East Coast commercial fishermen live under a Federally determined regime. They ceded their rights a long time ago. A fact that many despise today. They are all but Federal pets. But that's another story.
Fishing on the West Coast was a State regime up until it was taken over forcefully in the 80s. You haven't lived until you have stared down a 19yr old on the bow of a 50’ Coast Guard cutter - watching him sweat and shake as he mans the locked and loaded .50 cal pointed at you and your boat. You for the crime of fishing. For which some were sent to Federal prison. And another had the back of his head blown off ...
Freedom is mentioned a few times in the Constitution, I believe. We fought, literally. We lost. You lost. We paid and they collected. You paid, and now it is time to collect yours. And you are upset.
We were told we were the wrong race, now you are in the process of being told you hold the wrong religion. But, because you and too many other refuse to understand what has happened to others in the recent past, you will suffer the consequences.
Again you seem to be stuck. Rights are only as good as the Court's interpretation of them. Those rights only last until the Court decides otherwise, and practicing them becomes a felony with fines and prison time guaranteed.
When fighting means fighting the US Marshals, the US Coast Guard, the FBI, the media, the Church, and others. When the entire might and wealth of the Federal government is against your livelihood, you personally, your family, and your friends. When the people in the town you live in scowl and turn their backs on you, muttering nasty comments under their breath. While your wife files for divorce, taking the house and the kids ...
Just because you believed you lived in a free country and fought for it ... did't mean it was true.
Dolan is entering his time of testing, We'll see how well he holds up or not. He did well locally, but on a national scene, under the pressures to come - is unknown.
And I held many different commercial fishing permits and licenses for 35 years. Fished almost every fishery from WA to AK. Wrote statistical TAC papers which were influential in local and international negotiations, as well as holding office for decades in the most influential and powerful fishing association in Washington state.
Pray for Dolan. He's your hope.
No matter, we won't get those rights back, any of us, unless we all work together.
But again, this isn't about property rights, or fishing rights, or even mineral rights, this is incredibly fundamental, even more than those.
My ancestors came here in the 1600s because they sought Freedom of Religion and freedom from those who had an established State Religion.
They established a colony based on that freedom, although it is far from free now as one of those East Coast States.
We've been persecuted for our beliefs before.
I just think its funny how that fundamental Right, a First Amendment Right, is equated with fishing rights, for Catholics, but if the Obama Administration demanded Jews eat pigmeat or Muslims go into a gym without a footbath--instead of just force Catholics pay for murder there'd likely be a greater and more universal outcry.
That you are equating fishing rights with being forced against our religious belief to pay for the murder of babies and somehow acting as if the two are in any way the same speaks volumes, not just about how we got to this point, but about how we are going to go a lot farther if we don't turn around.
In the meantime, you'll be left to fight the euthenasia laws with folks who have decided gay ministry and marriage are just fine, 'cause we'll likely be heading off to 'camp'. Good luck.