nothin Fish Heads and Tails Pile Up In “No-Man’s… | New Haven Independent

Fish Heads and Tails Pile Up In No-Man’s Land”

Allan Appel Photo

(Updated Wednesday 8:35 a.m.) Josh Deitsh was pleased with the 16-pound bluefish he caught off the Tomlinson Bridge. He was less enthused about the half-dozen overflowing bags of garbage and fish scraps that have languished nearby for at least two weeks.

When this stuff accumulates, it [really] smells. When it stays [uncollected], the seagulls come down. They rip the bags and steal the [discarded] bait,” he said after landing his catch Sunday afternoon and re-encountering the half-dozen bags of scraps and other garbage.

Deitsh has been coming to fish at this spot three or four time a week, he said, ever since the Tomlinson Avenue Bridge renovation was finished. He said he has never seen a city public works truck remove the garbage.

Deputy Director of Public Works Howard Weissberg said that unless a market barrel (aka trash can) exists on a site, DPW does not pick up trash.

There is no public barrel on the fish ramp.

Anybody that’s fishing is responsible for removing their own waste,” Weissberg said.

He added that he was unaware of any issues related to fishing off the Tomlinson Bridge.

The Independent was made aware of the issue by a posting on SeeClickFix. It reported that a fisherman, disgusted with the mess, removed several bags of garbage on his own.

It’d be nice if every time we came here, there weren’t six bags,” said Deitsh.

(Update: After being contacted by the Independent, City Hall’s LIveable City Initiative visited the pier and hauled away trash.)

Deitsh, a New Havener, said he likes the spot because it extends out into a fish-rich spot above the confluence of the Mill and Quinnipiac Rivers.

It’s popular with a lot of other area fishermen too. Earlier Sunday afternoon a crowd of some 20 fishermen had gathered there. A lot of the time there are poles all the way down,” Deitsh said, indicating the long ramp that could accommodate at least that many if not more fishermen.

That’s a lot of bait, and garbage.

Among the anglers were children, he added

Pointing to the baiting and gutting table, Deitsch said that the fishermen he knows clean up when they’re done and bag the trash.

What happens to it after that still remains a problem.

Even if the city trucks can’t come regularly to collect, Deitsh suggested a little Dumpster or covered trash can” be placed there.

Fishing piers at Fort Nathan Hale and Lightouse Point have them, he noted. So why not the Tomlinson Avenue Bridge?

Several calls to other city departments yielded the following: Deputy Director of Parks Christy Hass confirmed that her department indeed does pick up at the Forth Nathan Hale fish ramp, and at Lighthouse Point. Anyplace that’s a park.”

She surmised that the Tomlilnson Bridge fish ramp may be a kind of no-man’s land. There are always those things that fall through the cracks,” she said.

Then she suggested to a reporter that Livable City Initiave be called, as it is the go-to-agency for fall-through-the cracks locations and problems.

LCI’s Acting Executive Director Frank D’Amore said that his department does not pick up at the Tomlinson site: I’m afraid if we start doing that, we’ll be picking up fisheads and crabs all over the city.”

D’Amore added that he would drive by and take a look and pick up what’s there. He said he’d consult with the other departments about longer-term solutions.

Technically, city officials noted, it’s the state’s job to clean up at the pier. State Department of Transportation (DOT) Kevin Nursick Tuesday morning confirmed that that’s true.

DOT crews — using both prison workers and government staffers — try to sweep through the state to pick up litter four times a year, Nursick said. Also they try to respond to specific complaints made through the DOT website. He said the department spend some $1 million a year picking up litter.

But like other government agencies, DOT faces a budget crunch and needs to prioritize, he said.

We have been focusing on our core functions at the DOT, which is take care of our exiting infrastructure first,” Nursick said.

Of course if there were a regular government trash pick-up, the truck stopping near the fish ramp would have to be cautious.

The parking on the bridge by the fishing ramp is still ad hoc and, it appeared, fairly illegal, with cars pulled up onto the sidewalk. A year ago at this time, city traffic chief Mike Piscitelli said his office was aware of the tradition of fishermen parking illegally on the sidewalk by the ramp and enforcement would be forthcoming. He said fishermen should park in an area designated at the southwest corner of the bridge.

On Sunday, the number of bags of garbage parked and overflowing exceeded the number of illegaly parked cars. Yet it was such a beautiful Sunday, the water beckoned more than the trash or parking issues.

Deitsh (pictured) said he’d be taking his 32-inch catch to the bait shop later. The half dozen others left angling on the bridge didn’t seem to be having similar if any luck.

We’re always cleaning up. Most of the time, we catch and release,” Deitsh said.

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