In the absence of much enforcement, LOST FISH felt that compliance on the part of the fish collectors was the best idea.  They would more likely come to accept the new rules if they knew that they would not have more and more taken from them.  So, despite many voices who felt that LOST FISH should have pushed for 50% or more as FRAs, LOST FISH promised that if the fish collectors played fair with us, we would play fair with them. 

In the ten years since the FRAs were put into effect, many of the collectors have found what we always promised them:  there would be more fish.    Most realized it was in their interest to comply.  However, there was always a core group with a deep bitterness that we had won the day.  They had always been in control and now they were not; they'd never had any restrictions at all, now they did.  We hoped they'd come around, but now we see they have only been biding their time, hoping that LOST FISH would go away. 

At a recent meeting of the Hawaii County Council, this group of 19 fish collectors showed up and lied about just about everything.   They were led by the collector was caught poaching in an FRA, who was later tried, convicted and had his boat confiscated.   They talked about undoing pretty much everything we've worked for and wasting the latest five years of work which LOST FISH has put in.

 We have tried to be fair, we have tried to work with these guys.  Some have been reasonable, and even helpful, but the rest are going to ruin it for everyone.  The rest have stabbed us in the back once again.  Clearly this is a way of life with these guys.