Maryland's Natural Resources Secretary responds, ignores our petition

Here's the June 2 letter about the North Branch that we received from Josh Kurtz, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary, followed (below) by my response.

Dear Mr. Rodricks,

Thank you for your recent letter and email regarding the fishing management regulations for the North Branch Potomac River. The Department is committed to protecting and enhancing the outstanding North Branch Potomac River trout fishery. Resource and angler data are collected regularly so that management decisions are based on the best available information. We appreciate your passion and desire to protect this great resource.

In 2003, the Department of Natural Resources designated an 18-mile stretch of the North Branch from Westernport to Pinto as “Zero Creel” for trout. Under that designation, all trout were required to be released, but bait fishing was allowed. Based on feedback and conversations with anglers, the "Zero Creel" terminology was confusing. Therefore, the language was changed to "Catch and Release, All-Tackle" effective January 1, 2024  to clarify the regulation's intent.  Only the name changed; all trout still must be released and bait is still permitted.

Before making this decision, staff from DNR’s Freshwater Fisheries and Hatchery Division (FFHD) conducted trout mark-recapture population estimates in 2019 and 2021 and a creel survey in 2021 designed by Survey Solutions that evaluated angler demographics, effort, catch and harvest. FFHD combined these data with information from a comprehensive literature review to evaluate the potential impact of bait angling on the NBPR trout fishery. This information helped make an informed management decision to continue to allow bait to be used in the North Branch Catch and Release Area between Westernport and Pinto. 

The decision to continue allowing bait fishing is based on data showing that bait angling effort is less than 10% of total effort and bait catch is only around 5% of total catch, resulting in minimal impact on the fishery, which is further supported by stable population estimates suggesting any mortality is likely compensatory in this heavily stocked area.

As you point out in your letter, bait fishing is not permitted in other Catch & Release areas. However, based on the data analysis, staff does not believe removing the bait angler group from this area is justified at this time. Should you have any more questions, please direct them to John Mullican, Director of Freshwater Fisheries and Hatcheries Division at john.mullican@maryland.gov.

My response:

Secretary Kurtz:
I received your letter of June 2 regarding our concerns about trout regulations on the North Branch Potomac.
Your letter makes no acknowledgement of the petition that hundreds of anglers and other interested parties have signed -- 734 as of today.
You make no reference to the poaching that has occurred in the North Branch.
The survey data you cite is five years old now.
You also do not explain why: Why open up a catch-and-release section of the North Branch to bait fishing when common sense tells anyone that higher mortality will occur when trout suck in worms on hooks? Was there a hue and cry to do this? I can't imagine there was.
People who want to use bait to catch trout can do so in three different sections of the North Branch during stocking season and at the end of the delayed harvest season.
Maryland has the opportunity to have one of the best destination trout streams in the East with smart management of the North Branch trout fishery, but what you're doing now is not it.
I recently completed a fishing trip to Montana, told some guides about the "catch and release, bait allowed" designation on the North Branch and they thought it absurd.
We ask you to review this regulation and consider what it does to the potential of the North Branch to attract anglers from Maryland and other states; waters that are protected -- from local bait anglers and poachers -- are what catch-and-release anglers look for in wild trout streams. 
Those who wish to harvest hatchery trout with bait can go to areas of the North Branch so designated by DNR. 
The rest of this great river deserves better protection and management.

You can reach Kurtz via email: josh.kurtz@maryland.gov