UNITED WE FISH!!
DIVIDED, WE STAND ON THE BEACH!!

HELP SAC FIGHT THE MARINE CLOSURES!!
SAC ENCOURAGES ALL SPORT ANGLERS TO GET INVOLVED, AND STAY INVOLVED!!

The California Fish & Game Commission will be meeting in Long Beach at Cal State University's 'Dumke Auditorium', 401 Golden Shore. The meeting will start at 10 AM on Thursday, April 4, 2002. On the agenda will be two issues that are of critical importance to recreational anglers. The first is a panel on the socioeconomic analysis of the proposed designation of marine protected areas within the Channel Islands national marine sanctuary. Following that is the receipt of public testimony on the proposal re: Designation of marine protected areas within the Channel Islands national marine sanctuary.

SAC, UASC, ASA and the California Sportfishing Coalition (CSC) will be there wearing red, and we hope that many of you will be there also! This will be the last chance for recreational anglers in southern California to show the Fish & Game Commission and the public how upset we are with the 'power play' by the extreme environmentalists. Their effort to force total preservation of much of the Channel Islands fishing grounds, as well as huge areas along the California coast needs to be stopped! Since the Fish & Game Commission plans on acting on the proposals for the Channel Islands at their August 2, 2002 meeting in San Luis Obispo, we need them to hear from us in Long Beach!

The Fish & Game Commission needs to understand that while we can support 'some' marine reserves used in a carefully integrated approach to managing fisheries, the current proposals go way beyond managing fish; they simply shut off our access and opportunity, with devastating economic consequences! To assist us in this fight, the American Sportfishing Association has contracted with a respected fisheries scientist in the south and they have completed a white paper on the science of using marine protected areas as a fisheries management tool. ASA will be releasing this report in early April, and a representative of the author will be testifying at the Commission meeting on April 4th.

With the Economic Report that ASA released at the Fred Hall Tackle Show in Long Beach, we feel that the recreational angling community is now beginning to go on the offensive for a change. In addition, the Scientific & Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Pacific Fishery Management Council has raised some serious questions about the report from the Science Advisory Panel for the Channel Islands Marine Reserves Working Group. The questions from the SSC center on the scientific studies that the Channel Islands scientists used to justify their recommendation that 30-50% of the waters in the Channel Islands Sanctuary be put off limits to all catch in marine protected areas. In their report, the SSC pointed out that, "As indicated earlier, the Science Panel's reserve size recommendation is derived largely from studies that assume poor to nonexistent fishery management. As such, the Panel's size recommendation is not broadly applicable to situations where traditional fishery management measures contribute significantly to sustainable fisheries management." In California, both the California Fish & Game Commission and the Pacific Fishery Management Council are involved in actively managing marine fisheries, and these 'traditional fishery management measures' DO contribute significantly to sustainable fisheries!! Just look at the 'Cowcod Conservation Area', a 4200 square mile chunk of ocean that is permanently off-limits to all take of bottomfish. I'd call that significant protection, wouldn't you?

While all of us representing recreational anglers have repeatedly made this, and other, arguments, we have yet to carry the day, so all of us need to keep puttin' on the pressure! We also need to get ALL recreational anglers to register to vote, and then be sure that we vote for BILL SIMON for Governor!! It is clear that we need a change at the top in Sacramento, and perhaps then we can get some balance in the management of marine fisheries in California.

In a related area, the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process is moving forward with the creation of the seven regional committees soon to be announced. After forcing the Department of Fish & Game to drop the original drastic proposals, we are working to get experienced recreational angling representatives on the committees that will be looking at the waters of the southern California coast and offshore islands. At least we will now have a chance to provide input on any draft proposed marine protected areas, as well as argue for balancing the need for protection with the need to minimize the adverse economic impacts on the sportfishing industry and coastal communities that rely on the revenue from anglers' expenditures. Another point that we will bring to these committee meetings is the importance of 'integrating marine reserves with other, traditional tools for managing fisheries. Use reserves as A tool, not the entire tool box!!

Thank you for keeping involved, and please keep the pressure on!! More later….

Bob Fletcher
President, Sportfishing Association of California