Recreational Fishing Alliance Does not Speak for the Millions of Anglers

[CaptTB]

As for the one before it...I'm not sure what question you wanted me to answer,

From the previous post:

There goes that word again, "true recs." I asked you to clarify that and a couple other comments like it in this thread but you have ignored my requests to clarify. Who exactly is a true rec? I am asking you specifically, not rhetorically. Are the people who fish on for-hire boats recs or not? How about from land and private boats? What is the difference between a "true rec and a fake rec?"

[Matt]

Not sure why you put quotation marks around "true rec and fake rec" those weren't my words. But I already answered the basic question several times. Unfortunately the concept is not one that you seem willing to acknowledge. Bottomline, a recreational fisherman isn't in it for the money. Obviously there's some grey area where some guys like your "for-hire fishing family" (I put quotation marks around that because those were your words) who are in it for the money also enjoy fishing (I assume) even if they aren't getting paid.

If you are in it for money and you rally for rules that primarily benefit people who are in it for the money, I frankly don't care if you enjoy fishing for pleasure. When we start changing everybody's rules because of your money and Reedville's money and the Garden State Seafood Harvesters Association's money, I get to call foul. Conservation and the best available science may ultimately get overruled, and I accept that. That's life. Special interests (i.e. for-hire fishing families) ARE part of the equation.

Maybe we should all just accept less fish so guys who want to finance 125' party boats can "not make any money" (again your words). I don't know capt. Seems like a bad deal. I mean, why do we have to change everybody's rules and sacrifice everybody's science if your people aren't making any money anyway. I mean seriously, you said it. You said you don't fish for money BECAUSE there's no money in it. Those were your words. So if there's no money in it, and you don't make any money, then why is it so important that we change the rules in a way that primarily benefits commercial and charterboat fishing?

No need to answer, that is a rhetorical question.