BOSTON, Mass. — December 19, 2013 — The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has made some local anglers angry by proposing regulations that would prohibit the old New England tradition of trapping chubsuckers, shiners and other bait fish.
The state agency is holding a public hearing Tuesday in West Boylston to discuss regulations that would make it illegal for fishermen to trap American eel, Creek chubsuckers, Emerald shiner, Spottail shiner and Bluntnose minnow for their own use.
The regulations would also outlaw the commercial sale of eels, carp, suckers and shiners from inland waters.
Local recreational fishermen are upset about the proposed changes.
"In the past 40 years, my son and I have been baiting our own fish," said Steve LaPrise, a 65-year old recreational fisherman from Templeton. "We have always used our own shiners."
LaPrise traps shiners in local ponds and keeps them in aquariums in his garage until he goes ice fishing. He also keeps a box in his garage where people can leave donations for him if they want bait from him.