In Louisiana It Is Not Fishing Folks Versus Oil Folks

The Daily King Fish had a somewhat critical piece on the huge "Rally for Economic Survival” at the Cajundome held today.

He says in part:
My issue here is that there are far more folks being affected by this man made, BP causes disaster. I am told that there are thousands of Mom and Pop Bait and Tackle shops that have closed down permanently because nobody is fishing due to the oil. There are thousands of Shrimpers, Oystermen, fisherman and others completely out of work and will likely be out of work for years to come due to this completely manmade disaster. Where is there help? Where is the attention to them?
Today in the Daily Advertiser in Lafayette there was an Op Ed by Ewell Smith, Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion board. He rightfully points out that many families on the cost have both offshore O&G workers as well as shrimpers and fishermen - That they are interconnected. That isn’t lost on me. And I agree with his letter.
But so much focus solely on this moratorium as if it was lifted POOF all our problems are gone.
Simply isn’t the case.

From all indications I am getting fishermen people and those that work in the oil Industry are not opposed to each other aims here. So I think we need to avoid the US versus THEM.

The fact the huge destruction to the Louisiana oil Industry that could occur overnight affects Fishermen too. It affects their customers and yes it affects a tax base that provides the taxes for such things as schools, hospitals, roads , and other vital social services.

So we are all in this together. The problem was that the media took some time in even realizing how many jobs such moves being considered by the Obama administration would cost Louisiana in the short term and long term. It also failed to consider that the long term cost might actually hurt the environment since much of this Offshore revenue is about to go in the Coastal erosion fund. A issue that is critical to fishermen.

It seemed for weeks it was Fishermen , Fishermen all the time on the media. To say they have been ignored or that their huge valid concerns are being ignored I think is folly. They might not be addressed fast enough in D.C. ( I agree with that) but I think it is wrong to say Louisiana political leaders or the general populace have ignored the Fisherman's saga or that we think restoring Louisiana off shore oil production is a magic bullet.