate by becoming an officer. We started asking around the club in March to see who is looking for a change and who might be interested in stepping in to fill an open position.
Darby Hittle is willing to take over as President as I step into other roles at the State Council level for TU and I see no reason why he won’t be voted in next month as our new HCTU President. That move will then leave the VP position open, where I will assume the position of second VP for the chapter.  The VP position is an extremely important position for the chapter, as this person serves as the back up to all that we have going on and maintains a high profile in the chapter. We also need a Program’s Director where Steve Butcher is stepping down after many wonderful years of organizing our monthly presentations (not to mention Pres and VP for many years also!!!)  to assist more at the council level as Eastern Brook Trout Coordinator for CT and as Membership Director for the council. Handling Program’s for the chapter is a great way to become involved in the chapter, just ask Steve at the next meeting and he can explain the responsibilities to you. We will accept nominations anytime prior to the May 14th BOD meeting where we will vote in our new officers at that time. Our BOD meetings are always open to any TU member.

Stream Access Update

Many of you are aware of the recent controversy surrounding TU's position on stream access.  In an effort to be fully transparent and help our volunteer leaders become informed, we thought it would be worthwhile to provide an update.
Recently, TU's access policy has sparked some discussion and controversy.  A number of constituents, including Trustees and some members, believe that TU involvement in stream access/private property rights disputes does not fit with TU's mission to "conserve, protect, and restore" trout and salmon resources, and that these often complicated and litigious issues undermine our essential ability to work cooperatively with landowners to restore and protect streams.  Since much of trout and salmon habitat is found in streams and rivers on private lands, this matter is of grave concern.
On the other hand, some view stream access defense as an essential motivation for TU members to invest their time and energies into conservation work, and therefore believe that TU should retain at least a limited ability, as our current policy does, to participate in access issues.
Both sides agree that TU should strengthen its involvement in working with state and federal agencies to increase public access to streams and rivers by advocating for increased funding for programs that purchase voluntary easements and access to land from willing seller landowners.  The Trustees recently passed a resolution to increase TU funding and involvement in such access-enhancing efforts.
After much consideration, the Trustees have voted to form a small workgroup of TU grassroots leaders and Trustees to review the entire matter and to develop suggested changes to the existing TU access policy by the next meeting of the Trustees in September.
I hope this clarifies things a bit.  Stream access is a very challenging issue for the organization.  We are working to sort it out in a way that allows us to strengthen TU and reach higher levels of achieving TU's mission.  We plan to keep everyone updated on the issue via Trout magazine and our other communications pieces in the coming months.  And do not hesitate to contact us if you would like further information.
-David Rogers

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