Last week’s letter gave a thumbnail sketch concerning the future of gray cod. The trend is down. History shows cod has a 70- to 100-year cycle of abundance. In the low cycle it ceases to exist for 20 or 30 years. We can disregard history, ignore evidence of declining stocks, and pray for rain; but the fact is, we’re getting absolutely nothing at all from rationalization except cod IFQs.

This is a cause for concern since what we’re trading via the Rockfish Pilot Program is every chance we’ll ever have to harvest the Gulf of Alaska like it should be harvested. Instead it is primed to slide through while we locals are all convulsed about the P-cod IFQs The money is out there for the taking. There is no possibility of status quo.

We lose this fight and we’re going down, win it and we go up. It’s as simple as that and I believe this fall will tell the tale.

It’s the best chance we’ve ever had. We’ve caught them stealing so many ways that there should be indictments and firings by winter. One case in point could be state Sen. Ben Stevens, who is fighting a losing battle to stay out of court.

Only a short time back our own Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux was maneuvering for photo ops with Senate President Ben. Now no one in Juneau will sit next to him. Not to single her out. Juneau legislators, with many notable exceptions, are now desperately seeking a new leader to explain reality to them.

They’re always looking for the big power so they can suck up to it. They shine us on with fairytales and small favors but their main effort goes toward the next election and any possible improvement in their position.

We voters confuse competence with morals. We would never elect one of ourselves. Good heavens, not competent enough. We end up electing people whose political career is way more important than the public’s obvious best interests. But times seem to be changing.

All the best,

— John Finley