Don’t strip mine the seas
This letter was inspired by the Nov. 15 “Fish Factor” by Laine Welch and the article next to that column “Fishermen fined for killing sea lions.” First I want to say that I am not anti-fishing. I am anti-strip mining the oceans where 95 percent of the oceans are over-fished, because this is solely due to pure greed. Here is what I believe happens to one’s mindset when he/she decides to become a fisher person.
They buy (go into debt) a boat, then purchase (go into debt) those pricey IFQs. Then they set out to sea having to catch as much as they possibly can in order to meet that debt load. Eventually they come to believe that because they paid all that money the ocean and its fish belong to them, so when a sea lion eats salmon, by God, those monsters are stealing my fish — bang, bang.
But they forget something important. Earth was designed so that every living thing depends for its life on other living things and those sea lions, sea otters and whales have peacefully existed with the ocean for millions of years, that is until modern man arrived, now fishing factories are stripping the food chain down to nothing. When herring season opens whole schools of herring are caught in one net set, then adding insult to injury the herring are striped of their eggs and discarded as useless.
The next step is to strip the eggs from the kelp, thus guaranteeing that school’s extinction. So what do the whales eat now? Well, since the ocean is almost barren, they follow the fishing boats (long liners) and attempt to steal back their fish because the boat has fish-finding sonar that works better than theirs.
The next complaint is those greedy over-populating sea otters eating all the sea cucumbers and geoduck clams. While the sea otter has to eat every day, I have never seen any of them catching tons of them all at once, thus emptying that area of having any at all. Note that 170 divers collected 1.7 million pounds of sea cucumbers and 700,000 pounds of geoduck clams, yet it’s the sea otter’s fault that we cannot find any of them, so — bang, bang — damn greedy sea otters.
I wonder just how many whales, sea lions, and sea otters are killed when the less savory fishermen (note that almost all fishermen carry a rifle on their boat) think that nobody is looking like those guys from Cordova.
I would like to suggest that all of our fisher people buy and read a copy of Farley Mowatt’s book “Sea of Slaughter” (1984 Little, Brown and Co.) which was banned in the USA when it was first published in Canada.
At the rate we’re going in strip mining the seas, it won’t be long before the sea food menu list is jellyfish.
Wishing ya’all good fishing,
George Trudeau, Anchor Point
Parents patience during tsunami evacuation was appreciated
Homer principals would like to thank our parents for their trust and patience they exhibited during the evacuation Friday, Nov. 30. While we plan and drill for these occasions, there is no training like the real thing. We are so thankful to live in such a wonderful community. Be safe during this holiday season.
Chris Brown, Kari Dendurent, Todd Hindman, Eric Pederson, Doug Waclawski, Eric Waltenbaugh
Preludes appreciates support
The Paul Banks staff, students, and Preludes steering committee wish to thank the businesses and individuals who donated desserts and food items for our highly successful Spaghetti Feed/Dessert Auction fundraiser on Oct. 18. The proceeds support the Paul Banks Preludes Violin Program. AJ’s, Cups, Homer Truffles, 2 Sisters, Fritz Creek, Red Bird Café, Fat Olives, Jennifer Poss, Malisa Leveson, and Brie Drummond donated fabulous desserts for our live auction. Many parents and community members donated desserts for our silent auction. In addition, McNeal Canyon Meats, Safeway, and Save-U-More donated the ingredients for our Spaghetti Feed. Homer Youth Orchestra provided live music along with the Paul Banks Preludes.
The Preludes program, under the auspices of the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra and with the cooperation of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, provides every student at Paul Banks the opportunity to participate in group violin instruction. This program is funded solely by donations from businesses, organizations and countless individuals. The student’s enthusiasm, increased focus, and teamwork are a testament to the program’s success.
We are blessed to live in a community that supports the arts and our mission to create better learners and citizens through instrumental music instruction and ensemble performance.
Lyn Maslow on behalf of Preludes Steering Committee and Paul Banks staff and students
Editor’s note: This letter was received earlier but did not publish as scheduled.
Farewell and thanks for all the fish
Good People of Kachemak Bay,
Soon I will be leaving you — for family reasons — on a one-way ticket to the Fox River Valley of Illinois. Life in this town of unique characters grows a soul into deeper oneness with Nature and a deeper expression of one’s own nature. “What took you so long?” asked someone when I arrived in 2010.
So many departed for God’s celestial shore in these eight years, teaching us never to take for granted anyone’s presence and to savor each other now, today. I am forever grateful to the music community, the communion of authors and writers, Kachemak Cannabis Club, K-Bay Caffe, diverse spiritual and religious circles, gardeners and growers, the Farmers Market, the brotherhood of Alaskan guys ever at hand when help is needed, Homer’s bright-eyed self-reliant youth and the hope of our future, and the wise elders seasoning among us with lifetimes of stories. We played music, knitted, fished, painted, honored wooden boats, gathered in bars and in parks, harvested rocks, coal and seaweed from the beach, sauna’d (sorry, I didn’t recognize you with your clothes on).
Good people, I pray you heal your divisions; know there is one truth to find, hold to, and live by. Take care of Spoonguy for he has a great soul. You are cordially invited to stop by AJ’s Friday, Dec. 14, 8:30-9:30 p.m. for a farewell gathering and we’ll end by singing the Parting Glass one last time.
Eternal blessings,
Lindianne Sarno
Thanksgiving Basket help thanks
To all the wonderful people in Homer who have supported the Thanksgiving Basket program over the last 30 plus years, I send my eternal thanks. This year was a very tough year for me as I was ill and ended up in the hospital. It has been my honor and privilege to have worked with so many wonderful volunteers over the years and I am sorry that I will not be a part of it. However, for health reasons, I must resign. Please know that you are all in my heart and prayers. May all the blessings of the Christmas Season be yours and I wish you Health and Happiness in the New Year.
Sincerely yours,
Fran Van Sandt
Otters, whales part of halibut issue
I noted with some joy and some pain the recent articles in the Homer News and Homer Tribune on halibut “recruitment.” I can hear the halibut, even with circle hooks in their mouths, throwing up. Over 22,000 Otters (U.S. Fish and Wildlife numbers, not mine) in Kachemak Bay and the Cook Inlet eat our wild clams, mussels and crabs. That is 365 un-regulated competition for halibut food, expanding their numbers at a rate of about 10 percent per year.
My estimate is that over 100 killer whales are also what is destroying our resource, both by competition for food (yes, halibut and orcas both eat cod, pollock and salmon) and simply eating what would otherwise be our flatfish catch. As a sport and former commercial fisherman, I am appalled at the lack of action by the Northern Pacific Fisheries Commission; they have not communicated to our elected representatives in Washington, D.C, formally requesting a redress of our grievances.
It is well past time to address the racist policy which prohibits anyone who is not of Indian, Aleut or Eskimo descent from harvesting both our mammal competitors, or driving them out. I am not asking for a bounty, just the right to harvest and to engage in an entrepreneurial solution. Just visit San Francisco Wharf if you want to see Homer’s future. Sick. You cannot blame climate change for everything.
In September of this year, I spent an entire day fishing the Cook out to 27 miles for halibut — with a commercial salmon fisherman, who like myself, grew up here in Alaska. We got skunked. Normally, my boat catches and carefully releases between 20 to 40 flatfish, each trip, even though size has dropped by over 60 percent the past 20 years.
Let’s have a win win solution, that expands the pie for everyone, sport, charter and commercial fishermen alike.
I am sick (and tired) of not being allowed to compete. I am a mammal, too.
With great respect,
Stephen E. Rollins
Foundation: Generosity in Action
True to its goal of connecting generosity to community need, the Homer Foundation has given an enthusiastic boost of confidence and monetary support to the Fireweed Frescoes, the new instrumental music program in the kindergarten through second grades at Fireweed Academy, a public, charter school that prioritizes student exploration and theme-based learning. We are truly thankful to the Foundation for its monetary gift, which allows us to move ahead with the purchase of enough violins so that each of our students has an instrument to play. Music indeed makes us more human and on behalf of Fireweed Academy and our students, we are grateful beyond measure. With this generous support from the Homer Foundation, a new youth musical ensemble is born in our community.
Kim Fine, Fireweed Academy
McNeil Canyon Elementary Artist In Schools support appreciated
Community Members,
On behalf of McNeil Canyon Elementary School, I would like to thank you for your support towards the Artist in Schools program for 2018. This year’s medium was pottery from artist Debbie Piper. Debbie is not only a talented artist but also a wonderful teacher. She taught the history of pottery to the kids, different techniques used, as well as let them create with their imaginations. The extended McNeil Community of parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and relatives enjoyed a fantastically creative pottery exhibit at the end of the series. Debbie’s perspective taught the kids that creating art is a journey. She helped students to think outside of the box and not to be afraid to get their hands dirty. The Artist in Schools program
is a beneficial and essential program for students and adults. The Artist in Schools program encourages the growth of kids’ minds, builds confidence, and nurtures creativity. Thank you for seeing the benefits of this program during your time in office. We are so very grateful.
Joy Overson, secretary
McNeil Canyon Elementary
Heads up, Homer
The NorCal apocalyptic fires are by design. They were preceded by massive chem trailing. Weather manipulation is in evidence in regard to west coast precipitation. Nanoparticles are sprayed and microwaved to grow and steer the atmospheric rivers.
Just a heads up to the truth, fellow Homer folk. Let’s start a discussion group, share resources and raise awareness.
“Tin Hat” Tod Tenhoff
Use clean energy
If you want to go north and you keep going south, you’re not going to get where you want to go.
What efforts are being made toward clean energy? Why aren’t wind, water and sun being utilized in every community?
Kodiak gets almost all of i’s energy through wind and water at no additional cost to consumers or health risks.
Lela Ryterski
Thanks to Wearable Arts supporters
The Homer Fiber Arts Collective would like to say a huge thank you to the volunteers who helped make our 2018 “Time Travelers” Show so successful.
Big kudos go out to the models, hairdressers, make-up artists, dressers, set designers and construction crew of the portal, contributing artists, announcers, runners, photographers, sound tech, Bunnell Arts and producing crew, stewardess and pilot, Land’s End Resort, and patrons of previous Wearable Arts Shows that so generously shared their garments purchased in prior years.
We could not have done it without you all. Thanks.
Lynne Burt, for the Homer Fiber Arts Collective
Ulmer’s helped Head Start with donations of outdoor gear
On behalf of Homer Head Start and the Parent Committee we would like to thank Monica and Patrick Mede of Ulmer’s Drug and Hardware for their generous donation of new gloves, hats and boots for the students.
We thank them for this overwhelming act of kindness.
Tessa Sullivan, on behalf of the Homer Head Start and the Parent Committee
