It's not hyperbole to say most in the San Diego sportfishing fleet feared their industry could be swamped with water as boating businesses sank.
Proposed emissions standards from the California Air Resources Board, pushing technology that does not exist for their vessel class, impossible retrofits and claims that ticket increases could pay for new, multi-million-dollar boats had the group scrambling for financial life jackets.
The 18-month fight for survival threated retirement nest eggs and the ability to pass along generational businesses from parents to children.
Then something incredible happened, amid our divided days.
Compromise happened. Reason and logic happened. Good old common sense happened. A face-to-face meeting this month sparked a massive pivot from the state board, creating the one thing the industry wanted — a real chance.
"These are the quintessential small businesses, the mom-and-pop shops," said Frank Ursitti, owner of San Diego's H&M Landing. "It was heart-stopping many, many times throughout this."
To simplify things, think of this as the labor-relations scrap between owners and players during the MLB lockout. It started off with entrenched positions separated by the equivalent of the Australian outback.
The initial prospects of meeting in the middle felt impossible.
CARB planned to require something called Tier 4 engines, powering equipment that is not yet available for the region's class of boats. The state group argued that the technology would catch up to the timeline being mapped.
Alternatives, it was argued, included replacing all the boats in the fleet when it became clear existing vessels could not handle the larger engines and a tool called a diesel particulate filter that raised safety concerns.
One side said price hikes could cover costs. The other side countered with puzzled glances.
"Initially, they said the vessel replacement would be $1.2 million," Ursitti said. "Then they inched it up to $2 million. We went to a boat builder and the actual number is double and almost triple that.
"They figured we could raise prices 18-24 percent to offset the coast of a new build. We took sample boats, looked at the cost of operations, profit margins, had a CPA vet it and gave it to an industry economist. It was really 97-196 percent."
Another data debate involved how often boats truly operate in regulated California waters, impacting coastal communities. The board indicated the fleet produced emissions in that zone 83 percent of the time.
The sportfishing groups worked with an operator who reviewed logs for the last five years, showing that operational level as 17 percent for his boat. The vast majority of the vessels fish outside of regulated waters, especially those targeting sought-after tuna.
"They're not in California (waters), except to leave and come back," Franke said.
Franke said his group realized they needed to do their research to address CARB claims. They hired a CPA, an engineering firm, lobbyists and more. There was even a trip to San Diego State to recruit a mathematician.
"It's stuff like that that really pinned it down," Ursitti said.
Understand, though, that Ursitti is appreciative beyond words. Meeting CARB members in person allowed fleet representatives to offer a hands-on tour, while creating more comfortable and organic dialogue.
Goodbye, Zoom video and conference calls. Hello, real understanding.
A week after the site visit, CARB came back with a proposal for Tier 3 engines. The fleet jumped at the suggestion, since that's what the group has been working toward for more than two decades.
The state board is expected to push the plan forward in a vote Thursday.
"There are some out there who think it's a dirty industry," said Ken Franke, president of the San Diego-based Sportfishing Association of California. "We've proactively been installing and upgrading engines since 1998.
"Of the 193 Coast Guard-inspected commercial passenger fishing boats in California, over half are already Tier 3 engines. The other half are on a path to Tier 3 engines."
That's code for: We can do this.
"I never thought I'd see it," he said.
There's more that potentially is being saved. Educational programs. Veterans' programs. Affordable recreational opportunities. Economic generators ranging from hotels, restaurants and a range of tangential spending from an expected 450,000 sportfishing customers this summer in San Diego County alone.
"There's a future now," Ursitti said. "There were times where that was very questionable."
Massive stakes required Franke and those involved to attempt a never-before thing by bringing together the state's entire fishing fleet. Up and down the coast, legislators, city councils and local chambers of commerce ramped up the pressure.
In the end, standing shoulder to shoulder planted a bow on a mutual win.
Talking about something is one thing. Seeing and feeling it is quite another.
"The executive staff arrived, boots on ground, and we talked for more than four hours," Ursitti said "We really had the opportunity to demonstrate the challenges and show the differences and diversity of our fleet.
"To listen to a boat owner who had his entire life's savings on the line that was getting ready to lose it all if this rule had gone through as drafted was impactful. I think they truly recognized what's at stake.
"That was the turning point."
The sighs of relief emanating from marinas might be audible in Sacramento.
"They said they want to be partners, doing things with people, not to people," Franke said.
That definitely will float a lot of boats.
