Back in August of 1999 the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) Advisory Council created a special working group to begin to consider the value of recommending one or more no-take marine reserves for the waters of the northern Channel Islands within the Sanctuary boundaries, which extend out 6 miles from the Islands.

A 17 member working group, known by its acronym MRWG (Marine Reserves Working Group), has met on a monthly basis since that time. If you are interested in the makeup of the MRWG you can visit the CINMS website at www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov. The MRWG recently held a public forum and posted 4 different alternatives that would dedicate different amounts of area to marine reserves. The option that gives me the most concern would put over 50 % of the water area into no-take zone!