Posted by finfan on October 25, 2002 at 08:20:12:
Does anyone know how much California takes in each year in fishing licenses? Specifically is there any data on just what comes from SO Cal. ocean enhancement stamps and so cal licenses? I often wondered how much enforcement they could fund if we just stopped buying licenses and boycotted taking fish even just one or two years. I think I could do it, so what if I have to travel into Mexico to get my yellowtail, tuna and lingcod.
I doubt we could effectively ban together to pull it off, but can you imagine how costly it might be to their statewide funding if all the So Cal fishermen and diver/hunters just said scr*w it and turned off the license fee tap.
I also wonder what the economic impact to California would be if the commercial guys did the same from the charter boats to the commercial fishermen. Maybe then the extremists and enviro nuts of the world wouldn't be such a large political factor. Even better, maybe if we did get the state in some big eco problem or funding problem people would stop voting for the likes of Davis and we wouldn't see critical votes such as the one last night come down to two people voting yes and one voting no.
Imagine the power Davis has bestowed - two people on his self appointed commission effectively were able to affect the lives of millions. Now that's Democracy at it's best.
Here's the plan - effective Jan 1st, instead of sending in our license money for 2003, we send it to a non-profit that we establish to fund a reserve to help the commercial guys financially over the next two years. The commercials pull their boats out and moth ball them or lease out to Mexico/Canada. We help them survive with the license money. The rec guys pull their boats and only fish Mexico, buying all their gas in Mexico. Fuel sales and fuel tax takes a hugh plunge, fish and game runs out of funding early part of year, cost to import fish skyrockets all around the world. Sales tax on new boats costs the state millions - Davis and the two stooges voting yes effectively puts California into a tail spin. Better yet - the photo dwibs have no charters to even get out to the channel islands to take their pictures. Now that's a truly a reserve.
What do you think?