Comment from George Purmont, jr

Inasmuch as the White Dove Too and the Ruth and Pat are no longer in their original grandfathered status (White Dove Too is owned by an Ecuadorian company and is flagged in Ecuador and the Ruth and Pat is now owned by a Maine company and fishes herring) I suggest that their quota allocation be moved into the Reserve. The other seine quotas are in the hands of the sons and daughter of the original owners. These boats are combination scalloper/seiners and can in a few days time switch gear. However, recent years have demonstrated the absence of schools of true giants in our near coastal waters. The seiners must fish to a higher standard than the General and Harpoon categories. It seems odd that the seiners whose early landings of school fish and giants were the justification for the US quota must make such an accommodation. After all they are fishing on the same resource and addressing the same market.............