A thought about future meetings.
 

I have been thinking a lot about the last BRTF meeting and one of the statements that was made was "I am not wearing a white shirt and I am not wearing a black shirt I am wearing a blue shirt showing support for our ocean." I have been thinking about that statement a lot over the last two weeks and feel that if we are going to try to come to a compromise regarding closure areas we need to be willing to compromise therefore I suggest that from now on we do not wear black shirts to the meetings including the roadshow workshops. I think we should all wear blue shirts to make an effort to mend the rift between the consumptive and non consumptive groups. If we are going to make any progress and even though I know I will be flamed for this statement I feel that our group needs take the first step towards mutual interaction.

My thoughts...I think the black shirts were good to show unity, but obviously they may have offended some people, or just possibly the black shirts were associated with people with a sinister side.

In reality, and from what I have gathered from the meetings of various groups and the people involved, it is extremely apparent that we all want the same thing, to preserve our fisheries. The manner that is currently being used to achieve that goal, I think, is not the most logical way to achieve the goal...lower bag limits, regulation of size slots, enforcement of rules and a host of other ideas would have accomplished the mission instead of going about it in ways that would reduce money brought to the state by people who fish.

That being said, the people I have met and had a chance to talk to, I have found that the consumptives involved are actually some of the most conservative minded people, ones who fish to feed themselves and their family and don't indiscriminately go out and fish in attempts to 'take as much as they can keep'...

Blue shirts would show a step towards progress. I don't have a problem with it. We will have something that will still identify us as consumptive environmentalists.

I think I am going to have to sport CHARGER BLUE!!!! :luxhello::p

:cheers1:

True Blue to the end.

BRTF Member Steve remarked about the Black shirts, so I will respectfully address his request, and strive to reach a middle ground.