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Sunday,
March 29, 1998 River's Promoters Go with the FlowBy Elizabeth
Llorente
"People don't believe me when I tell them where these fish live," said Stamm, of New Milford. "They can't believe anything can live there." There is the Hudson River, a waterway that -- as Stamm puts it -- conjures up images of muck, toxins, and dead mobsters washing ashore. "Comedians have promoted that image of the Hudson," said Stamm, an avid fisherman. "We're trying to counter that image by showing that the river is a fun place for recreation. We want people to see it as a great place for fishing, boating, even skipping rocks." On Saturday, Stamm and his organization, the New Jersey chapter of the Hudson River Fishermen's Association, held the annual "Hooked on the Hudson" -- a series of exhibits and lectures on the river's environmental and recreational opportunities. The event, which was held at the Fort Lee Historic Park, featured exhibits on striped bass, fish-tagging, and the state's planned 18-mile walkway along the river. Stamm said that during warm seasons, he usually fishes the Hudson about three times a week. Unlike most of his other fishing spots, the Hudson River always turns up great catches, he said. But Stamm always returns the fish to the river, where he feels they belong. The Hudson has more than 200 species of fish, according to the association. State environmental officials agree that Hudson River fish are safe to eat, but concede there are limits. In 1982, research on fish and crabs in New Jersey waters showed elevated levels of potentially harmful contamination. To minimize the exposure to the contaminants, state environmental officials urge people not to eat some fish more than once a week. A few types offish should not be eaten at all. "Obviously, when you have as many people living in one area as you have around here, you're going to have some degree of contamination," Stamm said. Still, the association stresses it has been working on "bringing back" the Hudson River by, for example, taking polluters to court. The group also publicizes the potential of New Jersey's waterways. Several of the association's 200 members offer educational boat rides along the Hudson. The state has been supportive of the association's goals, working with the group to plan the 18-mile walkway between Liberty State Park and the George Washington Bridge. A 10-mile stretch is already built, said William Neyenhouse, the Hudson River waterfront coordinator for the state Department of Environmental Protection. Oradell resident Paul Case, who was perusing the exhibits Saturday, said the association heightened his awareness of a planned shopping center's threat to the Hackensack River area. "The people in my town learned a lot about the threats facing the river after listening to conservationists speak at our town meeting," Case said. "What impressed me most was these were fishermen, people who really know and care about our waters -- not some corporate or political types." Copyright © 1998 Bergen Record Corp. |
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Large
and robust, the striped bass gracefully swam
inside the small tank as fisherman Charles Stamm proudly
looked on.
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