In Reply to: Rockfish Recompression posted by Max Bottomtime on February 11, 2013 at 15:10:40:

Two prominent CDFG biologists have weighed in on this issue this method of venting is specifically NOT recommended for rockfish and particularly the Giants.

A couple of years ago West marine was marketing a syringe venting tool that i found to be totally unacceptable for them to market here in Southern California. i waged a weeks long email battle with the CEO at the time, Geoff. Our dialogue was always cordial, but he was very reluctant to alter existing sales contracts because some guy named Brad insisted that he do so...

I don't battle corporations very often, but when i do i play the game straight up and i play for keeps! But i would never be so profligate as to attack an adversary without granting them ample opportunity to fail... Here is how i leveraged West marine into discontinuing the store sales of the invasive vent tool within the range of the magnificent Giant Sea Bass!

Gentlemen, with all due respect, every word of evidence that you provide for justifying the sale of the vent tools in California was explicitly referring to FL and the gulf--not one word suggests using the vent tool here in CA. Your assertion that what applies in FL and the gulf should automatically apply here is illegitimate considering the following. I have furnished you with two articles from two leading marine biologists; Mr Robert's article is about one subject and one subject only: he recommends AGAINST venting the Giants. (i spoke with him some weeks ago and his recommendation still stands) Mr Lowe's article specifically recommends AGAINST venting rockfish species.

Considering the recommendation of these two leading biologists, I have repeatedly asked West marine for a list of CA species that they recommend the tool be used on--no one from West marine has been able to give me one specie that you recommend the tool be used on. How can you insist on selling a tool for which you are unable to even tell us which specie you recommend it for??

Your advertisement states verbatim: "required equipment in some jurisdictions" When i ask West marine in which jurisdiction the tools are required for the tens of thousands of CA customers, you are unable to provide one. That's because for every customer in CA, no such jurisdiction exists--Speaking for myself, that is blatantly false and misleading advertising: damning!

Peter told me that they put stickers in the store--they did not. When i went to West marine and asked a salesman what specie the vent tool was recommended for, the first words out of his mouth were Giant Sea Bass. When i asked him if he know that the CDFG SPECIFICALLY recommends AGAINST venting the Giants, he conceded that he did!

Here are the facts:

1) The California Department of Fish and Game specifically recommends NOT venting the giants.

2) The California Department of Fish and Game specifically recommends NOT venting rockfish species.

3) West marine is unable to provide ONE SPECIE that they recommend using the tool for here in CA.

4) West marine is unable to tell us in which jurisdiction here in CA the tool is required. (despite your explicit advertising)

5) You have a great case for marketing the tool in FL, but you are unable to provide ANY evidence that justifies your continued marketing of the device here in CA.

Considering all of the above, i was hoping that you gentlemen will simply do the right thing. Your insistence on marketing this tool when you cannot even answer these simple questions is irrational and foolish in my opinion. But i can't make you do the right thing. All a decent man can do is to leverage you into doing the right thing in the court of public opinion. My request remains unchanged: please discontinue the sales of the vent tool within the range of the Giant Sea Bass (Pt. Conception to the Mexican border)

Here is a short list of individuals and entities that i plan to seek informal consultation with:

Philippe Cousteau, The Cousteau Society, president of The Aquarium of the Pacific- Monterey Bay Aquarium, Heal the bay, Ocean Defenders Alliance, Catalina Island Conservancy, Island Packers, Director of the CDFG, every member of the F&G commission, The Coastal Commission, The Discovery Channel, The Outdoor Channel, Discovery Channel, California Ocean Protection Counsel, the governor, Ocean Alliance, Greenpeace, Surfrider Foundation, Bodyglove, every dive club in Southern California. etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc....

In the coming days and weeks i will contact these entities and other marine interests. I will use the points that i have made here in this letter to you and i will get a consensus about your marketing of the vent tool despite knowing that it is not recommended for use here in CA. I will then take that consensus and make another appeal to West Marine to simply do the right thing. If after this ugly journey you still insist on marketing device, you will be doing so after having born the exposure of your indefensible marketing decision.

Geoffe, if you can satisfactorily answer the five questions that i posed to you in this letter, we will have grounds to continue this discussion. If you can't, please allow that guide your decision. I'm asking you for a little grace--you claim to market 100,000 items, surely retaining your image as a good corporate citizen can't be worth the cost of this battle...

Let me know what you decide.

Sincerely,

***********************************************************

Lets give West marine credit for doing the right thing!

PS, i spoke with a manager at sports chalet--he didn't want to have anything to do with marketing a syringe venting tool!

:)

• Thank you. Jim 07:19:06 02/12/13 (0)