Recently, my son, Brian Merritt, was given a ticket for shrimp pots that lacked his name and address. Elements of salt, water and sunshine had erased his identification on the floats. He had two sets in close proximity: One was properly identified with his name and address. Obviously, Brian understood the regulation and failed to notice the faded information.

For over 30 years, he has set out shrimp pots in the spring for his personal use, but he also does it for two other reasons. No. 1, he takes groups of four or five students from his classroom and educates them about pot shrimping. Brian has the students process the shrimp and then divide them to take home so each has a part of the catch.

The second reason he sets shrimp pots is for goodwill. He shares the bulk of his catch with his friends and older citizens in our community who have no access to fresh shrimp and can’t afford to buy them. Over the years he has brightened the day of many Wrangellites.

There is no denying the law was broken, but obviously that was not his intent. Considering all the good his shrimp catch generates, I think a warning was more in order than a $100 fine. The state trooper would not have known this information from Brian, because he is not one to “toot his own horn.”

If she had known his goals are to educate his students and please members of the community, she might have just issued him a warning.

-- Ron Merritt