Saturday, April 11, 2020

Ohio's DNR runs the red light in attempt to checkmate COVID-19

A city was being plagued by teenagers drag-racing down the community’s streets, causing havoc and breaking the law. The town’s leaders pondered what to do to control the situation. Stymied, they decided to lower the speed limit.



That illustration originally was the offspring from someone opposed to gun control legislation, and the oft-times inability of such laws to accomplish what the proponents say they desire to see.

However, this allegorical anecdote is very much applicable to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ recent edicts on how to contain the cronovirus (COVID-19).

Among the actions is ceasing for an indefinite period of time the sale of fishing and hunting licenses to non-residents. Along with some exceptions such as license reprints, a subscription to “Wild Ohio” magazine, and a few other odds and ends.

And the Natural Resources Department has also reiterated Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s order that anyone coming into Ohio self-quarantine themselves for 14 days.

As we have previously stated, while individuals who currently possess a non-resident hunting or fishing license may hunt or fish in Ohio, they are asked to abide by (Ohio Department of Health) guidance and self-quarantine for 14 days before they do so,” said the agency’s chief of Communications, Sarah Wickham.

We believe many non-resident hunters and anglers are choosing to stay home until the COVID-19 guidelines change or are lifted and we appreciate their commitment to their safety and the safety of Ohioans,” Wickham said, continuing.

Even more disingenuous is the Department’s statement that “We have seen a dramatic decrease of out-of-state license plates at our boat ramp parking lots in the past few days.”

Those “past few days” just happen to be weekdays, not weekends. Those “past few days” further have been plagued on Lake Erie with rain showers, snow showers, and high wind warnings with breezes of strengths powerful enough to causes seas on the lake to rise several feet.

Of course under such circumstances boat ramps won’t be used with the zeal of a weekend; not by either Ohio boating-anglers or or by non-resident boating-anglers.

It is a bit deceiving to suggest otherwise. Sort of like former President Bill Clinton’s infamous comment: “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”

The Natural Resources Department adds that “Wildlife (Division) officers are checking licenses in the field and working at many of the northwestern Ohio boat ramps to encourage social distancing.”

That statement must be viewed with something of a jaundiced eye, though. The reason is the Natural Resources Department earlier instructed its law enforcement officers not to engage in “regular” checks of fishing licenses.

Such is an important caveat as any individual suspected of over-bagging will also be subjected to a license check. That is a far cry from “regular” license checks.

As for encouraging boating-anglers to observe social distancing, a few hours spent last Saturday (April 4th) at the Natural Resources Department’s three uber-busy public ramps in Ottawa County saw no such pro-active work on the part of either Parks and Watercraft personnel nor Wildlife Division personnel.

Try as it might otherwise, the Natural Resources Department has proven far less transparent and much more tolerant of activity that threatens efficient and speedy containment of COVID-19.

In other words, the Natural Resources Department is simply lowering the speed limit to prevent drag racing through town.


- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net
JFrischk4@gmail.com

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