CalOceans News
Showing all articles with tag: mlpa.
A Happy New Year for the Ocean!
December 31st, 2011Tomorrow, Southern California will celebrate the grand opening of a series of underwater parks, or “marine protected areas,” that includes wildlife hot spots such as the La Jolla kelp forest, Laguna tidepools, and Catalina Island's coral gardens. These parks will join a growing system that currently dots the shore from Santa Barbara to Mendocino, and will soon stretch the length of California’s coast.
California will be the first state in the nation to develop a science-based statewide network of marine protected areas, protecting productive reefs, kelp forests and tide pools. The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), enacted in 1999 with bipartisan support, called for this network of protections to improve the health of California’s ocean wildlife and habitats.
“Our nation has been protecting treasured areas on land for 150 years, and now California is doing the same for our ocean, through the Marine Life Protection Act,” said Karen Garrison, Oceans Program Co-Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “From Point Reyes to Big Sur to La Jolla, the state is creating Yosemites of the sea so future generations can experience their grandeur.”
“After decades of treating the ocean as inexhaustible, California has turned the tide towards restoring its legacy of abundant sea life,” said Kaitilin Gaffney, Pacific Program Director of Ocean Conservancy. “California’s new protected areas are a smart investment in a healthier ocean and a more sustainable coastal economy.”
The marine protected areas going into effect January 1 were designed by local citizens, including fishermen, surfers, conservationists and business leaders, to protect productive ocean areas while leaving about 90% of the coast open for fishing (see a map of fishing areas left open). Many of the are located alongside public beaches and state parks, creating great opportunities for education, research, and recreation.
California’s coast and ocean generate $22 billion in revenue and drive over 350,000 jobs each year, and more than 90 percent of visitors comes to walk the beach, dive, surf, swim, or kayak, making the new ocean parks a smart investment in the region's environmental and economic health.
Explore southern California's new underwater parks
December 22nd, 2011On January 1, California will celebrate the grand opening of a series of underwater parks along the south coast. Enjoy this visual tour!
A great year for ocean protection
December 19th, 2011As 2011 draws to a close, we reflect on a year of progress for ocean conservation in California. The state’s network of underwater parks moves ever closer to completion. Southern California ocean fans are eagerly awaiting the grand opening of new marine protected areas at south La Jolla, Laguna, Point Dume, Naples Reef and other hot spots in January 1. And progress continues on the far north coast, where an underwater parks plan will be finalized next year.
Fall and winter are primetime for whale viewing on the California coast. Recently, visiting humpbacks made state and national news. Winter is also a fantastic time to go bird watching, or observe the annual, epic mating rituals of elephant seals at protected areas like Ano Nuevo or Piedras Blancas. Finally, seasonal low tides make for great tidepooling at Fitzgerald
Marine Reserve, Point Lobos, and Salt Point.
On California’s far north coast, conservationists, local residents, state officials and tribal communities have come together in support of a vision for the future where underwater parks and traditional tribal harvest co-exist in support of long-term ocean health. To cement that partnership, Hawk Rosales of the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council wrote an op-ed for the Sacramento Bee in which he said native tribes will “celebrate this significant progress and will stay focused on building a brighter future – for tribes and for California.” You can listen here to a radio interview in which Hawk discusses the growing partnership between the state and North Coast tribes.
Finally, the North County Times delivers this uplifting report from the marine reserve in Cabo Pulmo, Mexico, where the sea life has grown an astonishing 1,067 percent, much to the delight of the sharks, groupers and other predators in the region – and the humans that love them! It provides a positive example of the sort of benefits California can hope to derive from the creation of our own network of underwater parks through the Marine Life Protection Act.
A Healthy Ocean Harvest
October 31st, 2011This month, we are thankful for the great strides being made in marine protected area creation, research, and education in California. Read on for the latest news:
Court upholds northern California marine protected areas
The big (and really good!) news this month was a Superior Court decision that upheld California’s authority to create underwater parks along northern California’s coast under the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). This ruling is a win for the economy, environment and the millions of visitors who flock to our shores every year. It’s also good news for the South Coast, where a series of marine protected areas are slated to go into effect on January 1. California worked hard to include divers, surfers, fishermen, business leaders and other groups in the planning process, and the court’s ruling validates the state’s community-driven approach.
Getting the word out in Southern California
With the eagerly awaited opening day for southern California’s new underwater parks just weeks away, Surfrider and Reef Check are teaming up on a series of public forums designed to raise awareness about the protected areas, and answer any questions people might have. They are hosting events in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. To find one near you, check out this flyer.
A different kind of lobster hunt
Monitoring the plants and animals that live in and around California’s new underwater parks will provide a detailed picture of the current state of our ocean so we can track changes over time and make even better decisions going forward. Gathering this information requires an all-hands on deck effort, which is why innovative partnerships such as the one taking place between lobster fishermen, state wildlife regulators and scientists in San Diego are so important. This collaborative study will establish a baseline for California spiny lobster populations. And scientists need your help! Anyone who catches a tagged lobster is encouraged to document the catch at taggedlobster.com.
“Thank You Ocean” says “thank you MPAs”
California’s Thank You Ocean Campaign, a nonprofit partnership supported by the State of California, the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Ocean Communicators Alliance, has unveiled a new page dedicated to MPAs (click here for the Spanish version). In addition to lots of great info on the MLPA and the iconic waters being protected, you can find a series of podcasts, including this recent story that explains that importance of adaptive management.
Preserving the Ocean and Tribal Way of Life on the North Coast
October 28th, 2011“Much work remains to build long-term trust between California and the many tribes of this state. But an important page has been turned.” – Hawk Rosales, InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council
In all the years of planning, meetings and compromises that have gone into making the Marine Life Protection Act a success, the stakeholder partnership taking place in the North Coast has to be the most impressive. They did, after all, come up with the only unanimous proposal for network of Marine Protected Areas for the region (the North Coast network is expected to be finalized next year).
But there was a hitch in the plan. Traditional tribal harvest wasn’t accounted for in the MLPA, and the new protections for the North Coast overlapped with the tribes’ historic harvesting sites. In an op-ed in today’s Sacramento Bee, Hawk Rosales of the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council describes the positive, constructive steps the tribes and the state have made in reaching agreement on a plan that preserves tribal rights while safeguarding California’s iconic coastal waters.
Despite historic injustices perpetrated by the state against native peoples, Rosales says “recent events offer hope that, at last, a new era is beginning.”
From the piece:
For the tribes, protection of the ocean and traditional cultural use of marine resources are inseparable ideas. Without careful stewardship, the ocean's gifts will steadily decline and may someday vanish. North Coast residents, including fishermen, harbor districts and conservation groups, stood in solidarity with the tribes.
Rosales praises state officials, including Resources Secretary John Laird and members and staff of the MLPA Initiative, for carefully considering tribal concerns. This story is a testament to the public, inclusive nature of the MLPA: coming together to make ocean management decisions that protect marine life while being respectful of the needs of all ocean users.
Ocean protections upheld
October 17th, 2011A California Superior Court ruled today to uphold the state’s landmark ocean conservation law, the Marine Life Protection Act. The judge ruled in favor of the California Fish and Game Commission, which created 22 marine protected areas from San Mateo to Mendocino County in 2010.
Today’s ruling denied Coastside Fishing Club’s petition to set aside 150 square miles of marine protected areas and upholds the state’s authority to safeguard California’s ocean habitat and wildlife through the adoption and implementation of new protected areas.
The Marine Life Protection Act was passed in 1999 and calls for a statewide network of marine protected areas, which have been proven throughout the world to improve the health of the ocean, restore sea life and habitat, and boost local fishing economies.
“This victory means that millions of visitors to northern California can continue to enjoy the new underwater parks that dot this coastline like a string of pearls,” said Karen Garrison, Co-Director of NRDC’s ocean program. “It’s good news for ocean life, and good for the region’s
recreation and tourism businesses.”
Despite a broad, inclusive process that incorporated input from diverse stakeholders who invested tens of thousands of hours into designing 150 square miles of marine protected areas, a challenge to
these important ocean safeguards was brought by Petitioners Coastside Fishing Club, United Anglers of Southern California and Bob Fletcher.
“This is a huge win for places like Point Reyes Headlands, the Farallon Islands and Montara
Marine Reserve, which can now continue to thrive,” said Samantha Murray of Ocean Conservancy. “The protections offered by California’s science-based marine protected area network will boost the health of the entire coastline, so today’s decision is not only legally correct, but also a critical win for the future of our ocean.”
Getting Off On the Right Fin
September 16th, 2011South coast Marine Protected Areas set for January 1 implementation
On September 15, the California Fish and Game Commission announced
a January 1 effective date for implementation of the new network of
underwater parks, or marine protected areas, in Southern California between
Point Conception in Santa Barbara County and the Mexico border. The plan,
passed by the Commission last December, is part of the state’s pioneering
effort to create a statewide network of protected areas through the Marine Life
Protection Act (MLPA).
The new implementation date will allow the state the time
it needs to review and finalize all the regulations and processes necessary to
put this landmark system of ocean protection in place. The underwater parks
were designed by southern California residents during a two-year public
process, with tens of thousands of divers, surfers, students, scientists, and
fishermen weighing in to ensure the protected zones would cover vital habitat
while allowing ongoing fishing along most of the coast.
With so many people depending on the health of our ocean,
it is critical the state get these protections right, and that all the
regulations match up to the plans proposed by local stakeholders and approved
by the Fish and Game Commission. While
we are eager to celebrate the grand opening of the new ocean parks, we
appreciate the state’s thoroughness and care.
The marine protected areas will preserve local gems like
South La Jolla, Laguna and Point Dume. They will encompass approximately 15
percent of the region’s coastal waters, leaving the other 85 percent open to
fishing.
You can read more about the south coast MLPA process here.
New south coast parks will be worth the wait!
August 26th, 2011After more than two years of planning, we are gearing up for the grand opening of southern California’s new underwater state parks! Originally, the marine protected areas were scheduled to open on October 1. However, the State is still working to make sure the final rules match up to the plans proposed by our community and approved by the Fish and Game Commission. So, we will have to wait a few more weeks to celebrate.
While looking forward to the opening of protected areas at south La Jolla, Laguna, Point Dume, and Naples Reef, you can whet your appetite by exploring some of California’s existing ocean parks. Check out these 3-D swim through videos of Elkhorn Slough and Point Buchon on the central coast. Or watch a live dive tour of the Channel Islands marine reserve offshore from Santa Barbara.
Anyone that has experienced Anacapa Island’s lush kelp forests knows the Channel Islands marine reserves, created in 2002, have produced great results in just nine years: the protected areas are teeming with life. And that’s just one success story among many! A new study from Scripps Institution of Oceanography documented record-breaking benefits from a Baja California marine reserve.
The Scripps report showed the number of fish in Mexico's Cabo Pulmo marine reserve soared 463 percent in a decade. This jewel of Baja was once depleted, but the local community banded together to secure its protection, and now both fishing and tourism are booming in the area.
Marine ecologist Enric Sala said in National Geographic, “[the study] shows that protecting an area brings the fish back, and creates jobs and increases economic revenue for the local communities. I have seen it with my own eyes and, believe me, it is like a miracle, only that it is not–it’s just common business sense.”
The Cabo Pulmo results are extraordinary, but Scripps fisheries ecologist Brad Erisman said in the San Diego Union-Tribune that a similar turnaround is possible in southern California.
We will let you know about the new opening date for southern California’s marine protected areas as soon as the Commission announces it at their September 15 meeting.
Ocean miracle for California?
August 16th, 2011A new study from Scripps Institution of Oceanography has proven marine reserves—stretches of protected ocean habitat—to be even more powerful than previously thought. These undersea parks can transform depleted areas into powerhouses of productivity, boosting fishermen’s catches and profits, as well as tourism and recreation activity.
The report showed the number of fish in a marine reserve near the southern tip of Baja California soared 463 percent between 1999 and 2009. That’s a world record, said authors of the peer-reviewed paper, which was published today in the journal Public Library of Science ONE.
The economic and ecological value of marine reserves is well established. Scientists have studied more than 150 reserves in 61 countries to date, and have found tremendous gains in the size and numbers of plants and animals, as well as increased diversity and resilience.
This news from the Cabo Pulmo marine park in Baja comes at a particularly exciting time for California, since the state will expand its network of marine reserves on October 1, adding critically needed protections for hot spots like La Jolla, Laguna, Point Dume, and Naples Reef.
Octavio Aburto-Oropeza from Scripps, who led the decade-long research project at Cabo Pulmo told KGTV in San Diego that he hopes the success from Baja will inspire smart resource management elsewhere in the world:
"Few policymakers around the world are aware that fish size and abundance can increase inside marine reserves to extraordinary levels within a decade after protection is established -- fewer still know that these increases often translate into economic benefits for coastal communities…Therefore, showing what's happened in Cabo Pulmo will contribute to ongoing conservation efforts in the marine environment and recovery of local coastal economies."
Marine ecologist Enric Sala said in National Geographic:
“Opponents of conservation argue that regulating fishing will destroy jobs and hurt the economy–but they are wrong, and there are real-world examples that prove this. A scientific study published today by the Public Library of Science shows that protecting an area brings the fish back, and creates jobs and increases economic revenue for the local communities. I have seen it with my own eyes and, believe me, it is like a miracle, only that it is not–it’s just common business sense.”
The Cabo Pulmo results are extraordinary, but Scripps fisheries ecologist Brad Erisman said in the San Diego Union Tribune that a similar turnaround is possible in southern California.
Local groups are hard at work laying the groundwork for success. From citizen science programs like MPA Watch to public private partnerships like Orange County Marine Protected Areas, and education events and materials by local aquaria, many organizations are already spreading the word about the protections going into place on October 1.
The new southern California ocean parks are just one piece of a statewide system called for in the Marine Life Protection Act, MLPA, designed to improve the health of marine systems for the benefit of all ocean users. The Cabo Pulmo study is just further evidence California is on the right track.
Studying southern California's ocean
July 22nd, 2011Southern California will soon have a new system of underwater parks to keep treasured ocean areas thriving. The state has announced an October 1 effective date for the marine protected area approved last December.
Community and nonprofit groups are already gearing up to help spread the word and steward protected areas in their backyards. A number of citizen science programs are also underway to track activities in and around the parks, and a set of official baseline monitoring projects will kick off shortly.
On July 15, the Ocean Protection Council awarded $4 million in funding for a series of research projects that will help scientists understand the current health of planned protected areas. The projects, which will collect baseline information for up to three years, will target marine life and habitats, as well as commercial and recreational activities, inside and outside the protected areas.
Teams of researchers, citizen-scientists, and fishermen will survey southern California’s sandy beaches, rocky shores, kelp beds and deep-water ecosystems to increase our understanding of marine science and enable the state to track results from the network of protected ocean areas.
Heading off ocean doomsday
June 23rd, 2011Several reports released this week underscored the urgency of ocean protection efforts like California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Scientists warn that climate change, overfishing, habitat loss and acidification are driving marine systems to the brink, and cited marine protected areas as a critical part of the solution to buffer against growing pressures and allow nature to rebound.
On June 20, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)published a study that concluded the state of our oceans is more dire than previously thought and warned “this is a very serious situation demanding unequivocal action at every level. We are looking at consequences for humankind that will impact in our lifetime.”
A story in the San Francisco Chronicle noted, “damage to marine life would harm its ability to support humans.”
While the findings are grim, the IUCN report does offer concrete steps we can take to reverse the downward trend in ocean health. The report summary specifically calls for the need to…
“establish a globally comprehensive and representative system of marine protected areas to conserve biodiversity, to build resilience, and to ensure ecologically sustainable fisheries with minimal ecological footprint.”
Also this week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a reportthat called for more marine reserves and protected areas in U.S. waters, particularly in coastal areas. It noted their value both for wildlife and for people:
“establishing a marine reserve not only protects and helps to restore the habitats and populations of organisms within the reserve, it can also support and enhance the habitats and populations throughout a region. This in turn supports human communities by protecting places and resources valued by people for their intrinsic and economic values.“
Finally, a study published in Nature on June 22 underscored the worldwide importance of the California Current, likened to the Serengeti, for the survival of top ocean predators like sharks, sea turtles and tunas. The study emphasized the value of protecting habitat “hot spots.” One of the authors was quoted in the San Diego Union Tribune calling for an ecosystem based management system (like a network of marine protected areas).
The message for California is clear: global scientific consensus supports the need for timely implementation of the MLPA. A statewide system of marine protected areas will function like an insurance policy against environmental changes, boosting resilience, enhancing our understanding of marine systems, and safeguarding vital resources.
On June 29, the California Fish and Game Commission will meet to discuss the timeline for implementation of the southern California protected areas approved last December, and to review marine protected areas proposed for the far north coast.
Reached via email, Dr. Mark Ohman of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said, “It is in both the short and long term interests of the state of California to implement the MLPA plan sooner rather than later.”
With so many jobs and businesses depending on the productivity of our ocean, it’s clear that ocean protection must remain a top priority for our state, with completion of the statewide network of protections called for in the MLPA as job number one.
Plenty of fish in the sea?
May 27th, 2011In a recent article, Lance Morgan, Vice President for Science at Marine Conservation Institute, cited a number of scientific studies, and a re-envisioned halibut derby to highlight the stark reality of overfishing off California's coast.
As fishing technology improves along with demand for fresh seafood, new conservation measures are required to keep pace. Since 1990, commercial fishing revenues have dropped by half and the number of fishing boats calling at California ports is down by nearly three quarters. Fish are getting smaller as well: scientists have documented a 45% decline in size along the west coast over the past 21 years.
At Marina Del Rey, after contestants hooked just seven halibut during the two-day derby in 2009, Marina del Rey Anglers decided to implement conservation measures to save the fish.
President Bob Kissling said, "Every indication is we're not catching them in the quantity we used to. And we don't want to be the cause of their demise."
Sustainable fishing, including sportfishing measures adopted by groups like Marina del Rey Anglers, is part of the answer. Another key is protecting fish feeding and breeding grounds with a system of underwater parks, as California is doing through the Marine Life Protection Act.
Studies show that marine reserves produce more and bigger plants and animals, which tend to spill out into surrounding waters.
"Reserves allow a win–win situation — better conservation and higher profitability for fishing," says Christopher Costello, a resource economist at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
World Heritage Biosphere Reserve from Gulf Program on Vimeo.
Positive tone continues on the north coast
March 7th, 2011As the unified proposal for a network of marine protected areas in the north coast continues to move forward, the State of California is scrambling to find a way to honor traditional tribal uses without sacrificing much-needed protections for northern coastal waters. Humboldt County’s North County Journal published an article last week on the search for a solution, a process in which tribal leaders, state officials and conservationists expressing a shared desire to balance the needs of conservation with the cultural traditions of native tribes.
The search for a solution has a positive and collaborative tone, and we at CalOceans hope to see it brought to a successful conclusion. And it’s encouraging to recall that we’ve seen issues of tribal rights successfully and fairly negotiated in the south, central and north-central regions. Following a directive from California Resources Secretary John Laird, the Fish and Game will work with tribal parties to ensure both the Marine Life Protection Act and tribal traditions are respected. From the article:
“We’ve had a couple meetings with Secretary Laird and his assistant. They expressed a will to work with us to come up with a solution that we can all live with... I believe that we all have the same goal in common, and that is to manage and protect our resources in as safe a way as possible, and that can only be done through a joint effort.” - Yurok Tribal Chair Thomas O’Rourke Sr.
Jennifer Savage with the Ocean Conservancy agrees. “Both the local community and the Blue Ribbon Task Force have been steadfast in supporting traditional, non-commercial tribal uses within Marine Protected Areas.”
The North Coast Regional Stakeholder Group made up of fishermen, conservationists, scientists, recreational ocean user and local businesses created the unified proposal last year to meet the ecological requirements of the MLPA while minimizing socioeconomic impacts. The plan, which enjoys broad support from north coast residents and elected officials, has been approved by the Blue Ribbon Task Force and is currently under review by the Fish and Game Commission.
Legislative panel reviews south coast ocean protection plan
February 17th, 2011The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture met today in Sacramento to review the ocean protection plan approved in December for California’s south coast as part of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) implementation process. The Joint Committee heard presentations from MLPA Initiative and Department of Fish and Game staff as well as public testimony.
Agency staff, elected officials and stakeholders testified about the inclusiveness of MLPA planning efforts. The Department received 18,000 emails during the south coast process, which included more than 50 public meetings with 150 hours of public comments.
Senator Pavley spoke about the strong science behind the Marine Life Protection Act, “I am impressed by the science available to back up the MLPA…Looking at the monitoring results from the Channel Islands, and based on scientific studies from around the world, we know that marine protected areas work.”
Senator Kehoe spoke about the proven benefits of marine protected areas as well, “Marine protected areas are essential to protecting species and habitats in our ocean wilderness, and restoring a thriving marine ecosystem that will benefit our oceans and fishermen.”
Lieutenant Governor Newsom sent a letter to the Joint Committee that offered support for the south coast plan, which he called a “balanced marine protected area network that protects the region’s most iconic ocean areas while leaving nearly 90 percent of state waters open for fishing.”
Newsom’s letter cited the economic importance of ocean protection for the state, since “Southern California’s coastal economy employs more than seven million people and contributes nearly $900 billion to the overall state economy,” and urged the Joint Committee’s “continued support for the Marine Life Protection Act.”
Assemblymember Chesbro, who chairs the Joint Committee, explained that the Committee does not have authority to make changes to the plan, and emphasized the importance of ongoing public participation as California works to complete the statewide marine protected area network called for under the MLPA. He said, “It is critical that we have ocean users as partners in conservation.”
Support south coast ocean parks!
February 15th, 2011On Thursday, February 17, the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture will meet in Sacramento to discuss the marine protected area plan recently adopted for California’s South Coast. The plan would create a string of underwater parks that stretches from Santa Barbara to the border with Mexico, preserving some of southern California’s richest and most beloved ocean areas for current and future generations to enjoy.
Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro, Chair of the Joint Committee, has convened the hearing as a follow-up to the January 21 meeting on the North Coast Marine Life Protection Act process, and the 38th Annual Fisheries Forum, which will be held on February 16.
The South Coast hearing will include brief presentations by MLPA Initiative and Fish and Game Commission staff as well as a public comment period.
The current South Coast marine protected area plan was developed over two years of careful study and negotiations among local divers, fishermen, scientists, business owners, and conservationists. It will protect iconic ocean areas like south La Jolla, Swamis Reef, Laguna, Point Dume, and Naples Reef while leaving nearly 90% of the coast open for fishing. The community was overwhelmingly supportive of this plan, attending over 50 public meetings, providing more than 150 hours of testimony, and submitting tens of thousands of emails and letters urging protection of favorite surf, dive, tidepooling and kayaking areas.
Members of the public are invited to attend the hearing from 10am-12pm at the State Capitol Building, Room 4202.
If you can’t attend in person, please consider writing Assemblymember Chesbro to voice your support for the common sense ocean protection plan adopted in December for southern California. You can see the official map of the planned marine protected areas here.
Protecting the ocean and traditional tribal uses
February 11th, 2011California’s Marine Life Protection Act is well-known for its visionary leadership on ocean conservation. Last week the State advanced this leadership – taking action to incorporate respect for tribal traditional ocean uses as part of its ocean conservation efforts. Everyone, state officials and stakeholders alike, has expressed an interest in ensuring that traditional tribal uses of California’s marine resources—and the tribes’ stewardship practices--are incorporated into networks of underwater parks along the coast. Last week California turned that from a promise into a reality in Sonoma County.
In a precedent-setting victory, both for the tribes and ocean conservation, the Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to ensure continuation of Kashia Pomo traditional tribal harvest at Stewart’s Point. Stewart’s Point lies smack in the heart of a Sonoma County marine protected area created during the North Central Coast regional marine protected area planning process last year. Conservation organizations and tribal leaders had worked together on the proposal adopted by the Commission.
Archeological evidence indicates the tribe has used Stewart’s Point for 12,000 years to collect mussels, abalone, seaweed and fish, and hold ceremonies. The Commission’s decision ensures those traditional practices can continue while still protecting sensitive plants and marine wildlife in the surrounding area.
This welcome announcement follows closely on the heels of newly-appointed Natural Resources Secretary John Laird’s commitment to working with tribes and tribal communities. In his first month on the job, Laird has already sat down with a number of tribes and more meetings are planned to ensure their interests are considered as the state moves towards the completion of the MLPA process.
"I believe they are listening and I believe they are hearing us," said Thomas O'Rourke, chair of the Yurok Tribe. "Bottom line, we all want the same thing, and that's to protect our resources. We understand each other there."
Kudos to Laird for his leadership in directing the FGC to prioritize the issue of tribal rights (you can read about how state officials are approaching the matter in the North Coast here). This is strong evidence that stewardship for our environmental and cultural resources go hand-in-hand.
Commission supports north coast community plan
February 2nd, 2011Today, the California Fish and Game Commission met in Sacramento
to begin considering protections for the state’s far north coast. For the first time in the six-year MLPA process, the Commission received a unified marine protected area plan.
The unified plan was designed by north coast fishermen, conservationists, business owners, and tribal leaders, and endorsed unanimously by policy experts on the Blue Ribbon Task Force.
North coast stakeholders were the only regional group to agree on a single plan, rather than sending on competing alternatives for state officials to compare. The plan would protect about 13% of state waters between Alder Creek and the Oregon border, including Ten-Mile, South Cape Mendocino,
Reading Rock and Pyramid Point. It would also protect traditional tribal
harvest, and avoid harbors to ensure safe access to fishing grounds for local
fleets.
The local plan has the support of all of the coastal cities, countries and
harbor districts in the North Coast as well as more than 40 fishing, environmental and agency groups, and the broad community approval was evident during the public comment session at today’s meeting, in which 70 citizens spoke about the importance of a healthy ocean for the north coast’s economy and way of life.
In the end the Commission offered unanimous support for the stakeholder proposal and directed staff to follow the guidance provided at the beginning of the meeting by Resources Secretary John Laird to try to identify a path forward that would respect continued tribal traditional uses in north coast marine protected areas.
The Commission will consider the north coast MLPA again at their April meeting in Folsom.
Shoulder to shoulder on the North Coast
January 25th, 2011While the approval of a network of marine protected areas for southern California has hogged all the recent press on the Marine Life Protection Act, the North Coast process has been moving along right on schedule.
In fact, we’re only a week away from the Fish and Game Commission
meeting at which the North Coast's landmark unified proposal will be presented.
So it’s good to read articles like this one that show the strength in solidarity of the North Coast community. Fishers, environmentalists, tribes, recreational users, and local businesses stood up at a hearing last week in Eureka to reiterate their support for the Unified Proposal.
Under the plan, 13 percent of state waters will be protected through the creation of 17 marine protected areas. The plan, developed by the North Coast Regional Stakeholder Group, earned unanimous support from the Blue Ribbon Task Force in October.
While the Regional Stakeholder Group--which includes representatives from the conservation, business, tribal, and fishing communities--started out working at cross purposes, they found common ground in their desire to balance the region's economic and environmental health, protect tribal harvest, and embrace the opportunity for self-determination.
We hope they can maintain this unity, and continue to focus on the public benefits of smart and science-based ocean protection throughout the Commission process!
Proven: Marine protected areas boost fishery health
December 22nd, 2010A new peer-reviewed study from PLoS One shows what conservationists and fishermen have known all along: protected areas in the ocean allow fish to grow, multiply, and spill out into nearby open areas where they can be caught by anglers (that’s why you see so many boats “fishing the line” near marine reserves). It also shows, for the first time, that these sea sanctuaries seed nearby waters with baby fish, helping to boost fishery health in the surrounding area.
This is great news for California, since the state’s Fish and Game Commision just approved a new network of marine protected areas that will extend from Santa Barbara to the border with Mexico, protecting southern California’s most iconic ocean areas and rebuilding depleted fisheries in the region.
Approved: Sweeping south coast ocean health plan
December 16th, 2010In a landmark decision, the California Fish and Game Commission voted 3-2 yesterday to adopt a network of marine protected areas that will stretch from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border. These protected areas will join others that dot the coast from Santa Barbara to Mendocino, forming part of the statewide system of underwater parks called for in the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).
The Commission voted in favor of a compromise plan that combined ideas from fishermen, divers, conservationists and scientists. The plan was designed to balance environmental and economic considerations. Peer-reviewed studies show that well-designed marine reserves boost fisheries yield and profits. They also improve coastal tourism and
recreation opportunities, which are big business in southern California,
accounting for 80 cents out of every dollar spent by visitors.
Yesterday’s conservation milestone was heralded in media all over the state:
California has led the nation in establishing marine reserves, an idea conceived in response to steep population declines of rockfish, cod, lobster, abalone and other ocean dwellers despite catch limits and other fishing regulations. Scientists who helped draft the plan argued that some species could disappear entirely without fishing bans in a diverse assortment of underwater canyons, kelp forests, sandy seafloors and rocky reefs.
Commissioner Richard B. Rogers voted in favor of the plan, saying it struck an "elegant balance" between conservation and fishing interests. "The overarching goal is to return California to the sustainable abundance
I observed growing up," the lifelong scuba diver said.
Commissioner Michael Sutton, founding director of the Center for the Future of the Oceans at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, called the protections "good news for everyone who cares about the future of our fisheries and the future of our marine ecosystems."
-- Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2010
The MLPA planning effort has sparked an incredible outpouring of public support from elected officials, local businesses, community organizations and scientists. Tens of thousands of southern Californians attended meetings, made public comments or signed petitions supporting improved ocean protection.
-- Dana Point Times, December 16, 2010
“It’s like a savings account for our ocean. Set a little aside so it can recuperate and thrive and we will all ... benefit from the interest.”
-- San Diego Union Tribune, December 15, 2010
Marcela Gutierrez with Wildcoast says a variety of groups and the public have been working for two years on plans to create the underwater parks. "This is a trailblazing effort. It's one of the first of its kind in the world. The whole conservation community is watching, and it's great for our coastal oceans going forward." Gutierrez says the MPAs ultimately will become fish nurseries that will benefit fishermen.
-- Public News Service, December 15, 2010
For more information visit www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa.
Decision day for south coast MLPA
December 15th, 2010It's a historic day for southern California: after two years, and 50 public meetings, the ocean protection plans developed by local stakeholders are up for a vote before the Fish and Game Commission.
The Marine Life Protection Act calls for a new kind of conservation, grounded in science, and focused on whole ecosystems. Marine protected areas are a proven tool that allows sea life and habitats to thrive safe from disturbance, boosting the health and productivity of the ocean. By setting aside a few small areas where fish and shellfish feed and breed, California can enjoy more bountiful and sustainable harvests, and more resilient and diverse marine systems.
Our nation has been protecting treasured landscapes for over a century, and it's high time we extended that conservation ethic offshore, creating a system of underwater parks. The compromise plan before the Commission would protect popular areas like south La Jolla, Catalina Island, and Point Dume while leaving nearly 90% of the coast open for fishing.
Hundreds of divers, surfers, business people, elected officials, and kayakers are expected to speak up for ocean protection at today's meeting in Santa Barbara. Let's hope the Commission recognizes the wisdom of investing in a strong marine protected area network before it's too late. Like ecological savings accounts, our state's new marine protected areas will pay dividends for years to come, in the form of more and bigger fish, and a healthier ocean for all.
Heard at today's MLPA meeting
December 15th, 2010More than 100 divers, surfers, fishermen, scientists, business people, and elected officials testified at today's Fish and Game Commission meeting on the Marine Life Protection Act. A few of their comments follow:
“We are on the side of fishermen. Marine protected areas protect their business," said lifelong ocean activist Jean-Michel
Cousteau.
“I was part of the research group that conducted the five year review of the Channel Islands marine reserves established in 2003. We found increased size, numbers, and overall biomass inside the protected areas, and those trends have continued. Now, we are starting to see patterns of density that show spillover into open areas,” said Dr. Jenn Caselle of UC Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute.
“Please create a blue belt to compliment our city's green belt," said Tony Soto, speaking for Laguna Beach Mayor Iseman.
"Now is the time to act and provide this much needed protection for our ocean ecosystems,” said Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal.
“Santa Barbara Channelkeeper is one of the many groups that stands ready to help the Department of Fish and Game with education, outreach, and monitoring,” said Kira Redmond, Executive Director of Santa Barbara Channelkeeper.
“I believe the Marine Life Protection Act is our best chance to preserve the beauty, majesty, and productivity of California’s iconic ocean places,” said Karen Garrison of Natural Resources Defense Council.
“As a realtor, I know people move to Santa Barbara because of our spectacular coast and ocean. I support marine protected areas because they
are good for my business and our economy,” said Prudential California realtor Kalia Rork.
Yvon Chouinard: Set Gold Standard for Ocean Health Care
December 7th, 2010Check out Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard's opinion piece in the Santa Barbara Independent reflecting on the need for marine protected areas in Southern California.
In his opinion editorial entitled "Setting a Gold Standard for Ocean Health Care," Chouinard talks about the business and cultural value of ocean protection:
...This philosophy of responsible enterprise has taught me my most important lesson as a businessman: Doing the right thing for the environment makes for good, financially sound business. At Patagonia we’ve found that every time we’ve elected to do the right thing, even when it costs twice as much, it’s turned out to be more profitable in the long run. It has allowed us to contribute to conservation organizations working on behalf of the world’s natural areas and wildlife, including the marine life in California’s coastal waters through the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).
The ocean and the sea life it sustains are a part of our natural heritage and should be managed in trust for future generations, yet less than one percent of the ocean is protected. Each year the fish get smaller and less numerous. This is a disturbing trend we are seeing in oceans worldwide...
...The MLPA is a forward-looking law that calls for a network of MPAs along the length of the California coastline. That network has already been mapped out for the central part of the state, and the California Fish and Game Commission will make a final decision on protected areas for southern California during their meeting in Santa Barbara on December 15. Public comments will be accepted, so if you care about the future of the southern California coast, please attend and make your voice heard.
The MLPA takes us a step towards making the 21st century the Century of the Environment, as Edward O. Wilson calls for in his 2002 book, The Future of Life...
And let’s not forget the short-term payoffs: California’s coastal economies depend on a healthy ocean. According to the National Ocean Economics Program, southern California’s coastal economy employs more than 7 million people and contributes nearly $900 billion to the overall state economy. The vast majority of coastal visitors come for reasons other than fishing: they come to dive, walk the beach, surf and watch wildlife.
As legendary environmentalist David Brower once said, “There’s no business to be done on a dead planet.” Perhaps that’s a bit grim, but it reminds us that we need to overcome the sensibility that business and environmental stewardship are mutually exclusive. We can use business to inspire and implement solutions to our environmental challenges.
In other words, start close to home and see where it leads. A network of MPAs along California’s coastline will bring major ecologic and economic benefits to the state, and set a gold standard for ocean protection we can hope to replicate around the world.
Keeping California's prime fishing spots open
November 18th, 2010California’s Marine Life Protection Act was passed to safeguard the health and productivity of ocean resources, and well-designed marine reserves have been shown to boost fishing yields and profits. By protecting the places where fish and shellfish feed and breed, California can rebuild depleted fish populations while leaving the vast majority of coastal waters open to fishing (see a map of fishing areas left open under a compromise marine protected area plan proposed for southern California).
Bill Weinerth has been fishing off California’s coast for more than 50 years. In an opinion editorial in Saturday’s Ventura County Star, he said:
I say that if we don’t set aside some key spots now, we won’t have any reason to pass on our fishing knowledge; there will be few fish left. Our fishing experiences and traditions are falling into myth: I couldn’t take my boys back to the places in Malibu where my dad taught me and expect to pull in the same size and quantity. The simple fact is, the fish we do catch are smaller and it’s harder to get them.
My sons, skilled fishermen, have to go farther out every year for those smaller fish. The fishing culture of my childhood is not there anymore — but I believe that marine protected areas can help bring back some of what we’ve lost.
Weinerth’s experience of fewer and smaller fish is borne out by the data. According to the Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s research, California’s commercial fishing revenues have declined by more than half since 1990, and the number of fishing boats calling at California ports has declined by nearly three quarters in the same period.
A well-designed system of marine reserves and protected areas would help rebuild California’s struggling fishing industry. It worked at the Channel Islands, where, five years after the state established a network of marine reserves, a study found that sportfishing had increased, as had commercial landings for some of the Island’s largest fisheries: squid, urchin, lobster and crab.
Plans for southern California’s new marine protected area network will be finalized by the Fish and Game Commission at their December meeting in Santa Barbara. Ocean advocates, who dominated the public comment session at the Commission’s October meeting, are expected to make a strong showing again, urging protection of treasured places like La Jolla, Catalina, and Naples Reef off the Gaviota Coast.
Tide turning in support of MLPA
November 10th, 2010As southern California rounds the home stretch on its landmark ocean habitat planning effort, citizens are standing up in record numbers to support conservation. The California Fish and Game Commission will finalize plans for the south coast’s Marine Protected Area network at their December meeting in Santa Barbara.
The rising tide of support for ocean protection was clear, as divers, students, kayakers, surfers and conservationists formed a sea of blue at last month’s Fish and Game Commission meeting in San Diego.
More than 1,000 southern Californians attended in support of the compromise plan, and thousands more sent emails or signed petitions supporting an ocean protection plan that will keep the region’s sea life and economy healthy for years to come.
Southern Californian business leaders have come out strongly in support of Marine Protected Areas, citing the economic importance of a healthy ocean. To date 137 businesses, including Patagonia, Pacific Gallery, and Prudential Realty Group, have signed a letter in support of the Marine Life Protection Act, pointing to the 15 million jobs and nearly $800 billion in wages in the coastal economy that depend on a healthy, productive ocean.
More than 2,500 people signed petitions on Care2.org and Change.org telling the commissioners how important the waters of South La Jolla, Laguna Beach, Naples Reef, Swamis, Rocky Point, Point Dume and Catalina are to them.
Finally, the region’s elected officials have joined their voice to the chorus of support, with 47 city, county and state representatives signing letters in support of the MLPA. Six city councils have also passed resolutions in support of the effort.
Southern Californians have made it clear they support this effort to safeguard the health and beauty of California’s coastal waters for future generations. This is by far the biggest expression of grassroots support for ocean habitat protection in California history – with six weeks to go!
State officials back north coast ocean plan
October 27th, 2010Yesterday, the Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force voted unanimously to recommend the marine protected area plan developed by local stakeholders for state waters between Point Arena to the border with Oregon.
The north coast was the first region to submit a unified plan supported by both fishermen and conservationists, and the residents of Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte Counties are urging state decision makers to respect their shared vision for sustainable ocean management.
After nearly a year of study and negotiations, the divers, fishermen, seaweed harvesters, tribal and business leaders, and conservationists tasked with designing marine protected areas for the north coast came together to develop a unified plan that balances economic and environmental concerns. The group agreed on the need to protect tribal harvest and fishing access.
The stakeholder plan was developed with public input gathered during
300 hours of meetings, in addition to 20 public workshops. It would
protect about 13 percent of state waters, including treasured areas
like Reading Rock, South Cape Mendocino and Ten-Mile Beach. The plan
would maintain fishing access at all North Coast harbors and allow
ongoing traditional, non-commercial tribal harvest.
During their two day hearing, the Blue Ribbon Task Force heard from the stakeholders, as well as science advisors and members of the public before passing a motion supporting the unified plan. Final authority rests with the Fish and Game Commission, who will make a final decision in 2011.
Business leaders: Ocean protection is good for business
October 19th, 2010California businesses leaders have come together to support the timely implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Over 130 businesses from around the state signed a letter urging the state to prioritize ocean protection, noting that the state's environmental and economic health are closely linked.
Patagonia, Horny Toad Activewear, Rieman Surf School, Prudential California Realty, Groundswell Technologies, Inc., Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, SEA LIFE Aquarium at LEGOLAND®, Living Sea Images, Reef Seekers Dive Co., and the K Nathan Gallery in San Diego and more than 100 other businesses urged the state to invest in ocean protection:
"According to the National Ocean Economics Program, the California coastal economy is responsible for supporting more than 15 million jobs in 2008 while paying more than $797 billion in wages to those in the sector. Our coastal economy depends on abundant fish and wildlife, healthy ecosystems, and clean beaches and ocean waters. Visitors from around the world come to experience the beautiful and bountiful California coast. They stay in our hotels, eat at our restaurants and spend money on a range of goods and services from postcards to surf lessons.
With coastal economic activities accounting for 83 percent of the U.S. economy, ocean protection is good for business. A science-based network of Marine Protected Areas can help safeguard those valuable resources and support the long-term economic vitality of coastal communities."
-- Business leaders’ letter to the California Fish and Game Commission, October, 2010.
“This broad support from the business community underscores the fact that environmental and economic health go hand in hand in southern California,” said Kate Hanley of San Diego Coastkeeper. “From tourism to hospitality, restaurants to research, the health of our oceans is critical to the health of many local industries.”
San Diego area businesses will present the Fish and Game Commission with over 130 letters in support of the MLPA at their October 20 meeting, and will be joined by divers, surfers, scientists, elected officials, and other ocean advocates urging strong protections for southern California’s coastal treasures. The Commission is expected to finalize plans for the south coast Marine Protected Area network at their December meeting in Santa Barbara.
Broad support for north coast's unified MPA plan
October 8th, 2010After months of careful study and negotiations, north coast stakeholders from a variety of industries and background met on the middle in their final round of marine protected area planning. The group was the first in Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) history to develop a unified proposal for their region. The map they agreed on will protect key places like Reading Rock, south Humboldt Bay, and Ten Mile Beach in Mendocino, while minimizing short-term impacts to local harbors and allowing ongoing tribal harvest.
The stakeholders are proud of their plan, which balances the needs of local people and wildlife, weighing both economic and environmental considerations to find the sweet spot. Six of them signed on to an opinion editorial in the Eureka Times-Standard urging the state to respect their plan. The signers, who include Aaron Newman of Humboldt
Fishermen's Marketing Association, Tim Klassen of Reel Steel
Sportsfishing, Greg Dale of Coast Seafoods; recreational diver Brandi Easter, Jennifer Savage, of Ocean Conservancy, and Pete Nichols of Humboldt
Baykeeper, represent both fishing and conservation interests, who have come together to make the MLPA work for their communities.
The plan was endorsed by Recreational Fishing Alliance, whose West Coast Regional Director Jim Martin said, "We urge all recreational fishing associations, clubs and organizations
to join us in support of the "Unified MPA Array" by endorsing this
resolution and sending it to the Blue Ribbon Task Force."
You can see the unified proposal and submit comments online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/mpaproposals_nc.asp.
Tidepools connect us to unseen riches
August 18th, 2010A recent story by NBC San Diego on the best places to visit tidepools around the city is reminds us: a good tidepool is worth its weight in abalone. For those working tirelessly through the MLPA to create a lasting legacy of ocean conservation in California, they are a symbol of the riches that lie beneath the waves, unseen to most but loved by all.
A classroom tidepool visit can begin a lifelong love of the ocean for students who wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to experience the mystery of our coastal sea life. A close encounter with a cadre of crabs can reconnect even the most jaded among us with the wonders of the sea.
The article chose some great spots, including La Jolla, Swamis, and Point Dume, all of which are under consideration for protection under the MLPA. We here at CalOceans hope people will be inspired by their trips to the shore and join our crusade to safeguard our marine resources for future generations to see, smell, touch and taste. So get out there and find a tidepool—just be sure to consult this handy tide schedule before you go, and always use your best tidepool etiquette.
Protecting our protections
July 20th, 2010Consider the rockfish. These astounding fish become more reproductively viable with each passing year, leading scientists to call (and not sarcastically) for the conservation of BOFFFFS: Big, Old, Fat, Fecund, Female Fish. There aren’t many left in California, traditionally home to one of the planet’s largest number of rockfish species, but the state’s ambitious plan to create a statewide network of underwater parks will hopefully bring the BOFFFFS back.
We’ve made a lot of progress already, with marine protected area networks in place for the Central and North Central regions of the coast. But the state’s ongoing budgetary woes mean agencies, nonprofits, community groups, and fishermen have to work together to make the protections work.
A fascinating story from KQED-FM’s Quest program talks about plans to study and enforce California’s new marine protected areas. The fact is, it’s going to take a concentrated, ongoing effort. And enforcement is far more effective when paired with education, something CalOceans is dedicated to helping with.
It’s heartening to hear that, while the game wardens are tasked with patrolling more waters while facing staffing cuts and furloughs, fishermen and non-profits have been stepping up to help educate people about our new ocean parks and support monitoring needs. It shows the collaborative spirit necessary to make the Marine Life Protection Act work: Californians coming together to create a legacy of ocean conservation for future generations.
North coast ocean stewards working together
July 14th, 2010One of the amazing things about California’s coastline is how diverse it is. The central part of the coast bears almost no resemblance to the southern portion, both with their own stunning array of sea life and habitat types, from rocky reefs to kelp forests and pillars.
The north coast of California is similarly unique—and this region has been subject to far less human interference, leaving its fisheries relatively healthy compared to their southern counterparts (you can, for example, still harvest abalone on the north coast, in limited quantities). It is a region with a rich history of living with and off the sea, and through the MLPA, we have a great chance to keep its traditional commercial, recreational and subsistence fishing practices alive and well.
This op-ed in the Eureka Times-Standard by former Assemblywoman and Sonoma resident Virginia Strom-Martin, who sits on the MLPA’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, tells the story of the north coast’s efforts to create a holistic plan for ocean conservation, calling it the most open and transparent process she’s ever been involved in.
Last week, north coast residents had a chance to learn and ask questions about the ongoing marine protected area selection process at a series of Open Houses throughout the region. Now the regional stakeholders will gather to reach a consensus on a final network of MPAs to present to the Fish and Game Commission later this year.
As Strom-Martin says, “It is only by working together that we can ensure a healthy ocean and successfully teach future generations to be good stewards for our precious community assets.” Hear-hear, and kudos to all the north coasters working to create a legacy of ocean health for their part of California.
Goldilocks and the north coast
May 18th, 2010It’s all about finding that balance, as Humboldt Baykeeper’s Pete Nichols notes, between the immediate demands of our fishing economy and the long-term goal of a healthy California ocean. Somewhere in the midst of all the Marine Life Protection Act meetings and proposals lies the “just right” compromise.
This recent article from the Eureka Times-Standard reminds us to keep the Big Picture goal of a marine protected area network that works for the whole North Coast in mind – and what better way to regain that perspective than to take in the coast from 1,000 feet? You can literally see it all.
LightHawk, a nonprofit organization that operates under the slogan of “championing environmental protection through the unique perspective of flight,” provided the aerial tour with the help of The Ocean Conservancy and Humboldt Baykeeper. Lighthawk hopes to offer several more tours to different interest groups and decision-makers as the North Coast process moves ahead.
Saturday's flights included members of the media, a member of the science advisory team and a member of the regional stakeholders group, who were toured around by volunteer LightHawk pilots Lew Nash and Mike Sutton.
Marine preserves pay
May 13th, 2010Marine Ecologist Enric Sala (a National Geographic Explorer and Scripps Institution of Oceanography Professor) explains that the "economy versus environment"frame for ocean protection is a false choice. We can have more fish and catch them too with well-designed marine protected areas and reserves.
Sala says that marine preserves can increase the quality of fishermen's catches in the near term, increase their long-term job security, and boost tourism and recreation. As Sala puts it, a marine reserve is a savings account and you have to keep up a principle balance in order to maintain an income from it.
Additionally, marine reserves actually create jobs, and for just a fraction of the cost of what we're currently spending on unsustainable fishing subsidies.
Opening Day for Northern California's New Undersea Parks
April 30th, 2010We’ve been waiting a long time for this day, and it is finally upon us! Tomorrow, after over 2 years of hard work by a dedicated group of divers, fishermen, conservationists, and other local interests, the north central coast marine protected area system will go into effect, protecting iconic areas like Point Reyes Headlands, Bodega Head, the Farallon Islands, and Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
The new underwater parks will include about 86 square miles of fully protected marine reserves, along with other areas that will receive additional protections but where some fishing is allowed.
Three cheers for the hard working Regional Stakeholder Group that literally met for hundreds of hours to develop this plan. By protecting these special ocean “hot spots,” key feeding and breeding grounds, we’ve taken a great step forward in our efforts to ensure the long-term health and productivity of California’s ocean.
Now get out there and go see some of our new ocean parks. Here are a couple upcoming opportunities: guided tidepool explorations at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach and Duxbury Reef in Bolinas. Hope to see you there!
A Wave of Change for California's Ocean
April 28th, 2010The following video, produced by photographer Kip Evans, explains how California's Marine Life Protection Act, and the science-based system of marine protected areas it will create along our coast, will help restore the ocean to abundance.
Ocean science lecture series kicks off February 9 and 10
February 5th, 2010As the north coast Marine Life Protection Act planning process ramps up, many area residents are thinking about their local ocean--and the plants and animals that live there--in a whole new way.
Marine protected areas work because, like underwater parks, they protect the whole web of undersea life. The web of life off northern California's coastline includes kelp, krill, fish, invertebrates, even birds. They're all connected.
In order to help the community understand what's at stake with the Marine Life Protection Act, COMPASS and California Ocean Science Trust are hosting a series of ocean science lectures, starting with a presentation by Dr. Karina Nielson called "What is an ocean ecosystem?"
The February 9 seminar will be held in Fort Bragg:
Who: Dr. Karina Nielsen, Sonoma State University
When: February 9, 2010
Time: 7:00 - 8:30pm
Where: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church Larsen Hall
Corner of Fir and Franklin, Fort Bragg
On February 10, Dr. Nielson will be in Bayside:
Who: Dr. Karina Nielsen, Sonoma State University
When: February 10, 2010
Time: 7:00 - 8:30pm
Where: Humboldt Area Foundation Conference Center
373 Indianola Road, Bayside
North coast MPA planning gets underway
February 4th, 2010After several months of public outreach and education, the north coast Regional Stakeholder Group process--where local leaders representing a variety of industries and interests will work together to map out a network of marine protected areas that will extend from Point Arena to Oregin--is ready to begin.
The north coast Regional Stakeholder Group (RSG) includes members of the conservation, fishing, business, tribal, science, and education communities. Many of them worked together in the Tri-County Working Group to find common ground ahead of the RSG process.
The first north coast RSG meeting will be held at the Red Lion Hotel in Eureka on February 8 and 9. Click here for information about all upcoming MLPA meetings on the north coast.
Spotlight on the south coast
December 22nd, 2009The planning meetings have come and gone. The Blue Ribbon Task Force, Regional Stakeholder Group, Science Advisory Teamand general public have all had their say. Now the future of southern California’s coastal waters sits with the Fish and Game Commission, which met December 9, to gather input from the community and MLPA advisors before sending off four marine protected area plans for further economic and scientific analysis.
South coast residents can still weigh in via mail or email, and will have additional opportunities to comment in person when the Commission returns to southern California for three more meetings in 2010.
Although the Commission has adopted the BRTF’s Integrated Preferred Alternative as the “proposed project,” all four of the current proposals for marine protected areas on the south coast remain on the table.
So what does that mean? It means now is the time to remind the Fish and Game Commission that science should guide our state’s resource management decisions. And the conservation plan—also known as Proposal 3—is the only one that meets science guidelines and protects all southern California’s iconic ocean places, like Naples Reef, Point Dume, Palos Verdes, Laguna, Catalina Island and La Jolla. At the December 9 meeting, Dr. Steve Murray of the Science Advisory Team confirmed that Proposal 3 would produce the greatest ecosystem benefits.
Please send an email or note to the Commissioners voicing your support for Proposal 3.
Marine Life Protection Act Initiative
c/o California Natural Resources Agency
1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1311
Sacramento, CA 95814
Tell them to adopt a plan that will serve the region’s economy and environment. We only get one shot at this and we need to get it right!
Protecting fish AND fishing access
December 3rd, 2009The compromise marine protected area plan for southern California recommended by the Blue Ribbon Task Force was designed to balance fishing access with conservation. It includes protection for key feeding and breeding grounds like Naples Reef, Point Dume, Laguna, and south La Jolla, while leaving nearly 90% of south coast waters open for fishing.
The compromise plan (also known as the Integrated Preferred Alternative, or IPA) will not effect pier anglers at all, and will allow ongoing commercial and recreational fishing in popular spots like:
- Ellwood and Carpinteria Reefs in Santa Barbara County
- The entire coast of central and southern Ventura County
- Kelp beds in northern Los Angeles County
- Central Malibu and the Santa Monica Bay, including the eastern half of Big Kelp Reef
- The waters north of the Palos Verdes peninsula (including Rocky Point)
- All of Orange County, except Laguna
- North San Diego County, including the Oceanside Pier and Solana Beach kelp beds
- Northern La Jolla and Point Loma
- Most of Catalina Island
Click here to download a complete list (and map) of fishing areas left open under the BRTF's compromise plan.
South coast plan has "something for everyone"
November 17th, 2009The San Diego Union Tribune calls the marine protected area plan recommended by the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force "a good compromise."
The Task Force met on November 11 to finalize their recommendations after receiving more than 10,000 emails and hearing over ten hours of public comment. This level of community participation shows how passionate southern Californians are about their coast and ocean--it's truly the region's most iconic attraction, and many local people rely on the sea's bounty to make a living.
The Blue Ribbon Task Force considered both the economy and environment when weighing options, and recommended a middle ground plan that balanced
the concerns of different user groups
In a November 17 editorial, the San Diego Union Tribune said the south coast plan "will be good for everyone in the long run if it allows our coastal bounty to grow and thrive."
And that is precisely what the marine protected area plan is designed to do. By protecting biological hot spots like Naples Reef, south La Jolla, and Point Dume, it will help rebuild depleted fish populations and restore fragile ecosystems.
South coast MPA plans available for public review
September 25th, 2009The final three stakeholder plans for a south coast marine protected area network are now online.
After nearly a year of study and negotiations, the regional stakeholder group was divided into three teams: one focused on conservation, one on fishing, and a third “middle ground” team was charged with creating a compromise plan with cross-interest support.
The conservation group focused on quality over quantity, designing an efficient network that will deliver quick and substantial benefits with fewer protected areas. Their plan would protect ecological hot spots like Naples Reef, Point Dume, the western half of Rocky Point and the southern half of La Jolla’s reef while leaving nearly 90 percent of coastal waters open for fishing.
The middle ground plan tries to balance the needs of different user groups, but still includes some protection for key sites like Point Dume, Naples Reef and La Jolla.
The fishing group’s proposal would provide the least conservation benefits, since it was designed to leave the best habitat open for consumptive use. Their plan fails to provide any protections at iconic places like La Jolla, the Gaviota Coast and south Laguna.
The three plans each protect similar percentages of the ocean (16% total in marine protected areas, and about 12% in fully protected marine reserves). The real difference is the quality and diversity of habitat. Protecting better quality habitat will produce bigger gains in ecosystem health and productivity.
Healthy oceans are a common goal
September 9th, 2009Fisherman, scientist, and retired Channel Islands National Park manager Gary Davis knows a fair bit about southern California's ocean. He started his career on the San Diego sport boats in the 1950's. Since that time, he's seen the big fish dwindling, until anglers are now fishing for the small Pacific mackerel they used to use as bait.
Davis has watched fishermen and conservationists at odds over plans to protect the ocean, and is urging them, and all southern California residents, to stop fighting over scraps and start focusing on the big picture. Healthy oceans benefit everyone.
Davis believes California needs an ocean nest egg--a little something set aside to ensure a prosperous, and sustainable future. A strong, science-based network of marine protected areas is an integral part of the solution.
Marine protected areas will "re-seed" south coast waters
August 31st, 2009Laguna resident Cindy Love comes from a fishing family. But she's seen some troubling changes to local fisheries in the decade since she dropped her first lobster net off San Clemente pier. In recent years, her nets have been coming home empty, and she's not the only one. The 2007-08 lobster catch was down by 25% from the previous season.
In order to turn things around, and restore the health and abundance to south coast waters, Cindy supports the creation of a strong network of marine reserves.
Coastal recreation is big business in southern California
August 27th, 2009A new peer-reviewed study by economists Linwood Pendleton and Chris LaFranchi found that 93% of coastal recreation in southern California is non-consumptive. Swimming, diving, wildlife watching, surfing, and other no-take activities generate $115 million each year, driving more than 80% of ocean-related revenues, while fishing account for just 2%. The balance of spending comes from visitors who enjoy a mix of consumptive and non-consumptive activities.
The Pendleton and LaFranchi study was commissioned by the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation to help inform efforts to protect southern California’s ocean. It found that non-consumptive ocean visitors spent 40 times more during their visits than sport and commercial fishermen.
This study confirms the findings from a June report by the National Ocean Economics Program, which showed that 75% of California's ocean-related jobs come from tourism and recreation. Protecting the natural resources that attract millions of visitors to the south coast each year is not just a moral obligation for local communities; it’s an economic imperative.
New film on the need to protect southern California's ocean
August 26th, 2009The Baum Foundation has just released a great new film on the south coast Marine Life Protection Act process. Narrated by lifelong diver and Venice resident Lauren Hutton, "A Sheltered Sea: The Southern Passage" highlights the best of Southern California's coast and ocean. It features interviews with local surfers (including Rob Machado), conservationists, anglers, and scientists, who explain what makes the region so special, and why it is critical to protect the area's marine life.
South coast stakeholders finalize ocean protection plans
August 23rd, 2009This month, the divers, anglers, conservationists, and business owners on the south coast regional stakeholder group are putting the finishing touches on ocean protection plans for Southern California. On September 9 and 10, they will meet in Los Angeles to hear public comments and finalize draft proposals for a network of marine protected areas that will stretch from Santa Barbara to the border with Mexico.
Stakeholders have been divided into three groups, representing fishing interests, conservationists, and a middle ground group representing a cross-section of the southern California community. The middle ground group has been asked to find common ground among different ocean users, and develop a compromise solution everyone can live with.
Each group will propose a network of marine protected areas designed to preserve sea life and habitats while leaving the vast majority of coastal waters open for fishing. The new protected areas are like underwater parks--they allow plants and animals to thrive while providing great recreation and study opportunities for people.
To get involved, become a fan of the ocean on Facebook (www.facebook.com/calocean), or send an email to MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov supporting protection for your favorite dive or surf spot.
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