Not being a glass half empty person, I prefer to consider other positive possibilities.
Maybe the Minister, coming from a fishing economy on the East Coast, actually understands how important fisheries like ours are to local communities and the deeply embedded culture of society?
Maybe she's sympathetic to the cultural and economic importance our fishery represents to many people and communities?
Perhaps the delay is related to a Minister who was prepared to ask more questions, not accept the Pacific Region advice on face value?
Maybe the Minister realizes that based on the effort data, very little economic and social activity is generated in the spring fishery so the real pressure is on for addressing this before effort (and consequences) really start kicking in after May - so why not take the time to get this decision right?
Or maybe if I bought into the glass half empty view, just maybe in some twisted way Ottawa likes the drama and realizes that its' pointless wrestling with the recreational fishery pig in the mud, because we just like to wrestle no matter what the outcome - its good sport to us. Maybe they are resigned to realization we would find some reason to complain even if we got everything we asked for....perhaps they are just tired of the mud wrestling the pig and will make the decision in their own time.
So I plan to do more productive things while we wait...like work on my shop and get my boat ready. Besides, the lings are biting, as are the hali...and there are prawns to chase too.