Interesting Editorial

[ThomCat]

Any of you guys that hold a commercial rod & reel license will find Zach Harvey's Editor's Log in this week's Fisherman quite interesting. Although I take umbridge to pretty much the whole article, a couple of points really jumped at me. Since being displaced from my job and trade of 30 years by Clinton's free trade antics ( nobody subsidized me or got up on a soapbox ala John Kerry to declare that the fleet had to be protected. It was THEIR heritage, although my trade, hand engraving on precious metals,) unlike net fishing, has a tradition and heritage that dates back to the days of Paul Revere.
Since then, instead of one job, I've got five. Bait shop, writing, fluke rig business, chartering and comm. rod& reel fishing. I do not R&R for "Huckleberry money" but as part of my income by which I support my home & family.
There are few "stockbrokers"', as mentioned in the article, on my dock doing much comm. rod & reeling although their are a number of anglers that couldn't run a boat without it. This judgemental article seems to have little consideration for these guys who for whatever reason ( Children, college funds, everyday living) should not be able to participate in boating and fishing and by their elimination, make it only a rich man's activity.
The most outrageous element of the article proposes that a comm. R&R fisherman should be required to show that a certain percentage of their income (40, 50, 75%) be generated by comm. R&R fishing. If not, no license. IN WHAT OTHER TRADE ARE YOU REQUIRED BY LAW TO SHOW A PERCENTAGE OF YOUR INCOME IS GENERATED BY WHATEVER JOB IS TO BE ISSUED A LICENSE? If a doctor has investments that earn him as much or more than his listed occupation, can he no longer practice. Does an electrician have to make the biggest part of his income from that trade in order to maintain his license? A plumber? A lawyer?
Doesn't this constitute a bit of "unbalance" in the law as it pertains to different groups. This is not a rant to pit comm. R&R's against recs. nor is it an attack on Zach who I've worked with as well as fished with. He's entitled to his opinion as am I. It is rather to show that every coin has two sides and that speaking in generalities can taint the actual issue.
Catch'em up, Capt. ThomCat