The Booty Report

News and Updates for Swashbucklers Everywhere

Arr! The Highest Court may rescue toiling seafarers from Biden's rule, me hearties!

2024-01-05

Arrr! The lads from the New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association have gone and scribbled a fancy note to the Supreme Court! They be tellin' 'em about King Biden's mighty grip on the fishin' trade. Will those scallywags listen? We'll see, me hearties!

When I woke up, I found myself lying on the cabin ceiling, a most peculiar position indeed. You see, I was the captain of the F/V Teresa Maria IV, a fishing vessel that had been trawling the Gulf of Maine for days on end. Just as I settled into my bunk for some much-needed rest, a rogue wave decided to pay us a visit.

Life at sea is a wild adventure, my friend. The forecast may promise calm waters, but in an instant, a squall with heavy swells can turn everything upside down. On that fateful night, our boat was capsized in the darkness. It was chaos, I tell you.

But fear not, for fortune favored us that night. As I made my way to the helm, a second wave came crashing in, lifting our vessel back to its rightful position. It was a wild ride, to say the least.

Now, let me tell you about the trouble we face on land. The Biden administration has been meddling with the fishing industry, and my organization, the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA), is not pleased. We filed an amicus brief in a Supreme Court case, challenging the administration's power over us.

You see, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been placing monitors aboard our fishing voyages, and they expect us to foot the bill. Can you imagine working with a government agent constantly peering over your shoulder, waiting for you to slip up? And to make matters worse, these monitors cost us thousands of dollars per voyage.

But the dangers of our profession go beyond rogue waves and nosy monitors. Fishing is a grueling and stressful job, my friend. We work long hours without sleep, battling storms and treacherous swells. It takes a special kind of person to thrive in this environment.

And yet, the monitors that NOAA sends out are often fresh-faced youngsters with little experience of hard work. They get seasick, have panic attacks, and require assistance that we simply cannot provide.

It's time for the courts to stop deferring to agency expertise and start considering the realities of our industry. NOAA's rules and regulations miss the mark on so many fronts, and it's high time they faced some scrutiny. Ending judicial deference to agency interpretations is the first step towards ensuring safe and sustainable fisheries.

So, my fellow seafarers, let us stand together and fight for our rights. The sea is unpredictable, but with a little persistence, we can weather any storm that comes our way.

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