Fishing Decline

In response to your Column One article (“Lure of Fishing Is Fading,” Nov. 19), it is no mystery why California fishermen are giving up the sport. They are thoroughly disgusted with the Republican Administration which has made the Department of Fish and Game the enforcement arm of commercial fishermen. They see sportfishing license fees increase every year. Then this administration turns around and uses those collected revenues to rape and pillage the natural resources of this state for the benefit of the commercial despoilers and to the detriment of the outdoor-loving public.

The public is tired of being robbed to enrich greedy commercial interests. They are refusing to pay these criminally high license fees that provide fewer and fewer recreational benefits to the public. Despite greater revenue, less is being spent each year for hatcheries and maintenance of wildlife recreational resources. Instead, these funds go increasingly to fund projects benefiting commercial interests. That is why there are decreasing numbers of fishing licenses bought each year.

VICTORIA R. KOBAYASHI, Anaheim