Putting watermen out of business

I'm captain of the fishing vessel Sea Rambler, treasurer of the Coastal Virginia Watermen's Association and a Merchant Marine officer. Currently I am flat broke! This year alone I have seen the end of the Chesapeake Bay watermen.

There are no jobs to be found other than part-time or minimum-wage. To keep fishing, I have to pay $4.50 to $5 a gallon for fuel. That adds up to $700 a week in the boat, $150 in my truck and $30 for oil. I cannot afford to leave the dock!

Year after year, month after month, I and others like me come to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to defend our livelihoods, only to be pushed around and slowly by law put out of business.

With no outside help, we've endured. Now I just don't see that happening anymore. It used to be one or two watermen here and there, but now there are 10- to 20-some watermen leaving the bay.