Gentlemen,

I understand the emotions are high, believe me when I say I'm right there with you. But turning on each other is exactly my point about why we as a community are alway taken advantage of. We MUST stand united or we will continue to be walked on.

There are so many issues in our fisheries that it is near impossible to stay focused on any one problem, and then to exert all our collective force on that issue.

If I might, I would like to suggest two strategies that I believe almost everyone can agree on. And by agreeing on, we can make a consolidated effort to work toward.

1. We need to have the Commission meetings held on weekends rather than during the week. I believe we could dramatically increase the number of participants, and our voice, if the Commission meetings were conducted on Saturday or Sunday. I don't want to start a conspiracy theory, but I find it odd that they want them during the week when most people have to work.

2. We need to continue to press for total transparency in ALL meetings, deals, transactions and discussions involving fisheries. Most all of the destruction we've witnessed in our fisheries have occurred in agreements and discussions which HAVE NOT included the public in the room. Remember, we are supposed to be EQUAL PARTNERS in the fisheries, yet, more often then not, we (rec. fishermen) are left out of the meetings. Yes, we have "representatives" but almost all are part of the "swamp". We need to have these meetings OPEN, thru live video, or open seats, so anyone can see and hear what is discussed and what is agreed to by whom.

Of course, there will be resistance. There will be reasons why these two things can't happen. But, they are only excuses to keep us in our place. But we see what staying in our place has gotten us, and our sport that we all love. So, let's not turn our frustration and anger on each other, rather, lets commit to turn our energy and force on those who are creating this anger...