Parking Grab Protested

Published in Bernardsville News: 

TO THE EDITOR:

In America, a tradition of access to public parks is long-standing; to the contrary, fishing access for British anglers is stringently the privilege of the rich with access to private lands. The irony is that the brilliance of Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler—listed in the Western Canon of literature—came from a nation where fishing is elitist. Here in America, we’re restricting fishing and making it elitist! Anyone who buys a fishing license, or is exempt by age, always has been able—and should be able—to fish. The American tradition is, however, threatened today, and in Bedminster, people by the hundreds will lose valuable trout fishing spots along U.S. Highway 202/206. Recently, the elimination of parking near the pond was discussed at a Bedminster Township Committee Meeting.  

Once New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife learns that public access to the AT&T entry and exit stretch of the North Branch Raritan River is limited, they will stop stocking trout there. No fish get stocked where anglers don’t go. The AT&T stretch is not far downstream of Bedminster Pond. (The pond situates along the river.) Any argument that anglers can take the walkway in from River Road Park is a red herring. Pequest Hatchery will learn that drastically fewer people find their way to where they would put the fish—and stop stocking them there. Otherwise, what fisherman would protest, knowing he could simply walk a few hundred yards longer to a river full of trout no one else is fishing for?

Loss of access is happening elsewhere in New Jersey. Nationwide, such loss means the American nation is becoming something else—not American. It is too early yet to know if public space will become limited to the privileged to such degree as to eliminate needed recreation for millions of people, but loss of public access anywhere should be alarming.

Two stocking points on the South Branch Raritan River will be lost this spring. Merrill Creek Reservoir recently adopted restricted hours on public access. Hakihokake Creek in Milford, New Jersey, has lost access at two former stocking points. None of these measures, nor that discussed at the Bedminster Township Committee Meeting, have to do with safety hazards. The highway near Bedminster Pond has a very wide breakdown lane, and in addition to that, the gravel parking space beyond the pavement has plenty of room for safe parking and backing up. For decades, people have parked and gone fishing without any accidents occurring.

The Hike and Bike Trail came into existence long after people had been fishing the AT&T stretch and the pond. None of the many of us who remember when fewer people came through has ever been unwelcoming to joggers, bikers, dog walkers, and the like along the trail, even though they crashed the party that was underway long before the trail was extended and paved. We anglers have never presumed to keep the river only to ourselves, but we will never give up the value of our experiences at the AT&T stretch and Bedminster Pond.  

Bruce Edward Litton