| |
 |
Angler's Profiles
by Hugh Markey
|
 |
| A series of articles introducing RISAA members to the rest of the club. |
| (From the December, 2003 Newsletter) Darryl Paquette |
 Sometimes
a man is defined by an issue. When local fishermen became
concerned about restrictions on fishing areas, RISAA member Peter
Palumbo stepped up to the plate to help get the Freedom to Fish Act
passed. When the Quonset area was threatened by a container port,
member Dick Pastore helped lead the fight which defeated it.
Today, one of the hottest issues facing residents of Rhode Island,
especially those who fish from the shoreline, is public access.
Fortunately, the average citizen has access to a man whose career and
personal passion has made him a sharpshooter in the legal permutations
of public access: RISAA member and active volunteer Darryl PaquetteTHE ISSUE OF SHORE ACCESS
Paquette, now a lawyer for a private firm, was
working for Save the Bay several years ago when he first came into
contact with RISAA President Steve Medeiros. At that time, we
had joined forces with RISAA to block the proposed Quonset Point
container port, Paquette says. After that, I began to work on
public access issues.& Jamestown was a particular hot spot several
years ago. I had concentrated on marine affairs in school, and I
became active in the dispute through Save the Bay.In many ways, the case was a typical one: a small town beach on the west side of Jamestown with limited parking space was growing increasingly popular with non-residents, much to the chagrin of the local population. At the same time, development in the area was on the rise. It was a case of competing uses, Paquette says. The majority of fishermen were not from Jamestown. The residents wanted the parking so they could have use of the boat ramp that was located there. It didn't help that many of the non-residents were Southeast Asian, according to Paquette. There were language, social, and custom barriers between the two sides. Residents claimed the visitors would bring large families out to the beach, leaving the place littered with dirty diapers and other refuse. There was, on one side, a lack of education (on environmental concerns), and on the other a lack of understanding of cultures. The situation came to a head at a town meeting. RISAA members packed the forum, while Paquette worked from behind the scenes, discussing the issue with the town council and the town solicitor. It didn't take long for the council members to decide that keeping the area open to all was the right thing to do. Paquette and RISAA, along with the rest of the common people had won. JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO GO BACK IN THE WATER
Like many of us, Paquette feels he doesn't
fish anywhere near as much as he would like, though he does have a
lifelong love for the sport. Growing up in the Greenwood area of
Warwick, Darryl Paquette divided his time between shore fishing and,
when he could, hitching a ride with his best friend on his parents’
17-foot boat. We'd just fish for anything that would bite,
Paquette says. Still, Darryl's biggest fishing thrill as a
youngster will forever be tied to one of the most popular movies of all
time. "We were out around Potter's Cove in Jamestown when I was about ten years old," he recalls, "when I caught myself a shark." The experience may seem tame to those who have landed monster blues or makos, but for a youngster at this age, and at this particular time, pulling in a small sand shark would become the stuff of legend. "The movie Jaws had just come out in the theaters," says Paquette. "I used to say, 'Yup, I caught a shark' I must have told that story for about two or three years after that!" he laughs. Today, Paquette's fishing style hasn't really changed all that much. He still enjoys fishing for whatever's around, but on occasion he also will bring home his catch to his wife Jennifer. She doesn't fish, but she does her best to make what I bring home taste good. MY SHORE OR YOUR SHORE?
When he considers the problems associated with
shore access restrictions, Paquette points to two major sticking
points: development and garbage.When an area becomes gentrified, you have a lot of people who pay a lot of money for a piece of property. They build these houses, sometimes way out on a beach area, and they feel that because they have spent hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars, that beach area belongs to them. Paquette's point is illustrated by a case he currently has pending in Tiverton. In an area along the Sakonnet River south of Fogland rests a small beach community. The area has been home to a cluster of part time and full time residents for forty or fifty years, and is dotted with modest places most of us would call beach houses. Then, a new crop of people began moving into the area, tearing down the tiny cottages and replacing them with two- or three-story buildings Paquette refers to as "trophy houses." One person in particular purchased a lot extending to a ledge popular with fishermen and beach strollers. They kept the local police busy last summer, calling on them to chase out people they felt didn't belong there. Finally, the other local property owners who were being chased off the beach contacted Save the Bay, RISAA, any organization looking for someone to help. That's how I became involved. The other area is one which arouses justifiable anger in shore property owners: visitors who treat the area as their personal dumpster. One of the professors I studied with had an expression that captured the problem perfectly, Paquette says. "The public isn't pretty." That's why it's so important that people bring trash bags with them, and not only take care of their own garbage, but take out extra, too. THE FUTURE WITH RISAA
Why does Darryl Paquette spend so much of his
time volunteering his services to RISAA? I think it's because
I'm so passionate about shore issues. I really want the average
person to be able to go for a walk, maybe throw a stone into the
water. I care about shore access for everyone, not just the shore
fisherman. Still, because so many who want access are fishermen,
my work with RISAA just seemed a natural fit.While he'd like to see controversy over public access issues disappear, Paquette knows that's not likely to happen any time soon. He believes the answer lies in vigilance. There are always going to be people who seek to restrict public access. Through committees like the Adopt-An-Access-Area that RISAA has, people can become aware of where the spots are and be sure they're kept open to all. What it takes to keep these places open are individuals who care. |
|
View other ANGLER PROFILES
|
 |
 |