WHEREAS, The Washington state commercial fishing fleet begins leaving in March, and the Blessing of the Fleet will occur at Fisherman's Terminal in Ballard, March 16, 2003; and
     WHEREAS, This is the seventy-fifth year that the Ballard First Lutheran Church has held the blessing; and
     WHEREAS, The Washington state commercial fishing fleet begins leaving Blaine waters, and the Blessing of the Fleet will occur at Saw Tooth Dock in Blaine Harbor; and
     WHEREAS, The Washington state commercial fishing fleet is one of the world's largest distant water fleets; and
     WHEREAS, The commercial fishing industry directly and indirectly employs thousands of people; and
     WHEREAS, The harvest annually generates hundreds of millions of dollars in economic contributions to the Washington state economy; and
     WHEREAS, The commercial fishing industry is one of the largest industries in Washington state; and
     WHEREAS, The life of a fisher is one fraught with danger and hardship that most of us will never face; and
     WHEREAS, Strength and courage are basic requirements for anyone who chooses to work on the high seas, battling the elements in order to harvest nature's bounty; and
     WHEREAS, The men and women who work on boats, living between God and the sea, and never certain which will claim them first, deserve our admiration, thanks, and when tragedy strikes, our remembrance; and
     WHEREAS, Too often fishers do lose their lives, and their deaths devastate not only the tightly knit fabric that is the community of fishing families in our region, but also our entire state;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate extend its condolences to the families and friends of all our fishermen and women who have lost their lives at sea, and wish the entire commercial fishing fleet a safe and prosperous season and that all fishing men and women will return home safely to their families, friends, and communities.