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As the founder and executive director of Good Neighbor Project in
Logan Heights, John Alvarado has experienced how boarding a boat,
landing a fish and breathing crisp ocean air can forever change the
trajectory of lives.

He's watched young gang members, not yet old enough to shave,
rethink perilous paths they thought had been poured in quick-dry
concrete. He's seen them joyfully throw anchovies in the air to
circling seagulls, as the weight of the world melts away.

So, it's understandable -- personal, even -- when Alvarado talks
about the dire impacts of pending emission regulations from the
California Air Resources Board that threaten the existence of the
San Diego sportfishing fleet and scores of business along that
unique and essential food chain.
 
That's the danger posed by inflexible bureaucracy lacking the want
or will to explore sensible middle ground related to something that
endangers educational programs for kids, crucial experiences for
military veterans with PTSD and vital tourism dollars from bay
tours and whale watching.

"We can make a difference in the lives of kids. I've seen. I've
lived it."

"Being an at-risk youth myself, being in nature had a therapeutic
effect on my life, so much so that it changed the direction of my
life," he said. "There are people who live a mile from the water's
edge who have never been on the ocean, never been on a boat.