#NCSEN: Tillis “mentor” in midst of Outer Banks fishing fracas

Commercial fishermen along eastern North Carolina have been knocking heads for some time with state regulators.  Local fishing interests fear that regulations pushed by environmentalists with pull in Raleigh are endangering their livelihood and threatening the local economy.

The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of North Carolina is blamed by locals for the current regulatory environment.  One factor that might have won the CCA its success in Raleigh:  their lobbyist in Raleigh, until September 4 of last year, was none other than former state House speaker and Thom Tillis “mentor” Harold Brubaker.

For those not so familiar with this ongoing fight in the east, soak in the words of longtime Outer Banks GOP leader Browny Douglas in his plea to state senator Bill Cook: 

Senator Cook,

I write to you as a constituent and a direct descendent of the American Revolution. Proudly being Tar Heel born and bred I have had the thankful opportunity to experience and enjoy a lifetime of sport and commercial fishing along a great part of the US Atlantic coast. I put forth the following concerns and suggestions based on participation, observance, information and belief.

Referencing Federalist Paper # 11 the State of North Carolina because of its early involvement in the commerce of fishing, has always been a working example of the “Framers” intent to promote engage and defend the new Country’s commercial activities specifically providing fresh seafood for its citizens and distant markets. Fast forward 227 years and what is evidenced is special interest forces, driven by greed and left leaning ideology supported by bureaucratic management that is in lockstep with environmental extremism. Intentions are to void NC and all coastal states of this critically needed economic activity. Since taking command the NC Republican administration has done NOTHING to thwart the efforts of the anti commercial fishing agenda that it inherited.

By this negligence, be it innocently or intentionally complicit, the administration in reality is aiding and abetting the demise of an industry that so many, to include the NC Farm Bureau, deem a noble industry that fosters individual economic freedom thus a healthier NC economy. The administration took office bolstering the intention of creating jobs. Instead with respect to the commercial fishing industry the exact opposite is the case. I view this as adverse to Republican mantra. 

The leadership of the NC DMF is acting in concert with the NMFS, NOAA, and the EPA to not only rid our country of its commercial fishing industry but consequently the rightful use of its surface waters. Why? A likely scenario being that the commercial fishing rights will in the future be surrendered for lease, in some cases to foreign interest to be imported back to us. DID YOU KNOW? The NMFS is funded by a tax on all imports of seafood! What a cozy situation! Speaking of such. The state of NC pays the DMF Director Louis Daniel to represent OUR State with its citizens best interest first in mind. Sadly the negative affect to citizens and to NC commerce always appears to be of NO concern to the Director.

The truth IS that the amount of lost revenue because of the policies and decisions of the Director is ENORMOUS! Why? Could it be that his appeasement and complicity with the NMFS anti agenda enhances the chance of his opportunity to become a future NMFS employee mirroring two of his previous predecessors. To this individual it is obvious he intends to earn his welcome to Washington DC by rendering NC’s commercial fishermen as impotent as possible of their ability and right to feed themselves, the consuming public, and to provide for family. This Tar Heel expects the State of NC to defend its liberty. NOT TO ALLOW the breach of its sovereignty by outside special interests of national and international origin.

I liken OUR State to a barrier dam helping to prevent the spread of this UN AMERICAN effort to deny the public of THEIR right to THEIR public trust marine resources. However, there is a serious breach in the dam. At present the NC MFC is illegally stacked in favor of the Coastal Conservation Association. The CCA is the godfather and monetary political facilitator of the anti agenda. To some elected officials money trumps principles. God bless those of them that resist. The CCA purports to represent the entire recreational fishery. It DOES NOT. It represents its greedy self only. “What kind of person would let their pleasure interfere with another persons livelihood?” 

It is acknowledged that the Governor and his administration nor the members of the NC General Assembly cannot know all about everything. But reason begs me to ask why it is that since the CCA came to NC {approx. 20 yrs} industry’s treasured practical knowledge has been IGNORED to the continous detriment of  that industry? Why has sound science been skewed and or omitted? Why does such continue? I venture this answer to those questions. It is because the DMF the MFC and the NC Administration are riddled with the carryover of CCA activists and sympathizers from previous Democrat administrations. It is beyond obvious that these individuals DO NOT have the State or the Governor’s best interest at heart. The NCGA and the Governor must come to grips with this fact and act immediately before NC loses control of some of its own public trust resources, forfeits a food producing industry, and the GOP suffers a sure to be political calamity.

May I suggest the prudence of freezing any and all pending DMF rules and regulations until a thorough investigation and audit of DMF can be conducted.The policies of the DMF with respect to their intended purpose will be proven disingenuous to the well being of NC. Extension of this suggestion would be to transfer the commercial component of DMF to the Department of Agriculture to be treated as the commodity based industry that it is. Justice will then have a chance to be served because a free market economy driven by supply and demand will have a competing chance. Is that not in great part what the REPUBLIC when formed was about? Also I make the suggestion that the sport component of the DMF be moved to NCFW.

Senator, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. This is part of the fight for the heart and soul of America. This is where RIGHT confronts WRONG. This is where truth battles those wielding sour money. 

American at Heart

A B Douglas III

Dare County