Protesters from the organization, “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals”, are demanding a ban on fishing at Angle Lake, otherwise will aim to disrupt the scheduled fishing derby.
Could the Angle Lake Shore Club Fishing Derby wind up being a real snoozer? Just days after the Spring Newsletter was posted announcing May 15th as the scheduled date for our Fishing Derby, the ALSC Board received a faxed memo from PETA threatening to release a substantial amount of sleeping pills into the lake if a ban on fishing is not approved.
The faxed document included a copy of the letter sent to the SeaTac Parks & Recreation Department Director demanding that fishing be banned. The letter lays claim that the violent act of fishing and its consequences do not complement the peace and tranquility of Ange Lake. They state fish are thought to have sufficient brain capacity to experience fear and pain. They cite concern that fish being torn from the water suffer results in a miserable underwater world experience for the many orphaned fry left behind.
The organization then threatens that if fishing is not prohibited, they plan to sabotage the Angle Lake Shore Club Fishing Derby in protest. The notice states that the organization promises to disrupt the event by dissolving sleeping pills into the lake, thus knocking out all the fish for the day and sparing them from anglers’ hooks.
Since Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife is responsible for stocking the lake, we contacted Tu Morrow, Biologist with DFW, asking if a ban is possible. Morrow informed us that Angle Lake is subject to King County regulations and Washington State Shoreline Management rules; however it is not a state park, nor is it a nature preserve. It is a municipal recreation area, and by definition, the recreation area accommodates a wide variety of recreational pursuits -- including fishing. At the time of this writing, SeaTac Park staff has promised that no restriction will be placed on fishing at Angle Lake. Instead, police patrols will be posted at the Angle Lake Nature Trail and Public Boat Ramp, ready to intercept any PETA members suspected of carrying armfuls of tranquilizer tablets.
The Shore Club has confirmed that they are going forward with plans to host the Annual Fishing Derby and Community Barbecue on Sunday, May 15th. The Club requests that any neighbor who witness an individual illegally discharging materials into the lake to immediately report this to local authorities. The ask is that you refrain from dialing 911 and instead use the dedicated phone number that has been set up to receive the fastest possible response.
Please call 206-ITS-JOKE or (206) 482-5653 to report any suspicious activity.
(Postscript: This is an April Fools Joke)
