MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
JEFFERSON CITY - Harassing a fisherman - or fisherwoman - could land you in jail under a measure approved by the House Parks Committee.
The measure would make it a misdemeanor offense to intentionally interfere with legal fishing. Violators could be punished with up to one thousand dollars or one year imprisonment.
Committee Chairman Jerry McBride, D-Edgar Springs, said there haven't been too many complaints in Missouri about issue. "But if you have a valid fishing license, then nobody should be allowed to prevent you from doing so".
Bill Ransdall, D-Waynesville and sponsor of the House bill, said that there's a growing trend of legal fishing disruption by animal right activist groups.
"In the last few years, there's been a movement, primarily to our east, of groups interfering with legal fishermen. Only last summer one of those groups, People of the Ethical Treatment for the Animals, harassed a fishing tournament in Lake of the Ozarks", Ransdall said.
Deirdre Hirner, executive director of the Conservation Federation, echoed concerns about the growing number of interference reports around the nation.
"We haven't had too many cases at this time in Missouri, but rather than waiting to see if this happens here, we want to be proactive and include it in the statue," Hirner said.
Lawful hunting and trapping disruption has been prohibited since 1988, but fishing had never been included in the book until now.