Sheepshead Bites featured in BCAT’s A Walk Around the Blog


by on Jul 17th, 2008

Sheepshead Bites was chosen to participate in Brooklyn Independent Television’s A Walk Around the Blog segment, which features stories produced in association with bloggers throughout Brooklyn. In the story, we talk to Captain Sapanara of the Brooklyn VI about the challenges facing the recreational fishing industry in Sheepshead Bay.

The Bite chose this story because we believe that the Bay’s dying fishing industry is the area’s biggest story not reported anywhere. Thanks to BCAT for their help in getting the word out on this issue, and to Sapanara for his help with the story.

P.S. — Take that, Anderson Cooper!

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  • http://BayImprovementGroup.org Steven Barrisons,Esq-Pres. Bay Improvement Group

    The Sheepshead Bay character was changed forever in 1996 when Lohmmann’s won the six year court battle court at the Board of Standaards and Appeals pushed through by Mayor Guliani; after loosing 2 previous appeals unanimiously. Capt. Sapanara was correct, PARKING is the key issue to survival of the Party boat fishing in Sheepshead Bay. Now fuel and operational costs are the final nails in the coffin.
    To speak of saving the “character” is about a dozen years too late. We at the Bay Improvement Group coaltion fought hard at the BSA and Court and put our money where our mouth is; we tried very hard. The political will wasn’t there. Freeport created a beautiful successful Nautical mile in a few years what hasn’t been done here in forty years. Some of our fleet is there now and at Cabtree, New Jersey, New England, the Carolinas, Florida, to name a few. Thousands of jobs, millions in revenue lost to other locations where the local towns supported their nautical water related and water enhanceing uses and jobs. After the condos ansd retail are built, the jobs left are minimal. We had eight bait and tackle shops, now one! The list of lost maritime jobs is long. The water in our Bay isn’t going away unless it too gets filled in, as some leaders half suggested back in the 90′s, for parking. This is an example of too lazy, lacking real imagination for real comprehensive planning, jobs and revenue of a billion a year in economic development along our Sheepshead Bay waterfront if only we had the real vison in our leadereship we designed and begged for for over twenty years.
    Looking now long term generations from now, the real future of the Bay area will be determined by whether new comers return to the waterfront related uses or continue to turn their back on this great but tarnished and neglected gem, Sheepshead Bay; one of the nicest harbors anywhere.
    Learn from the past, the piers for example are supposed to be for Party Boat fishing only! No other uses, ala dinner cruises or pleasure charters etc. If Lohmann’s goes out or that plaza is changed or even torn down, it is up to the new generation to step up and understand the Sheepshead Bay Special Use district and it’s sections A-G. Lohmann’s stands on the largest block in the most important location in the Special District and the variance granted for that store dies or ends with that use.
    Go fishing, take a kid or grand child, go buy a T-shirt at Stella Maris fishing station if you don’t fish. Learn to sail, take a diving or baoting lesson. Keep the Bay clean. Support Sheepshead Bay’s local economy and have a great summer!

  • http://www.ipmer.com Carlo

    Nice Segment! Not sure if you know but you are also mentioned on the front page of the Bay News this week. A story about ‘Station Plaza’ where “renderings, first posted on the blog Sheephead Bites, show a massive glass complex …’

    Good Job!
    CARLO
    http://WWW.3202AVEW.COM

  • http://who-will-kiss-the-pig.blogspot.com Richard

    Nothing left in five to eight years? It’s hard to believe. Thanks for the excellent and informative (and sad) report.

  • Bill Woodroffe

    Too bad the Fishing Boats don’t support the biggest PR event of Sheepshead Bay: BayFest. For 16 years this free event gets wide publicity. It used to be called the Blessing of the Fleet until no fishing boats cared to participate (for free).

  • http://www.myspace.com/sunflowerconspiracy Jeff Felderman

    I am shocked and disappointed to see what has become of such a beautiful fishing fleet. It seems like nothing is sacred anymore.

    I have been living in South Florida for 10 years, but before that I grew up and lived in the Bronx for 43 years and I have great memories of the 100s of fishing excursions I took on boats such as the Pilot and Brooklyn V back throughout the 80s and early 90s. I had the pleasure of fishing many times with Bobby Sapanara Jr. and Sr. They always treated their customers like kings and always gave it there all for us.

    It’s a real shame to see another important part of the culture of NYC going down the toilet thanks to the greedy developers. That same thing has been happening down here in South Florida in a lot of areas.

  • Guest

    Nice Segment! Not sure if you know but you are also mentioned on the front page of the Bay News this week. A story about ‘Station Plaza’ where “renderings, first posted on the blog Sheephead Bites, show a massive glass complex …’

    Good Job!
    CARLO
    http://WWW.3202AVEW.COM

  • http://who-will-kiss-the-pig.blogspot.com/ Richard

    Nothing left in five to eight years? It’s hard to believe. Thanks for the excellent and informative (and sad) report.

  • http://BayImprovementGroup.org/ Steven Barrisons,Esq-Pres. Bay

    The Sheepshead Bay character was changed forever in 1996 when Lohmmann’s won the six year court battle court at the Board of Standaards and Appeals pushed through by Mayor Guliani; after loosing 2 previous appeals unanimiously. Capt. Sapanara was correct, PARKING is the key issue to survival of the Party boat fishing in Sheepshead Bay. Now fuel and operational costs are the final nails in the coffin.
    To speak of saving the “character” is about a dozen years too late. We at the Bay Improvement Group coaltion fought hard at the BSA and Court and put our money where our mouth is; we tried very hard. The political will wasn’t there. Freeport created a beautiful successful Nautical mile in a few years what hasn’t been done here in forty years. Some of our fleet is there now and at Cabtree, New Jersey, New England, the Carolinas, Florida, to name a few. Thousands of jobs, millions in revenue lost to other locations where the local towns supported their nautical water related and water enhanceing uses and jobs. After the condos ansd retail are built, the jobs left are minimal. We had eight bait and tackle shops, now one! The list of lost maritime jobs is long. The water in our Bay isn’t going away unless it too gets filled in, as some leaders half suggested back in the 90′s, for parking. This is an example of too lazy, lacking real imagination for real comprehensive planning, jobs and revenue of a billion a year in economic development along our Sheepshead Bay waterfront if only we had the real vison in our leadereship we designed and begged for for over twenty years.
    Looking now long term generations from now, the real future of the Bay area will be determined by whether new comers return to the waterfront related uses or continue to turn their back on this great but tarnished and neglected gem, Sheepshead Bay; one of the nicest harbors anywhere.
    Learn from the past, the piers for example are supposed to be for Party Boat fishing only! No other uses, ala dinner cruises or pleasure charters etc. If Lohmann’s goes out or that plaza is changed or even torn down, it is up to the new generation to step up and understand the Sheepshead Bay Special Use district and it’s sections A-G. Lohmann’s stands on the largest block in the most important location in the Special District and the variance granted for that store dies or ends with that use.
    Go fishing, take a kid or grand child, go buy a T-shirt at Stella Maris fishing station if you don’t fish. Learn to sail, take a diving or baoting lesson. Keep the Bay clean. Support Sheepshead Bay’s local economy and have a great summer!

  • Bill Woodroffe

    Too bad the Fishing Boats don’t support the biggest PR event of Sheepshead Bay: BayFest. For 16 years this free event gets wide publicity. It used to be called the Blessing of the Fleet until no fishing boats cared to participate (for free).

  • http://www.myspace.com/sunflowerconspiracy Jeff Felderman

    I am shocked and disappointed to see what has become of such a beautiful fishing fleet. It seems like nothing is sacred anymore.

    I have been living in South Florida for 10 years, but before that I grew up and lived in the Bronx for 43 years and I have great memories of the 100s of fishing excursions I took on boats such as the Pilot and Brooklyn V back throughout the 80s and early 90s. I had the pleasure of fishing many times with Bobby Sapanara Jr. and Sr. They always treated their customers like kings and always gave it there all for us.

    It’s a real shame to see another important part of the culture of NYC going down the toilet thanks to the greedy developers. That same thing has been happening down here in South Florida in a lot of areas.

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