THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 13, 1996 TAG: 9605100031
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Oscar Adams' ``VMRC protects watermen more than Bay'' (Another View, April 19) is filled with many half-truths and much misinformation.
Having a ``cottage on the Eastern Shore'' does not necessarily make one an expert in the seafood industry. Lack of knowledge of the seafood industry is evident throughout the essay.
While I agree that the VMRC membership should be changed since currently only one working waterman sits on the commission, you would be hard-pressed to find any watermen who believe that the VMRC's ``primary efforts are to protect the seafood industry.''
The current VMRC commissioner was appointed during a Democratic administration, is currently serving under a Republican administration and has often met with opposition by many watermen regarding various VMRC decisions. However, despite such opposition, watermen understand that a balance between environmentalists, recreational fishermen, nature lovers and commercial fishermen is needed.
Mr. Adams says reduction of the crab population results from overharvesting, but he fails to mention that the reduced crab population is also due in part to other factors, such as pollution.
Mr. Adams notes last year's lack of crabbers from the ``cell'' to Cape Charles and implies that this was a result of the reduced crab population. But the lack of crabbers was also due to a banner year in the conch and gill-netting industries.
Mr. Adams' most-absurd statement was about menhaden fishermen working at night. Daylight is needed to see the fish from airplanes that guide the boats as they circle the fish. To imply that the crab feeds off the live menhaden fish further proves how little the writer actually knows this subject. No crabber that I have talked to has ever seen a crab catch a live fish; crabs are scavengers.
Despite his misinformation, Mr. Adams has the cure for the ills of the seafood industry: ``a complete ban of the taking of crabs.'' I wonder what Mr. Adams would suggest that 3,000 watermen do to feed their families if his drastic solution were implemented?
Perhaps the next time Mr. Adams is inclined to express his views regarding the seafood industry, he will get the complete story instead of suggesting ludicrous notions that would completely obliterate families as well as communities.
JOHN STEPHEN PRUITT
Tangier Island, April 21, 1996 by CNB