TOP TEN REASONS TO OPPOSE THE BUYBACK

So, here goes. One of our own past board members and longtime loyal SEAS member-coming up on 30 years as a full paying SEAS member-- is Jim Zuanich. SEAS E.D. admits to leaving out some of Jim's quotes in the Pacific Fishing Article by Amy Majors ( and if you have not read this, it's a must-- look back 6 or so articles on here.) And Jim recently emailed me, mildly chastising- and if you know Jim's positive nature that's double mild, I didn't really take any offense-- my approach to just be supportive of the SEAS Fleet Consolidation Plan. He felt that I should show both sides.

After Jim so aptly scolded me for my imbalance and determination not to devote my SEAS job to pointing out both sides of the buyback, John Peckham jumped right in there. Both of these guys were on the SEAS board and hired me to get them the buyback. But this is all the balance I could come up with. So here goes. The here's my personal TOP Ten Reasons to Vote No in the Buyback:

NOT: I'm being facetious here but I really couldn't come up with any good reasons to vote no other than these.

1. I would like a larger boat than 58 feet when the Buyback vote fails and the Board of Fish ratifies regulations that would permit boats up to 75 feet.

2. I'm getting old. Almost 50. I sometimes feel a need to slow down the young guys a bit and sit in lineups with them. With 100 more boats I could surely get a break every now and then, no matter where I am fishing in SE.

3. SEAS membership will certainly rise without a buyback. There are so many issues facing seiners today that only fishermen with their own organization have a chance at surviving. Don't believe it, good luck when it's your turn to give up some beach and you have no one there to support you.

4. Boats will be cheap. With a bad winter or two ( as I say this the SEAS office official forecast for 2012- 4 months from now- is 16 million) we will end up in an overcapitalized cycle so I can get a boat cheaper than right now. Especially with no 58 foot limit.

5. Permits will be cheaper so there will be lots of opportunity for guys to stack permits to get the longer boats.

6. I wouldn't have to pay the tax. My tax last year would have been substantial. Oh. That's right. SEAS got me back the ASMI 1% tax to put in my pocket 8 seasons ago beginning with the 2004 season. So after the first year or 2 on this assessment we're going to be even money at around 1% and this round is free. But I still could just pocket the ASMI money PLUS the buyback assessment if I can help vote it down.

7. My fishery won't be controlled by the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Like we are involved in a Treaty and we fish in the Tongass, so we'll always be rubbing elbows with the Federal Government. This is just a simple loan like you'd get from Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac for your house. Or FHA or whatever. Or VA. Does it mean they control your house? I don't think so. The state of Alaska manages the harvest of our salmon resource and always will.

8. I won't have to pay those down south guys for just losing their job in the big 2000's wipeout that we've all yet to completely recover from. This is a myth. But there are at least half of the list who were put out of work in the troubled times of 02-05.

9. I don't want to pay those dog-gone SEAS board members. Oh. 1 in 13 of the SEAS board sold a permit. And of the average permit holder, 63 of 366, or 1 in 6.

1 in 6 permit holders sell and 1 in 13 SEAS board members. Must have been some insider information with the average permit holder that they had over SEAS board members??

10. Young guys. I want to add 100 boats so that our young guys will get back to making 30 grand a year rather than the big money last summer. Geez. If the fishery makes the crew too much money, maybe some of them will become skippers. Let's keep this more of a social fishery, impoverished so that our kids can learn great life lessons while seining and preparing for a real, normal stable occupation.

have a good weekend

bobbyt