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To whom it may concern,

I am a 41 year old, and worked on So Cal sport boats from the age
of 14 to 23. Working and fishing those boats have given me
greatemories fishing with friends, and more importantly my father.
Working these boats gave me a work ethic like no other. It taught
me discipline, customer service, how to cook, hlusekeeping...the
list goes on and on. I've made lifelong friends with my coworkers,
and passengers as well. 

I started sportfishing, with my father(who is diagnosed with
Alzeheimers), when I was 8 years old. My first trip was aboard the
Matt Walsh out of LA Harbor Sportfishing. Capt Ray Duane was the
first to greet me, and made sure that his deck hands would have me
catch fish. And they did not disappoint. From that trip, my love
for fishing blossomed. At 10, I went on my first overnight trip, on
the Searcher, in San Diego. Captain Art Taylor did the same thing
as Captain Ray did. And I got my first Yeallowtail and Dorado on
that trip. From then on, I begged my dad to take me fishing. We
went on so many trips, that my memory bank is full of memories,
stories, and bonding that only fishing can bring. Even though, he
doesn't remember his grandkids, amd has a hard time remembering his
own kids. He can tell you about fishing trips, that he and I went
on, like it was yesterday. Canceling sport fishing, would be a
generational disgrace.

As I mentioned above,, the skills I learned working these boats, I
moved on into the trades. Without these skills, I never would have
flourished in the plumbing trade. I currently work for LADWP,
making 6 figures, and supporting my family of 6. 3 of my 4 boys
have already gone out in trips with me. And they bug me, the same
way I bugged my father, to take them again. I never realized the
bonding a father and son can have on the water, but as a father, my
eyes are open. To see the 3 of them, light up with joy when they
catch a fish, and the high fives we give each other after landing
the fish, are memories that will never be erased. The same
memories, that my father created with me, and his father with him.


Shutting this industry down, is catastrophic to our youth,
families, and the men/women who work this job. Shutting this
industry down will bring more California's the option to leave. I
can't afford a boat to fish, this is why I pay for this service. I
can pay a nominal fee, and not worry about a thing, except what
burger I want to eat. Please, I beg you, a man, from a family of
fisherman, do not pass this law. It will have generational impact.