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01/30/2019 11:00 PMThe Blue Plan is a collaborative effort between Long Island Sound stakeholders to effectively protect and manage the Sound’s resources, thereby, in part, avoiding conflicts that could negatively affect the Sound’s health, the life forms it supports, and the public benefit. Once it’s fully implemented, any party wishing to embark on a project (commercial or otherwise) anywhere from the 10-foot contour line waterward will undergo an application process detailing such, whereby the policies of The Blue Plan will be reviewed and recommendations made to the state and other interested parties.
These recommendations will address the impacts that a project will have on the Sound, as well as on other stakeholders. Among concerns would be how such an activity could be minimized or “avoided to the maximum extent practicable,” so as not to impact the Sound’s resources in a negative way. Ultimately, the Sound’s most notable resources will be mapped depicting what they are, how they are being used, and who or what is using them.
By avoiding conflicting purposes and encouraging multiple-use compatibility, partners in this effort can exist in harmony, with the main benefactor being the Sound, joined by its trustees. Obviously, this is a tremendous undertaking put forth by the public, legislatures, and those in government and administration to bring this endeavor to fruition. Additionally, there is the issue of shared domain between Connecticut and New York.
Throughout the process, there have been public meetings, public hearings, webinars, and regular meetings covering all aspects of the plan’s evolution. Many ideas from public input have been digested and incorporated into various chapters of the overall draft, and will eventually become key parts of it. However, there have been issues brought up at various meetings and through correspondence with opposing points of view that need addressing. Furthermore, amendments to the plan, no doubt, will have to made in the future.
Remember, The Blue Plan is not a regulatory piece of legislation, but one that will be used during final evaluation of the permitting process. It’s a plan that will have influence on the most beneficial way that resources of Long Island Sound will be used and protected, while keeping the best interests of the public in the forefront. Most importantly, it is a dynamic document capable of changing with the times. For more on The Blue Plan, visit ct.gov/deep for those answers and more.
Meeting
For those following the development of The Blue Plan, there will be a public hearing scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the Clinton Town Hall Green Room, 54 East Main Street. Of particular interest are the ecologically significant areas and the significant human use areas including fish, fishing, and other marine life of which draft documentation and maps will be up for discussion. Input will be encouraged from all attending to assist in compiling as much accurate information as possible for this section of the plan.
On the Ice
The recent Arctic blast hit us with bone-chilling temperatures and winds that easily went from small craft to gale as Winter Storm Harper swept the state. Even with air temperatures hitting below zero (and considerably more when factoring in the wind chill) there were some areas where localized ponds were kept from forming enough ice, thus making both fishing and skating quite tentative. However, certain areas that were more protected from the wind and north of the I-95 corridor managed ice four inches thick and greater, with some reported to seven inches.
Meanwhile, Long Island Sound water temps dropped to the mid-30s as major tidal rivers like the Connecticut River and several minor ones like the East River proceeded to lock up. In fact, the United States Coast Guard Cutter (Bollard) could be seen breaking up ice in the areas of Chester and Essex during the last cold spell. The sole attempt was to stay ahead of a potential jam similar to the one that raised havoc on the river last year.
Just as ice fishers managed to find what had proven to be productive spots in the past, the skies opened and dumped more rain on an already soaked and frozen ground. The winds that accompanied blew 25 knots with gusts to 45 even as air temps hit the 50s. Not bad for a January thaw, but tough on the ice.
Timing the bite right was purely guesswork. At times when the barometer dropped ahead of a front, fish had lockjaw. Other times, the fishing was slow in one area, but produced some nice yellow perch, pickerel, and largemouth bass through the ice in another. Anglers had limited success with trout, especially in the rivers now that they’ve risen to new heights and are flowing like rapids.
Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and international fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media.
For all things fishy including fishing trips, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better...
Tight Lines,
Captain Morgan
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