No Fishing near BRIDGES

[striperaholic]

I was out Saturday night fishing around the OC Longport toll bridge when the Coast guard pulled up to me and told me to "start my engine Immediately and get away from the bridge."Then they told me "No more drifting, trolling, or tieing up to or within 50' of any bridge." I told him I'll stop fishing the bridge when he stops people or writes them summonses on the fishing pier at the end of the bridge. He responded with the fact that he can confiscate my boat and arrest me if I don't ablidge his wishes.I moved away the bridge and they left.They also warned 2 others that night. I again went sunday night and they showed up and watched myself and one other boat trolling in and out of the bridge. They didn't bother us this time just observed for about 10 min. and then went back to the OC base.
Careful out there mainly you toggers. There getting serious about this rule.

[MakeMeNuts]

it is not a fishing issue....it is a Homeland security issue. This is a crazy world these days and it may not change for awhile.

[jc]

why that bridge and not all Bridges in NJ? Or is it all bridges in NJ? Hope not

[3D]

Apparently this is the new frontier...but what happens when USCG stations like OC pack up & bail for the winter? Are seasonal stations going to be financed year round?


By John W. Schoen
Senior Producer
MSNBC
It is one of the most heavily-guarded checkpoints on the border between Israel and the Gaza strip. Security is so tight at Karni that goods are transferred from trucks parked back-to-back to prevent smuggling.

But despite those precautions, a truck carrying two suicide bombers left the border crossing into Israel at about 2 o?clock in the afternoon of March 14 headed for the deepwater port of Ashdod, about 40 kilometers south of Tel Aviv. By 3:30 pm, the truck had arrived at the port, one of Israel?s busiest. About an hour later, the terrorists detonated their explosive devices, killing ten and wounding 18. A local police chief speculated that the real target may have been nearby chemical storage tanks, but that the bombs went off prematurely.

A subsequent investigation solved the mystery of how the terrorists eluded security forces: they had hidden themselves in a secret compartment of a steel shipping container.

Welcome to the new front in the war on terrorism. Despite the billions of dollars spent since the Sept. 11 terror attacks to secure commercial aviation, security experts say that effort has created a new vulnerability: the thousands of ports around the world, many of which have only recently turned their attention to thwarting terrorism.

? Danger spots and "choke points" on the world's oceans

?Terrorists not only understand the vulnerability of seaports and shipping but have readjusted their target folder for the greater difficulty in attacking aviation,? said Kim Petersen, executive director of the trade group, Maritime Security Council. ?And the presumption is that maritime is going to be a more significant target in the future."

The Ashdod attack emphasized the concern security experts have about cargo containers being used as terrorist Trojan Horses. And, they say, that's just one of threats faced by the 361 U.S. ports -? vital arteries to the U.S. economy.

Trade on-ramps
As cross border tariffs have fallen and manufacturing has moved offshore, the U.S. economy has become increasingly reliant on maritime shipping, and global seaports have become the on-ramps and off-ramps to the global trade highway. Some 90 percent of the U.S. imports by weight enter the country via ship. Last year, some 2.4 billion tons of goods ? valued at over $1 trillion passed through U.S. ports.

Consumers got a taste of what a port shutdown could mean in 2002, when a 10-day lockout of dockworkers at the Port of Los Angeles generated a massive backup of maritime cargo and an estimated $1 billion a day in economic loss. The backlog took months to clear.

All of which has made seaports an increasingly appealing target to terrorists, Stephen Flynn, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and retired Coast Guard commander, told a Senate hearing last year.

?A modest investment by a terrorist could yield billions of dollars in losses to the U.S. economy by shutting down ? even temporarily -- the system that moves 'just in time' shipments of parts and goods,? he said.

200 million containers
One of the thorniest security problems involves determining just what?s inside each of the 40-foot steel containers that arrive every day on cargo ships carrying as many as 4,000 containers each.

Air travelers at security checkpoints have become accustomed to delays as passengers spend a few moments unpacking laptops, removing shoes and retying them. But a comparable physical inspection of the millions of tons of cargo that enter U.S. ports every day is simply not practical: security experts say it takes five agents roughly three hours to fully inspect the contents of just one of those containers.

? Can you spot the threats?
You be the airport baggage screener

The result is that only 2 percent of containerized cargo entering the country. is physically inspected. And while advanced technology scanners have helped speed those inspections, just tracking the 200 million containers that move among the world?s top seaports each year is a major undertaking. Flynn cited one major shipper with over 300,000 containers in its inventory.

?It doesn?t know where 40 percent of them are at any given time,? he said. ?It takes one of their customers saying, ?Hey I?ve got one of your boxes if you want it back.'?

Those boxes are a potentially potent weapon for terrorists ? whether for use smuggling weapons, explosive materials or terrorists themselves, or as a huge chemical, biological or "dirty" bomb spreading radioactive waste. At present, though, many ports are ill-prepared to deal with that threat.

The accidental explosion of a container on the dock of the Port of Los Angeles on April 28 underscored the problem. Gasoline fumes from a pickup truck inside the container were apparently ignited by a spark from a battery, blowing the locked steel doors open and spilling the contents, which included 900 bottles of LPG butane gas, according to Michael Mitre, Coast Port Security director at the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

?There was virtually no response,? Mitre told a House panel on maritime security last week. ?There was no evacuation. There was no shutdown of work ? It could have been something that was a biological or chemical release; it could be a radioactive release. No one knew. But at the time, the terminal was absolutely not prepared.?

Mitre said the explosion also highlights a major deficiency in container inspection. ?Export cargo is not treated the same way as import cargo,? he said. ?We have cargo coming in through the gates that is not having to show what the contents are." As a result, terrorists inside the U.S. would have a much easier time loading a container on an outbound shipment, he said.

A piracy police blotter
Even as governments and private security officials set up efforts to protect their country's shores, pirates and terrorists operate virtually unchallenged in some of the world?s busiest shipping lanes.

Take the case of the tanker Cherry, recently attacked in the Malacca Strait, bound for the port of Belawanon the island of Sumatra in western Indonesia, a regional export hub for producers of rubber, tobacco, palm oil, spices, and tea. The captain and crew had little warning when the shooting started; when it was over, heavily-armed pirates had taken over the vessel and her cargo of 1,000 tons of palm oil. The attackers held 13 crew members hostage for five weeks, but after the ship?s owners refused to pay a ransom, the pirates killed four of the crew before fleeing.

Piracy reports like these read like a page from another century, but the incident happened just a few months ago -? one of a growing number of almost daily attacks on ocean-going vessels that have been rising steadily since the late 1990s.

It?s impossible to estimate the financial impact of these attacks ? most estimates put the losses to piracy in the billions of dollars a year. Last year there were 445 pirate attacks worldwide, up from 370 in 2002, according to the International Maritime Bureau, one of several agencies that track attacks. Last year, at least 21 mariners were confirmed killed and 71 crew and passengers were listed as missing in the attacks.

Many maritime incidents are petty crimes, like stealing dock lines or robbing crew members of cash. But increasingly, attacks are staged by organized groups using high-speed boats and automatic weapons, often killing or marooning the crew, stealing cargo worth millions and selling it in loosely-patrolled ports of call. Popular targets are ships laden with cargo of oil or other valuable commodities that are easy to sell and difficult to trace.

? The chem-bio threat
The issues revolving around chemical and biological weapons

And some security experts think the problem is under reported. ?If your ship has been attacked and word gets out, that?s not good for business,? said Howard Cohen, spokesman for the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The agency maintains a database of Anti-Shipping Activity Messages that was set up in 1985 following the hijacking and of the Achille Lauro and the murder of a hostage.

While most of the reported attacks appear to be aimed at stealing cargo, security experts say maritime shipping offers terrorists an important conduit for moving personnel and supplies around the globe.

The seizure by Greek authorities last year of the Baltic Sky, loaded with 750 tons of industrial-grade ammonium nitrate-based explosives and 140,000 detonators, renewed concerns of terrorists using ships as bombs to blow up port cities. Like many ships, she was flying a so-called flag of convenience used by many shipping companies to shield their owners from the taxes and regulations that apply to ships registered in developed nations. Especially troubling to some security experts was the flag she was flying from the Comoros Islands, a tiny Indian Ocean country that bills itself as the first Islamic flag of convenience.

Other suspected safe harbors for piracy or pockets of terrorism can be found closer to home. One security expert cited the inland Paraguayan port of Ciudad del Este -- which the Foreign Military Studies Office described in 2002 report as "a den of low-technology criminality" and "a haven for international money laundering, with much of the money coming from the Middle East."

Oil attacks
With oil prices reaching 21-year highs -? in part due to fears that terrorists could interrupt supplies -- perhaps one of the most attractive targets is the fleet of thousands of oil tankers that ship a major portion of the 80 million barrels of oil consumed daily worldwide.

Those concerns came into sharper focus with the October 2002 bombing of the French oil tanker Limburg which was hit by a waterborne attack similar to the 2000 suicide bombing of the USS Cole. The Limburg attackers blew a hole 10 yards wide in the tanker, killing one Bulgarian crew member and spilling 90,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Aden. Fourteen suspects, believed linked to Al Qaeda, recently went on trial in Yemen for the attack.

Beyond the threat to individual tankers, oil industry experts fear that terrorists might target several high volume ?choke points? where much of the world's oil flows by tanker.

By far the most important of these is the Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Oil tankers sailing through this narrow channel carry 15 million barrels of oil a day ? roughly 20 percent of the world?s supply, according to a Dept. of Energy report.

The concern, security experts say, is that terrorists need not be heavily armed to seriously restrict the flow of oil in one of these choke points.

?The way to shut down a port is to sink yourself in one of the channels,? said Frank Lanza, CEO of L3 Communications, which is developing maritime security technologies. ?You could certainly tie up a port for months before you could get the ship out of there."

[bubble]

this is rediculous, why dont they pull up and maybe check you out and if you have a towel wrapped around your head and you are on your knees praying in the direction of mecca then chase you form the bridge or sink them :D

[DoughBoy]

We were out on Friday night and got the same treatment. They busted the other few boats around us, then came over and told us we had to move. We asked them why and they told us we couldn't be this close to the bridge and we had to move away and that they were going to start writing fines and this was the last round of warnings. When we asked how far away we had to be, they talked for a few minutes, then someone said "50 feet" followed by "and that's from the bridge, not the pilings". It was dark, but I could have sworn that they were looking it up because they didn't know.

No big deal, we moved the boat about 20 feet and set back up. My only question... if it is 50 feet from the actual bridge, and we're at least 50 feet BELOW the bridge... does that count? lol

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Press Releases


Secretary Tom Ridge Announces New Nationwide Port Security Improvements

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
June 21, 2004


Los Angeles--New security measures are being implemented across the United States providing for safer ports in America, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced today. With the implementation of these international standards, in advance of the July 1st deadline, the U.S. is better able to harden the port?s physical infrastructure, verify the security of individual vessels before they approach a U.S. port, and better restrict access to the port area.

Speaking from the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, the nation?s busiest container ports, Secretary Ridge underscored the importance of implementing these new security measures around the world.

?Over 80 percent of world trade travels by sea,? said Secretary Ridge. ?By taking a layered, cooperative and balanced approach to strengthening the international maritime system, we are not only further securing our country, we are also protecting U.S. economic interests and the global economy.?

In addition to the international requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, the United States has required vessels, maritime facilities and ports around the country to implement security measures by July 1, as part of the domestic Maritime Transportation Security Act that establishes a new, robust baseline of security for our nation?s ports. Vessels and port facilities around the country are now on target to meet the July 1 deadline for these increased security measures, as well. An estimated 9500 vessels, 3200 facilities, and 40 off-shore oil or natural gas rigs are directly affected.

After a helicopter tour of the port and meeting with members of the Central California Area Maritime Security Committee, Secretary Ridge praised local efforts to coordinate security enhancements.

?Members of local government have been working with the Department of Homeland Security since January to create a coordinated security plan for the entire area,? said Ridge. ?The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are an example of the kind of cooperation between industry, local, state and federal government necessary to protect this vital piece of our nation?s economy.?

Secretary Ridge also called on every citizen to do their part. ?Be alert to things that seem suspicious. Securing our ports and waterways is a team effort ? everyone, from local governments and private citizens to the international community play an important role in ensuring that our waterways remain open for business.?

The Department of Homeland Security, state and local governments, and the private sector have invested billions to strengthen port security since September 11, 2001. A comprehensive layered system of port security measures takes effect even before cargo is loaded onto a ship in a foreign country. The new measures announced today will continue to build upon this ?layered systems? approach to port security.

Secure Seas,Open Ports Fact Sheet (http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/DHSPortSecurityFactSheet-062104.pdf)

[sunnydaze]

?Be alert to things that seem suspicious."

Like fisherman fishing near bridges?

That's a bummer. I always liked fishing along the shadow line.

They really need to focus on the cruise industry. When was the last time you saw a cruise ship with any protection? They are floating terror targets of capitalistic self indulgence.

[eelball]

Stripaholc, Was that you in the small v bottom or the flat bottom. I was out there Sat night and saw you guys trolling. My only problem was the flat bottom boat kept trolling over my baits!! It may not have hurt, but it definately didn't help. That was the only night I didn't get a bass. After about the 6th time it was done, I started zingin 2oz sinkers. Guess I missed.
They've stoped to tell me Fri. and Sat. and last night took a long look at me and candyman.

[striperaholic]

I was in the flat bottom boat. If that was you SORRY. It's just I was already trolling that area when you pulled up into the middle of my troll and I didn't want to stop because of someone pulling up in the middle of it all. I do realize you wouldn't of known that unless you were watching us for a few minutes before u pulled up.. You know how small of an area that is. I tried to give u space . Sorry again. I finally left so I wouldn't mess you up and from frustration. I did pick a few before u got there.

[Ardmore Bill]

It was suggested to me that the authorities couldn't have a better plan for guarding places like bridges than utilizing the help of fisherman. We are the perfect group for keeping eyes on these types of spots, since we are fishing them often, we often know many of the other fisherman, are mostly partiotic and could spot someone doing something suspicious in a second. They should enlist our help!

[Far26]

We got boarded by the Coast Guard about 2 weeks ago while fishing for Tog at one of the OC bridges. They told us we would have to stay 500ft away if anchored. Seems kind of silly to me, but they had the guns.
All kids on board, they did a quick inspection and sent us on our way. I respect that they are out there to protect us, but sometimes I think they go a little too far. I've seen them in other shore towns but it seems they are constantly frequenting the OC bridges.

[TWIN D'S]

Protecting the OC bridge. Seems kind of silly. Down in Hampton Roads, site of the largest US naval base, they're allowed to drift and anchor, just not allowed to tie to the pilings. I KNOW they're anhcored within 500' of the CBBT for instance. some of the best spots are at the bridge tunnels, and if they had some kind of stringent restriction I would have heard about it.

Phil

[theREELmasterBAITER]

Originally posted by striperaholic:
I was out Saturday night fishing around the OC Longport toll bridge when the Coast guard pulled up to me and told me to "start my engine Immediately and get away from the bridge."Then they told me "No more drifting, trolling, or tieing up to or within 50' of any bridge." I told him I'll stop fishing the bridge when he stops people or writes them summonses on the fishing pier at the end of the bridge. He responded with the fact that he can confiscate my boat and arrest me if I don't ablidge his wishes.I moved away the bridge and they left.They also warned 2 others that night. I again went sunday night and they showed up and watched myself and one other boat trolling in and out of the bridge. They didn't bother us this time just observed for about 10 min. and then went back to the OC base.
Careful out there mainly you toggers. There getting serious about this rule. Ok let me get this straight, you were told by the law that you were doing something wrong and were forced to move on Sat nite, but then you figured it would be ok to do on Sunday night? YOu are probably one of the people that would complain about getting you boat seized. Ignorance is no excuse.

[striperaholic]

No I wasn't asking for trouble. But when they enforce on everyone then I will ablige. I don't want trouble but this is rediculous. I could see if I was tied up to the bridge. I was in the center not even near a ice breaker.No I would except as my fault and go with it. I am not ignorant at all.

[FISHCOUNSELOR]

seems to me that if you're told once , you could make these guys jobs easier by staying away,, they're just doing what they're told to do ,, you
shouldn't have to be told twice ,, i don't think you're goona lose your boat ,, but you sure wouldn't be as accepting as you say you would if you did,, just because everyone isn't being told to move doesn't mean you weren't,, rediculous or not we live in a different world today,,

[jc]

Are you allowed to fish "on" the bridges

[gillfriends]

zingin' 2 oz. sinkers.... :confused: :mad:

[edhead]

The recent Time Magazine states that there is a threat of terrorists using coolers, innertubes, and other small floating devices loaded with explosives can be floated and triggered to explode under bridges, barges, etc in waterways. That answered my question of this topic.

[candyman]

Originally posted by jc:
why that bridge and not all Bridges in NJ? Or is it all bridges in NJ? Hope not cause the Coast Guard station is about half mile away.

[striperaholic]

I was told all bridges in the country, and no I'm not trying to make there job harder. If they aproach me I will back off. This law has been in effect since 9/11. Now there enforceing it? Oh well I will oblige there wishes to a certain extent.

[hipkvw]

Originally posted by striperaholic:
I was told all bridges in the country, and no I'm not trying to make there job harder. If they aproach me I will back off. This law has been in effect since 9/11. Now there enforceing it? Oh well I will oblige there wishes to a certain extent. Maritime security is a big issue right now. They are trying to enforce new port regulations and it is difficult to say the least.

You will oblige to there wishes to a certain extent?

Its statements like that and your attitude toward the whole situation that make their job harder. You should be happy they are out there.

[The Reckoning]

So basically what you're saying is you'll make them take time to tell you to move. Great idea. That way the people they should be looking for can do whatever they want while the CG is dealing with you and others like you. What's the point?

In this day and age everyone needs to make some sacrifices. Some go into the military or work for companies that support our security. For me, I'll make sure I stay clear of bridges, and contact the Coast Guard ASAP if I see something concerning. I think in this case I can say it is LITERALLLY the least I can do.

[striperaholic]

yea okay I'll give up striper fishing which is 90% boat fishing for most fisherman and also we better count in the tog fisherman. Then only the guys with the big boats can do it in the rips etc. Again the little guy takes the beating. I spoke the coast guard and they understand where I come from but the law is the law. So I'll keep my distance from the bridges. But I wont stop working close enough to cast to the lights bulkheads etc. This puts me about 75-80 ft. away. THe coast guard said no problem so we agreed and all is happy.

[The Reckoning]

Happy ending to all then. I'm actually in the same position you are with the boat. I have a flat bottomed skiff so I am reluctant to go to a place like the rips. That being said, I wish I could anchor up near a bridge, but I can still get the fish that are there by adjusting my approach.

I think a year or two, and we'll be able to get back to the bridges.

[hipkvw]

You'll give up striper fishing because you cant fish near a bridge?

We all love fishing near the bridges but there are many more places in the backwater to catch stripers.

90% boat fishing? Do you ever fish anywhere beside the backwater of OC? The striper is the most sought after fish for most land/surf guys on the east coast. Last Fall(actually every fall) I fished for striper 90% Land...10% on my boat.

Im not picking on you but your statements make you sound very inexperienced and immature. Glad you worked out your personal differences with the US Coast Guard. I am sure one person can make a difference in homeland security. They are revamping their strategies as we speak. LOL

Ok...Ill stop. Now I am picking on you. Dont feel bad...I get picked on all the time ;) See you in the shadow lines smile.gif Us small boaters have to stick together!

[barrell man]

the security alert rating was raised a few days ago to orange (no bridge fishing) when they lower it you can again fish bridges.
Barrell

[striperaholic]

pick away I've been picked on by the best or worst. I deserve it to a point I was just makeing a statement a little rude but just a statement.As for inexperience I doubt that! I avg. 600-900 bass a year 1/2 on fly. I've fished these bays for 35+ yrs. I mainly tag them and release. So as for inexp. WRONG. As for immature nah I doubt it. I was just stirring the pot. It worked. I'll see ya out there. White Ranger 16' alumacraft green wth. 25. Just say high.

[hipkvw]

I know what you catch....thats why i had to bust um'. I seen ya out there. Ill make a point to say hello next time.

[BIGGESTJACK]

HIP HELLO.

[Dr. Bass]

It's true got kicked off of a bridge last night in about 10 minutes. Plenty O action elsewhere though. Spent 4 hours on the ICW did not see one fluke caught from about 8 boats.

[CastawayRay]

the thing I dont understand is al quieda - they blow up buildings and boats and bridges FOR WHAT?

to huddle in caves and dirt huts, sitting around in their filthy schit stained rags and shake as the bombs fall around them?

to see how much it will take before America bellows a collective FOCK YOU and dumps a couple of billion tons of TNT equivalent fusion ordinance and green glasses over a whole HELL of a lot of sand?

WHY????

:mad:

[eelball]

stripaholic,
my question is. What are you trollin? plugs. eels. something else?

[striperaholic]

plugs, and tried umbrella rig last night and caught 2-30" at once. The trick is the speed & color of the lure.

[hipkvw]

Originally posted by striperaholic:
plugs, and tried umbrella rig last night and caught 2-30" at once. The trick is the speed & color of the lure. Go on.....Im curious. I dont troll but I am interested to hear the speed and techniques..

[TriplePlay]

It is a small price to pay for freedom. Do not blame the USCG. Blame the terroristic fools that would love to take out a bridge full of vacationer traffic near Atlantic City. Go figure.
If boarding my boat keeps us free or lets the bad guys know Uncle Sam is watching, good.

[ 07-18-2004, 10:42 AM: Message edited by: TriplePlay ]

[Longcast]

To be honest, its a terrible idea ont allowing fishermen in boats near the bridges. I would rather have a bunch of fishermen trolling the bridge with cell phones, especially at night. Their the ones who would know if something was out of place or suspicious. Just my thought.

Jeff

[COMPLEAT]

IN NORTH JERSEY THEY REALLY ENFORCE IT. THE HIGHLANDS BRIDGE, SEA BRIGHT AND OCEANIC ARE ALL NO PLAY AREAS FOR BOATS. ATHOUGH POSTED NO FISHING ON THE BRIDGES THOUGH, THEY LET YOU SLIDE IF YOU'RE RESPECTFUL, NOT IMPEDING TRAFIC AND LEAVING A BIG MESS. DAY TIME, THEY LET YOU DRIFT THROUGH FOR FLUKE BUT AT DARK STAY AWAY...
WE LIVE IN A SCREWED UP TIME BUT IF THAT CAN MAKE THINGS SAFER AND SAVE EVEN ONE LIFE THEN SO BE IT.