5/14/2020 Update:
Hello Fellow Inmates
We are still waiting to get some confirmation on when the Gambler and the rest of the fleet can go fishing.
It's very discouraging that for-hire vessels are considered "nonessential" when the fact is that for more than a hundred years, boats have taken passengers out to sea to catch fish as food for their families and sometimes their neighborhood.
Now our governor says that we are "nonessential".
Many of us have written to Governor Murphy, stating our concerns and are very willing to comply by taking less passengers and practicing safe social protocols. But I know of none in our fishing community that has gotten a reply.
The fact would seem, that Governor Murphy thinks lowly of fishermen and sportsmen in general. ---Or he just doesn't think of us at all.
I would encourage you to call his office. You will not get him but hopefully his staff will have enough and remind him that he has a responsibility to the workers, business people, shore communities and sportsmen in his state.
If this keeps on, the government is going to starve us to death while they are protecting us.
Here is the Governor's number. 609-293-6000
Do not expect much of a response but I would suggest writing a few bullet points and hopefully the staff will have to pass our concerns on to him.
They will tell you to write, but remind his staff that many of us in the fishing community have-- with no response
Stay healthy, use common sense. Hope to see you soon
