From my discussion with Mr. Brown from ODWC the problem was a group or groups of ethnic minority people were using cast nets and literally catching everything that swims in the holes in some of the Eastern Oklahoma Rivers. The fish, even the minnows, were being consumed for food and in many instances were cooked and consumed on site. In response to complaints from local landowners all cast nets were prohibited on all scenic rivers. The ethnic groups just moved to other streams and continued to decimate the fish. There were no bag limits on non game fish so these groups were taking minnows by the thousands which resulted in drastic drops in fish populations. Faced with pressure from the public in the area, the law establishing he limit of 25 non game fish from all rivers and streams was enacted to try and prevent the groups from just moving from one river or creek to another. The regulation against taking or transporting more than 200 shad or bait fish was enacted because people were coming into Oklahoma from Arkansas and Texas and removing thousands and thousands of Shad and minnows which were sold in Arkansas and Texas. The laws are poorly written and confusing and try to address a primarily Eastern Oklahoma problem with blanket laws that affect the whole state. I voiced my opposition to these regulations, as they are written, back when they were first proposed. When I spoke to Mr. Brown he said that ODWC had only received less than a dozen complaints about the new laws.