MLPA - Coming clean at the closing bell - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

PAL · 11-17-2009, 05:02 PM

Now that my time on the South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group has come to a close, I can finally speak freely. It was one long nightmare, the kind you know will end badly but there's no waking up. The fix was in, but if we hadn't fought for every inch they would have taken every mile. Read my final MLPA Log column for Western Outdoor News and see what I really think.

http://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=793&AuthorID=59052&t=MLPA%20Log:%20Coming%20clean%20at%20the%20closin g%20bell

It's quite a contrast from the MLPAI release distributed today, don't you think? I'm only sorry I couldn't have been so forthright sooner.

Iceman · 11-17-2009, 05:11 PM

Way to kick em in the nuts Paul!

Quote:

Contempt for the public was palpable, demonstrated in the bullying ways of MLPAI Executive Director Ken Wiseman. Many anglers who stood up for themselves were hectored and harassed, treated dismissively. Twenty or thirty seconds of speaking time was the norm. The BRTF didn’t want to hear it. They had their minds made up. Why else would they order their public relations staffers to actively discourage attendance? That was an outrageous, anti-democratic topper that reveals the lie in the words “open and transparent process,” and it’s on the record.

zenspearo · 11-17-2009, 05:35 PM

Thank you Paul for a tell-it-like-it-is article. Most of us feel the same way and I feel very blessed that we have some outstanding reps like yourself representing our joint interests.

Although I am not a kayakangler, we appreciate the opportunity to work cooperatively with kayakanglers and look forward to being there with you guys when the end comes for this sordid process.

Grego · 11-17-2009, 05:51 PM

Thanks Paul...nice read, glad you can get it off your chest.

kurt · 11-17-2009, 06:54 PM

My hats off to you, Paul, for being able to hang in and fight on through all the BS.

Billy V · 11-17-2009, 07:06 PM

Thank You for summing up the truth.
I know its been a long hard year, and that you and others were muzzled by I-Team Director Wiseman.

The people of Kalifornia were robbed by a corrupt Governor, and corrupt political appointees.

Remember all those names who were involved, and who stripped you of your rights. There will come a time when you can return the favor.
--------------------------------------------------
Bad Karma on them All.

Tman · 11-17-2009, 08:45 PM

'Bout time you had a chance to speak how you really felt...

I will be putting some letters together, some aimed at Wuseman, some aimed at Coldwell, and a bunch aimed at the DFG. I want the DFG to know that we were there, watched the whole process, are fully aware of the 'Conflict of Interest', and the total lack of 'extensive public input'.

Having someone in a blue shirt, time and time again, taking valuable speaking time to say the MPA's work but actually not having information or knowledge about the process took away from the publics' time to actually take part in valid debate and discussions that affect the public as a whole.

Best part about it? All on film...

This is far from over, and Paul, glad you get to finally speak your mind...

Let her rip...

mwm · 11-17-2009, 09:22 PM

"The MLPA law itself would not be the problem if it were enforced as written. It’s supposed to cost the state $250,000 a year, not $25 million or more."

Paul, is there really something in the original law that limits the cost to this amount? Has there been legislation that overturned this 250K/year ceiling you refer to, and if not, did the members of the BRTF task force know about this limit. If so, I will volunteer to find a contingency fee lawyer willing to file suit against the members of the BRTF, personally, for pain and suffering, taking of our natural resources, etc.... Actually, we probably have a basis for a class action lawsuit if this is true. That should get the politician's notice. I'm not the litigious type, but if we can turn the bloody thirsty Larach types against the environmentalists, it would be true poetic justice and serve a higher purpose.

dsafety · 11-17-2009, 10:26 PM

I am far from being as well informed on all the details of this thing as Paul and a number of others, but several things jump out at me as significant potential weapons in our ongoing fight.

Top of the list is the cost. So there is the MLPA. On paper it's a good thing. Its implementation as envisioned by the BLTF is way over the top, however. Ignore for the moment that the closure locations were seldom based on any accepted science and that backroom deals purchased by special interests were the norm during this process. The net result is that the cost of putting this thing into effect far exceeds the resources of the agencies who will be tasked with enforcement. If a law is not enforced, is it a valid law? When was the last time you drove 55 mph on I-5?

Was the process corrupt. You bet. I am sure that just on that basis alone, implementation could be tied up in court for years. The cost of defending will have to be picked up by the State. Our State, the one that has no money to pay for our kids' education or keep dangerous criminals in prison. If someone takes this thing to court, maybe the powers that be will see the sensible side of things and just back away from the fight.

ADA issues were brought up by some speakers at the last BRTF meeting. The ADA is a very powerful law with some very powerful backers. The fact that many of the launch locations friendly to those with handicaps will soon be "verboten" might get some of the ADA activists into our camp. Maybe we should ask for their help.

My point is that since we appear to have failed to get a reasonable result by following the rules of the MLPA process, maybe it is time to switch to some other tactics.

Bob

steveooo · 11-17-2009, 10:43 PM

Excellent article Paul. It sickens me that they got what they did, but this article puts it all in perspective. Again, thank you for all of your hard work in the past year

Holy Mackerel · 11-18-2009, 07:57 AM

Thanks Paul, you really summed it up. I can't imagine holding my tongue for so long.

Quote:

What else should we expect when private money funds public policy?

This is a lesson I learned from this process, doesnt matter who the private money is coming from, it can't be good.

PAL · 11-18-2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Paul, is there really something in the original law that limits the cost to this amount?

The legislative analysis for the law, passed in 1999, indicated costs to the state of $250k / year. This was well before private funders insinuated themselves into the process.

nunyabizness1 · 11-18-2009, 09:50 PM

Thanks Paul for all your work and for representing us throughout this entire process. It wasn't easy to hold back and watch all the efforts get tossed aside just to suit Meg's agenda. I don't understand how the others on the BRTF allowed her to use them as her puppets. It just isn't right! Something's gotta give here.

I can't believe that these people can sleep at night knowing what a detriment their decisions are going to cause this state. And for the teachers who gave extra credit to those students to show up and support Meg's agenda, these teachers are soon going to find out how that decision is going to further impact the state's budget cuts in education. The cuts are not over! The state of California cannot sustain any more debt! Meg got her degrees through a pretty high-end education process. Yet she has no problem hurting the state's budget and further impacting the future of our children's education with the decisions on these closures.

Ok, I came here to post a thank you and went off on a rant. Sorry for that. Yes, I do appreciate all you have done to make things right and I wish your efforts were better rewarded with the best options and decisions made by the BRTF for the good of all.

DryFly · 11-19-2009, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwm

"The MLPA law itself would not be the problem if it were enforced as written. It’s supposed to cost the state $250,000 a year, not $25 million or more."

Paul, is there really something in the original law that limits the cost to this amount? Has there been legislation that overturned this 250K/year ceiling you refer to, and if not, did the members of the BRTF task force know about this limit. If so, I will volunteer to find a contingency fee lawyer willing to file suit against the members of the BRTF, personally, for pain and suffering, taking of our natural resources, etc.... Actually, we probably have a basis for a class action lawsuit if this is true. That should get the politician's notice. I'm not the litigious type, but if we can turn the bloody thirsty Larach types against the enviromaentalists, it would be true poetic justice and serve a higher purpose.

Sorry, but you've been completely mislead on this issue of a ceiling on the cost to implement the MLPA. The F&G Commission held a hearing on this very matter and the DFG admitted that the $250K figure was merely for 3 DFG personnel to draw up a master plan for implementation. The $250K estimate never contemplated enforcement and subsequent study of the MPAs. It is PSO that has latched onto this and completely misled the fishing public into believing that the original estimate to implement and monitor the entire thing was just $250K. You are being manipulated. No one else attributes any credibility to these claims, which explains why they've never gained any traction.

lamb · 11-19-2009, 11:32 PM

Great write up.

Thank you Paul for everything you do.

kurt · 11-27-2009, 07:04 PM

Quote:

They dug in behind a plan that met the minimum SAT guidelines while minimizing the socio economic cost.

And that's a bad thing? Perhaps the plan would have been better if we hit more people in the pocketbook.

Luckily this public process wasn't paid for by a private interest, non-consumptive group or we'd really be screwed. Wait a sec...

Matt · 11-27-2009, 08:07 PM

ahhhh.......the ignore button is a wondeful thing......I agree with Mr. Holy Mackerel!!!

... I may not always agree with everything, but I and many, many, many more will ALWAYS HAVE PAUL'S BACK 100%!!! Exactly whose side are you on Dryfly, BiggestT??

OH YEAH AND PAUL, MJ, TYLER,KURT, COREY, BRENT OF OEX, ANDY, JIM SAMMONS, MOYER, JOSH, HABANERO, MAGGIE AND THE BLOODYDECKS CREW, ALL THE SPEAROS, CHRIS, BILLY V., TMAN, CLAY, KIYO,JOHN,RON, TATTUNA and the BAYTUBERS Et. Al. and all the peopl who fought the MLPA thank you very, very, very, very much for staying and putting in all that you did and continue to do in this very lopsided and crooked fight!!! MUCH RESPECT TO YOU ALL

dsafety · 11-27-2009, 08:21 PM

Who is this "Dry Fly" person and what is his, (or her), agenda? Anyone know this guy?

I have to agree with him that we will be fighting an uphill battle from here on, (not that it has ever been any different). Yes, we do not have the funding that the other side has. And then there is the problem of an apathetic public. On the other hand, I strongly believe that the issues I mentioned earlier could offer some chance of influencing the final outcome.

Who is going to pick up the ball and run with it?

Bob

Tman · 11-28-2009, 01:08 AM

I call BS - and I don't need no stinkin' pics...

Too many people have worked too hard to fight the battle, and to belittle the fight, or say they don't agree or get along with someone is BS.

Esp. when that someone has dedicated more than enough time, and their family sacrificed their time as well.

If it smells like shit it probably is...defend away...I know we will...

robmandel · 11-28-2009, 09:13 PM

DF,

as the CRU emails that got leaked we now know (I've known for a long!!! time) that global warming is a hoax. always was. they hard coded that hockey stick for shit's sake. in the 70's, the fear was global cooling, and the onset of the next ice age. it's all BS. never was about the environment. it's about money (of course, it always is!!) and government power. look, al gore went from being woth a few bucks to becoming a billionaire, pimping his pseduo-scientific drivel, and investing in all those "green" companies. a fool? hardly. a scary demagogue and despicable liar? absolutely.

look at the latest cap and trade legislation. it's not about the environment, it's about destroying our free-market economy. it's a means to nationalize and socialize the economy.

the mlpa was about everything other than the fishes and the environment. the packard foundation through the RLFF didn't throw 10's of millions into the thing to close off a few areas to help depleted stocks and restore fisheries so commercial catch could recover. they don't, and never did, give two shits about the fish. period.

first, the enviros are relgious fanatics. 'bout the only thing that separates them from alqaeda is a turban and a cave. they hate us, everything about us, what we do, who we are, and how we live our lives. that hate fishing, hunting, and everything associated with it.

now, as for our political naivete. I'll say this. we were in against some major guns, and I am proud to have fought alongside the guys here, and the other sites. we were outgunned and never ever had even the slightest chance. we gave 'em hell and did so because we had no other option. "working with them" wouldn't have been much different than the judenrat. we had only one option, and fight for our lives. and we did.

there is nothing we could have done to alter the outcome in any way. it was a star chamber. it was a show trial, and didn't even need a walter duranty. it was a preordained outcome and the public part was done to put on a show to act like they got public input.

DF, what you seem not to grasp, is that we had nothing to give. NOTHING. there was no middle ground, there was no compromise. if they did nothing, we STILL DID NOT WIN. how could we "win" when there was never anything for us to gain? if they did nothing, then all we'd have is exactly what we started off with. so, asking us to give as an act of compromise is specious.

we fought because wihtout fighitng, they'd have probably taken 10x as much. oh, they will, but not right now. they can act like they left us something, so when they come back later, they have something more to take.

this was an extreme act by a dictatorial government. after the nov. 9th meeting, I felt something for the first time in my life. I felt like the government had committed a grotesque crime against me and my friends here and elsewhere, and I could not believe that I would ever see my country do that to its citizens.

these closures will have no impact whatsoever on the fisheries, and even if they do, for what gain? for what purpose are they closing them? to protect and preserve for what? and especially when one considers that the species in those habitats are not even close to being in trouble. we have some of the healthiest fish stocks and the justification for this travesty is non-existent.

now, as for coming in late and criticizing us, I and many many others here spoke from the heart at those meetings. we got up and told them exactly what they were doing to us. to tell us that we took the wrong path is offensive. we wouldn't have ever bothered them people in any way, but they picked the fight with us. they came after us. they are stealing from us. we didn't hurt anyone, we didn't cause anyone to suffer in any way. and they are punishing us for nothing.

so, I will say that I stand alongside my friends here and elsewhere. I know I can count them as true friends, and if I was ever in a tough spot on the water, or anywhere, I know I could count on them. it was an honor for me to stand beside them, fight with them, and continue on the fight. when I heard Tman's son speak, I thought of my own son (who was in carlsbad with me) and the times I've spent with him on the water. and I was so moved by his courage, and thought, damn, we need more like him. alot more like him!!! that boy's a fighter, and I have the world of respect for him.

we did what we had to do. the process was a disgusting display of the arrogance of power, corrupt government, and a government at war with its people. we fought. you always fight tyrrany. you always fight for liberty.

and when they come back again, they'll know they have a fight on their hands. what angers me is that if you think of the thousands and thousands of people who fish the ocean, and the fight was carried on by a handful of us kayakers and spearos, I am so proud to have been a small part of that.

just imagine if 5-10% of the saltwater anglers had shown up. could you even imagine what the scene then would have looked like?? there'd have been thousands of fisherman. and it would have been intimidating. but they didn't show. why??? I wish I knew. they had to resort to busing in school kids. I almost threw up at that spectacle.

I'll say this: they can draw their lines on a map. they can shade them in blue and red, or shit brown for all I care. I will fish the ocean. they made their laws...

just remember the words of lenoidas...molon lave.

11-17-2009, 05:02 PM	#1
PAL Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 754	MLPA - Coming clean at the closing bell Now that my time on the South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group has come to a close, I can finally speak freely. It was one long nightmare, the kind you know will end badly but there's no waking up. The fix was in, but if we hadn't fought for every inch they would have taken every mile. Read my final MLPA Log column for Western Outdoor News and see what I really think. http://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=793&AuthorID=59052&t=MLPA%20Log:%20Coming%20clean%20at%20the%20closin g%20bell It's quite a contrast from the MLPAI release distributed today, don't you think? I'm only sorry I couldn't have been so forthright sooner.

11-17-2009, 05:35 PM	#3
zenspearo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 167	Thank you Paul for a tell-it-like-it-is article. Most of us feel the same way and I feel very blessed that we have some outstanding reps like yourself representing our joint interests. Although I am not a kayakangler, we appreciate the opportunity to work cooperatively with kayakanglers and look forward to being there with you guys when the end comes for this sordid process. __________________ A spearo, but we are in this MLPA mess together

11-17-2009, 06:54 PM	#5
kurt Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: 2 inches above sea level Posts: 503	My hats off to you, Paul, for being able to hang in and fight on through all the BS. __________________ "All I got was a rock"

11-17-2009, 08:45 PM	#7
Tman BRTF...bought & paid... Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,247	'Bout time you had a chance to speak how you really felt... I will be putting some letters together, some aimed at Wuseman, some aimed at Coldwell, and a bunch aimed at the DFG. I want the DFG to know that we were there, watched the whole process, are fully aware of the 'Conflict of Interest', and the total lack of 'extensive public input'. Having someone in a blue shirt, time and time again, taking valuable speaking time to say the MPA's work but actually not having information or knowledge about the process took away from the publics' time to actually take part in valid debate and discussions that affect the public as a whole. Best part about it? All on film... This is far from over, and Paul, glad you get to finally speak your mind... Let her rip... __________________ Adios Tman Gaffer for Clay the Fishcatcher

11-19-2009, 11:32 PM	#15
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,568	Great write up. Thank you Paul for everything you do. __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

11-17-2009, 05:51 PM	#4
Grego Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 445	Thanks Paul...nice read, glad you can get it off your chest.

11-17-2009, 07:06 PM	#6
Billy V Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Ho Posts: 1,382	Thank You for summing up the truth. I know its been a long hard year, and that you and others were muzzled by I-Team Director Wiseman. The people of Kalifornia were robbed by a corrupt Governor, and corrupt political appointees. Remember all those names who were involved, and who stripped you of your rights. There will come a time when you can return the favor. -------------------------------------------------- Bad Karma on them All.

11-17-2009, 09:22 PM	#8
mwm Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 33	"The MLPA law itself would not be the problem if it were enforced as written. It’s supposed to cost the state $250,000 a year, not $25 million or more." Paul, is there really something in the original law that limits the cost to this amount? Has there been legislation that overturned this 250K/year ceiling you refer to, and if not, did the members of the BRTF task force know about this limit. If so, I will volunteer to find a contingency fee lawyer willing to file suit against the members of the BRTF, personally, for pain and suffering, taking of our natural resources, etc.... Actually, we probably have a basis for a class action lawsuit if this is true. That should get the politician's notice. I'm not the litigious type, but if we can turn the bloody thirsty Larach types against the environmentalists, it would be true poetic justice and serve a higher purpose.

11-17-2009, 10:26 PM	#9
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	I am far from being as well informed on all the details of this thing as Paul and a number of others, but several things jump out at me as significant potential weapons in our ongoing fight. Top of the list is the cost. So there is the MLPA. On paper it's a good thing. Its implementation as envisioned by the BLTF is way over the top, however. Ignore for the moment that the closure locations were seldom based on any accepted science and that backroom deals purchased by special interests were the norm during this process. The net result is that the cost of putting this thing into effect far exceeds the resources of the agencies who will be tasked with enforcement. If a law is not enforced, is it a valid law? When was the last time you drove 55 mph on I-5? Was the process corrupt. You bet. I am sure that just on that basis alone, implementation could be tied up in court for years. The cost of defending will have to be picked up by the State. Our State, the one that has no money to pay for our kids' education or keep dangerous criminals in prison. If someone takes this thing to court, maybe the powers that be will see the sensible side of things and just back away from the fight. ADA issues were brought up by some speakers at the last BRTF meeting. The ADA is a very powerful law with some very powerful backers. The fact that many of the launch locations friendly to those with handicaps will soon be "verboten" might get some of the ADA activists into our camp. Maybe we should ask for their help. My point is that since we appear to have failed to get a reasonable result by following the rules of the MLPA process, maybe it is time to switch to some other tactics. Bob

11-17-2009, 10:43 PM	#10
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Excellent article Paul. It sickens me that they got what they did, but this article puts it all in perspective. Again, thank you for all of your hard work in the past year

11-18-2009, 09:50 PM	#13
nunyabizness1 Maggie Join Date: May 2007 Location: Nunya Posts: 126	Thanks Paul for all your work and for representing us throughout this entire process. It wasn't easy to hold back and watch all the efforts get tossed aside just to suit Meg's agenda. I don't understand how the others on the BRTF allowed her to use them as her puppets. It just isn't right! Something's gotta give here. I can't believe that these people can sleep at night knowing what a detriment their decisions are going to cause this state. And for the teachers who gave extra credit to those students to show up and support Meg's agenda, these teachers are soon going to find out how that decision is going to further impact the state's budget cuts in education. The cuts are not over! The state of California cannot sustain any more debt! Meg got her degrees through a pretty high-end education process. Yet she has no problem hurting the state's budget and further impacting the future of our children's education with the decisions on these closures. Ok, I came here to post a thank you and went off on a rant. Sorry for that. Yes, I do appreciate all you have done to make things right and I wish your efforts were better rewarded with the best options and decisions made by the BRTF for the good of all.

11-27-2009, 08:07 PM	#17
Matt Support your local pangas Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lj Posts: 976	ahhhh.......the ignore button is a wondeful thing......I agree with Mr. Holy Mackerel!!!... I may not always agree with everything, but I and many, many, many more will ALWAYS HAVE PAUL'S BACK 100%!!! Exactly whose side are you on Dryfly, BiggestT?? OH YEAH AND PAUL, MJ, TYLER,KURT, COREY, BRENT OF OEX, ANDY, JIM SAMMONS, MOYER, JOSH, HABANERO, MAGGIE AND THE BLOODYDECKS CREW, ALL THE SPEAROS, CHRIS, BILLY V., TMAN, CLAY, KIYO,JOHN,RON, TATTUNA and the BAYTUBERS Et. Al. and all the peopl who fought the MLPA thank you very, very, very, very much for staying and putting in all that you did and continue to do in this very lopsided and crooked fight!!! MUCH RESPECT TO YOU ALL __________________ Thanks Matt F. Last edited by Matt; 11-27-2009 at 08:20 PM.

11-27-2009, 08:21 PM	#18
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	Who is this "Dry Fly" person and what is his, (or her), agenda? Anyone know this guy? I have to agree with him that we will be fighting an uphill battle from here on, (not that it has ever been any different). Yes, we do not have the funding that the other side has. And then there is the problem of an apathetic public. On the other hand, I strongly believe that the issues I mentioned earlier could offer some chance of influencing the final outcome. Who is going to pick up the ball and run with it? Bob

11-28-2009, 01:08 AM	#19
Tman BRTF...bought & paid... Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,247	I call BS - and I don't need no stinkin' pics... Too many people have worked too hard to fight the battle, and to belittle the fight, or say they don't agree or get along with someone is BS. Esp. when that someone has dedicated more than enough time, and their family sacrificed their time as well. If it smells like shit it probably is...defend away...I know we will... __________________ Adios Tman Gaffer for Clay the Fishcatcher

11-28-2009, 09:13 PM	#20
robmandel Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 186	DF, as the CRU emails that got leaked we now know (I've known for a long!!! time) that global warming is a hoax. always was. they hard coded that hockey stick for shit's sake. in the 70's, the fear was global cooling, and the onset of the next ice age. it's all BS. never was about the environment. it's about money (of course, it always is!!) and government power. look, al gore went from being woth a few bucks to becoming a billionaire, pimping his pseduo-scientific drivel, and investing in all those "green" companies. a fool? hardly. a scary demagogue and despicable liar? absolutely. look at the latest cap and trade legislation. it's not about the environment, it's about destroying our free-market economy. it's a means to nationalize and socialize the economy. the mlpa was about everything other than the fishes and the environment. the packard foundation through the RLFF didn't throw 10's of millions into the thing to close off a few areas to help depleted stocks and restore fisheries so commercial catch could recover. they don't, and never did, give two shits about the fish. period. first, the enviros are relgious fanatics. 'bout the only thing that separates them from alqaeda is a turban and a cave. they hate us, everything about us, what we do, who we are, and how we live our lives. that hate fishing, hunting, and everything associated with it. now, as for our political naivete. I'll say this. we were in against some major guns, and I am proud to have fought alongside the guys here, and the other sites. we were outgunned and never ever had even the slightest chance. we gave 'em hell and did so because we had no other option. "working with them" wouldn't have been much different than the judenrat. we had only one option, and fight for our lives. and we did. there is nothing we could have done to alter the outcome in any way. it was a star chamber. it was a show trial, and didn't even need a walter duranty. it was a preordained outcome and the public part was done to put on a show to act like they got public input. DF, what you seem not to grasp, is that we had nothing to give. NOTHING. there was no middle ground, there was no compromise. if they did nothing, we STILL DID NOT WIN. how could we "win" when there was never anything for us to gain? if they did nothing, then all we'd have is exactly what we started off with. so, asking us to give as an act of compromise is specious. we fought because wihtout fighitng, they'd have probably taken 10x as much. oh, they will, but not right now. they can act like they left us something, so when they come back later, they have something more to take. this was an extreme act by a dictatorial government. after the nov. 9th meeting, I felt something for the first time in my life. I felt like the government had committed a grotesque crime against me and my friends here and elsewhere, and I could not believe that I would ever see my country do that to its citizens. these closures will have no impact whatsoever on the fisheries, and even if they do, for what gain? for what purpose are they closing them? to protect and preserve for what? and especially when one considers that the species in those habitats are not even close to being in trouble. we have some of the healthiest fish stocks and the justification for this travesty is non-existent. now, as for coming in late and criticizing us, I and many many others here spoke from the heart at those meetings. we got up and told them exactly what they were doing to us. to tell us that we took the wrong path is offensive. we wouldn't have ever bothered them people in any way, but they picked the fight with us. they came after us. they are stealing from us. we didn't hurt anyone, we didn't cause anyone to suffer in any way. and they are punishing us for nothing. so, I will say that I stand alongside my friends here and elsewhere. I know I can count them as true friends, and if I was ever in a tough spot on the water, or anywhere, I know I could count on them. it was an honor for me to stand beside them, fight with them, and continue on the fight. when I heard Tman's son speak, I thought of my own son (who was in carlsbad with me) and the times I've spent with him on the water. and I was so moved by his courage, and thought, damn, we need more like him. alot more like him!!! that boy's a fighter, and I have the world of respect for him. we did what we had to do. the process was a disgusting display of the arrogance of power, corrupt government, and a government at war with its people. we fought. you always fight tyrrany. you always fight for liberty. and when they come back again, they'll know they have a fight on their hands. what angers me is that if you think of the thousands and thousands of people who fish the ocean, and the fight was carried on by a handful of us kayakers and spearos, I am so proud to have been a small part of that. just imagine if 5-10% of the saltwater anglers had shown up. could you even imagine what the scene then would have looked like?? there'd have been thousands of fisherman. and it would have been intimidating. but they didn't show. why??? I wish I knew. they had to resort to busing in school kids. I almost threw up at that spectacle. I'll say this: they can draw their lines on a map. they can shade them in blue and red, or shit brown for all I care. I will fish the ocean. they made their laws... just remember the words of lenoidas...molon lave.