Fishing~The greatest past time, threatened

     I was born in 1946 in San Pedro, California, and grew up in a commercial fishing family. Through high school, I worked on sportfishing boats, and at the age of seventeen went commercial fishing with my father, captain of a large purse seiner, during summer vacation. Two years later, I took a friend’s place on his father’s ninety-foot fishing boat named Diana, for a four-day trip fishing off the coast of Santa Barbara. Little did I know that I would almost lose my life when we got caught in a freak hurricane force storm.

     These events later served as inspiration for my first nonfiction true-life adventure, Red Sky Morning.

     I wrote most of this novel at my office. I read excerpts of the story to my manager to see if she liked it. Carri said she did, and found the story to be similar to one told by her grandfather, a commercial fisherman who almost lost his life in a storm. Upon further discussion, it became apparent that her grandfather, Ike Ventimiglia, was on the Diana, and that we had pulled him out of the net floating in the thirty-foot seas, and then I resuscitated him. It truly is a small world.

     Ike passed away. He was in his eighties and lived near Redding, California. Thinking about Ike inspired me to work harder to complete Red Sky Morning. Strangely, I’ve somehow come full circle from my past to the present. Nowadays, in the early morning while having a cup of coffee, I watch boats like Diana making sets for fish off Cabrillo Beach.

     The San Pedro fishing fleet has dwindled down to a dozen boats or so. The fisherman of the past made a good living, but today they can barely make it. Most of the fish are gone, and in the recent years, squid―better known as calamari―have become popular. If it wasn’t for the local squid fishing, I don’t think the local fishermen could survive.

     Forty-six years ago, when this “true-life adventure” began, I was fishing on the Western Ace off the coast of Maine. My dad, the captain, pointed to these huge Russian trawlers that were dragging the bottom indiscriminately, catching every living creature that would go into the net. Dad said that type of fishing method would wipe out the cod fishing industry on the East Coast. His prediction came true. Indiscriminate fishing methods like that, along with long lining and gill netting, are now being restricted or banned.

     Today we face a lot of challenges. Our world has become a lot smaller. Countries throughout the world are forming alliances to address these problems and are also starting to be more aggressive about over-fishing and the polluting of our oceans.

     Unfortunately, positive changes breed interest from radical environmentalists, who wield a tremendous power in our liberal state and national governments. They’re not satisfied with implementing better management of our resources, but want to close all hunting and fishing on our coasts and rivers.

     SaveCAfishing.org was formed as a collective effort between United Anglers of Southern California, the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans, KeepAmericaFishing, BD Outdoors, as well as several other sportfishing organizations and companies to fight back against the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) initiative. Sportfishing is extremely popular in the state of California with 1.9 million anglers, who, through their passion for the sport, support $5 billion in economic activity. If these draconian measures are passed, it could threaten a way of life for millions of people.

     Unfortunately as of January 2012, the fishing industry lost considerable chunks of viable fishing grounds, some 350 square miles (close to 15% of California’s coast) of coastal water will become State Marine Reserves or State Marine Conservation Areas. In total, 49 separate areas will become MPAs at some point. 

     Our rights are slowly being taken away. Fishing and hunting may not interest you, but there’s other freedoms disappearing daily. Get your head out of the sand and make a stand. 

The oceans are our life source! We have the technology to change the course we’re on. It will require a worldwide effort to protect and preserve our biggest asset, our oceans.

     I love the ocean, and go sportfishing as much as I can. In the near future, I plan to retire. I hope that my friends and I will continue to enjoy the sport of fishing. I also hope that our families, and especially my grandsons, will have the opportunity to enjoy the ocean and fishing as much as I do.