November 16, 2011
Captain Dan Blanton
California Guide License 003706
Mr. Jim Kellogg, President
California Fish and Game Commission
1416 Ninth Street
P.O. Box 944209
Sacramento, California 94244-2090
Dear President Kellogg and Commission members: RE: Striper regs.
I’ve already sent you a letter listing valid reasons why the Commission should flatly reject the striped bass regulations changes to be submitted to you by the California Department of Fish and Game. In that letter I did not address the severe economical hardships that will follow implementation for literally hundreds if not thousands of individuals and small businesses that rely on our striped bass fishery for a major part of their business income. Striped bass fishing guides such as I, are just one small example.
The list of businesses ranging from tackle and bait sales, to boat rentals and RV Park and marina business is huge. In these stressed economic times it makes no sense to destroy a fishery that engenders such a broad economic web – it may well be the most economically valuable fishery we have in the State.
Our striped bass fishery, in my view is probably more valuable in terms of angler satisfaction and participation than any other fishery. It’s a 12-month fishery that lends itself to every angling technique from bait-fishing to fly-fishing, ocean, bay, impoundments and delta. No other fishery can make this claim
I again, urge the Commission to flatly reject the proposed reg changes leaving them stand as they now are.
Sincerely,
Captain Dan Blanton