From: "Truth Aquatics" <info@...>

Date: September 15, 2008 10:54:36 AM PDT

To: "Steven Trainoff" <strainoff@...>

Subject: RE: Lobster report cards

Steve,

Thanks for the e-mail.  I am happy to tell you that as of today,
September 15th, we have the lobster report cards available for sale.  I
can understand that folks are getting anxious about the coming season
but please understand that our reasons for issuing these report cards
mid-September are far from inexplicable.  I recognize that we are one of
the only places in town that sells licenses and quite possibly the only
place in town that has planned to sell a large quantity of these things.
We look forward to a great Lobster season and will have plenty of
Lobster Report cards to go around.

P.S.  Please pass on that everyone (yes even those under 16) needs to
have a report card if they plan on hunting lobster and that you must
present your fishing license (unless you don't have one) in order to
purchase the card.


Happy Hunting,

Chris Callahan
Manager / PFSO
Truth Aquatics, Inc.
SEA Landing
805-963-3564 ext.616
805-962-1127 ext.616
805-564-6754 fax
truthaquatics.com
SEALanding.net


-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Trainoff [mailto:strainoff@...]
Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2008 5:34 PM
To: Truth Aquatics
Cc: Dan Lindsay; PDC_Board@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Lobster report cards

Hi,

I am the past president of the Paradise Dive Club.  I want to thank  
you for supporting the club as a sponsor.  It is greatly appreciated.   
A strong vibrant group of local divers is both good for the club and  
for Truth Aquatics.  I am writing this letter to let you know of a  
growing frustration in the local dive community.  As you are aware,  
the Department of Fish and Game has started a new mandatory Spiny  
Lobster Report Card program.  Most of the retailers in the Santa  
Barbara area that sell fishing licenses are misinformed about the new  
requirements and are either telling their customers that the cards are  
not required, or simply don't know that they exist.  As far as I can  
tell, Truth Aquatics is the only retailer in the area the is correctly  
informed about the new regulations and actually has the cards in  
stock.  Congratulations on your preparation!

However, imagine the frustration when many club members have gone to  
the Sea Landing and have been told that you have the cards but that  
your staff hasn't been trained on how to sell them!  Lobster season  
starts in two weeks and no one in the club has successfully obtained  
the required cards.  You have a tremendous opportunity to be the local  
hero that saves bug season.  However, your inexplicable policy of  
telling people that you have the cards in stock, but that you won't   
sell them, is causing a LOT of grumbling and anxiety.  I seriously  
doubt that the F&G officers that patrol the local beaches on the Bug  
season opener will accept the explanation that no one in town will  
sell the cards to us.

I encourage you, in the strongest terms, to train your staff and start  
selling the cards as soon as possible!

---
...STeve

Steven Trainoff, Ph.D.
http://web.mac.com/gbeckert
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drsteve/