text: As a newly appointed member of the fishery council, I'm setting the record straight. All of this has been published long ago. A lot has been done to protect that area and to ensure that fishing can continue indefinitely.
  
  And it's not WesPac that's claiming conservation success. It's the United Nations which carries considerable credibility.
  
  As for AP's story about the problems with the longline fleet, it's a terrible tragedy if people are being abused. Any mistreatment is unacceptable and should be stopped. It should also be noted that the article said some crewmen sign up again and again, for more than a decade. Which means that not all skippers or boat owners are treating people poorly. 
  
  You make this sound like a game, Bryant. It's not.
  
  Fish has always been an important food source for the people who live on these islands. Longline fishermen provide up to 50 sustainable tons a day, and that contributes a great deal to Hawaii's ability to be more self-sufficient.