Editor, Gazette-Journal:

God bless Mr. Lapetina ("Blue crab need more protection," Aug. 25; and "Crab dredging must be stopped," Sept. 22) for his dedication and service to our country.

However, I must differ on Mr. Lapetina’s two articles on crab dredging and the role of underwater grass. Being a doctor of nothing, a graduate of Mathews High, I recall a process known as photosynthesis. Plants need sunlight to grow!

1. No grass beds exist at water depths that crabs are dredged. The water is too deep for sunlight to penetrate to the bottom.

2. While underwater grass is an important part of our ecosystem, let’s not exploit their function as a fix-all for the ailments of our bay.

3. Hard working-class folks built this country, not regulations! Harvests of the bay’s bounty should be managed, not eliminated.

Andrew DeMarco

Mathews, Va.
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