CalOceans News

Heard at today's MLPA meeting

More 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.

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• Marine Life Protection Act
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