CalOceans News

Broad support for north coast's unified MPA plan

After 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.

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