BILOXI, MS (WLOX) – While Obama spent his family vacation in Florida giving a message of support for the Gulf Coast, a group of gulf fishermen traveled to Florida to give the President a message of concern.
In a press conference Sunday morning the group of commercial fishermen stated a list of demands they’d like the President to hear.
Biloxi fisherman Danny Ross said he’d have a lot to talk about with President Obama, if given the chance.
“If he’d give me the time and the leeway, I’d probably ask him to come down and spend some time with us, you know and take a ride,” said Ross who is a sixth generation fisherman.
Like many fishermen, Ross said he’s frustrated by what’s happened to his industry as a result of the spill. He also said he’s finding it hard to trust the information he hears.
“I want to see some transparency on all levels. I want a glass house. I want to see the information presented to me that might affect my children,” said Ross.
Another fisherman said, he would ask to be kept in the loop on testing.
“We’re three and half months into this and no one knows what the end result is going to be,” said fellow fisherman Chris Balius.
According to Ross, he hopes now that the vacation is over, that the President will remember the gulf’s grass roots as the clean up continues.
“I challenge him to do that,” said Ross.
Both local fishermen plan to pursue the chance for their voice to be heard by participating in a fishing coalition.
See video here: http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=12982913
