MLPA: Fair warning, closures could start as soon as spring

[PAL]

If you want to say goodbye to the legal use of areas slated for MLPA closure, please start soon.

State staffers put the red tape on the fast track.

Although there's still considerable uncertainty, the closures could now go into effect as early as April or May, much sooner than I'd hoped or expected given the state's miserable economy and slashed government services.

There's still some chance we'll have through the end of the year, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Get out there while you can.

PS - Two weeks ago the DFG said they'd have detail maps available soon. Not yet...

[dorado50]

I'm hoping for the end of summer time frame. Depends on the courts. Time to get a boat!

[deepdvr]

Time to get a boat!


More like time to let me catch a ride on yours.

[Matt]

I already have a boat!!!:sifone:

[dorado50]

yea and we're all hop'in on....:eek:

[Jimmyz123]

This means we're going to have to push for more Mothership type boats and have a regular thing going. Someone would make a lot of money if they would have that going all through the season.

[dorado50]

check out fish doc's charter on this site. Jim knows how to get it done!:reeling:

[poorpaddy]

Sorry, complete noob here. What does this all mean. I understand who the MLPA are but oblivious to the situation.

[Saba Slayer]

How the Hell can the state of California afford to enforce the MLPA closures...Gov Brown wants to cut $1.7 billion from Medical...$1.5 billion from Welfare...$750 million from services for the developmentally disabled...$5000 million from the UC and Cal. State University systems...(these numbers are from the LA Times last week).
It's estimated that the enforcement will cost $30 to $40 million per year! Tell me, where will that money come from???
Do you mean to tell me that fishing closures are more important than the sick and disabled and our students??? WTF...we need to get our priorities straight!!!
PLEASE DONATE TO OUR LEGAL DEFENCE FUND...
KEEP AMERICA FISHING.ORG
It's our last chance!!!!!!!!
Jim / Saba Slayer

[Jimmyz123]

Amen to what Saba said. I'm donating to help.

[Matt]

Oh yea by the way good luck enforcing an mpa without the help of the recreational hook and line guys!!:biggrinjester:

[PAL]

At a time like this, we should remember that our community's impressively strong showing saved north La Jolla, everything from Windnsea and up. We still have the better part of the best ocean kayak fishing in all of the west coast, and even retained access to pier bait.

Also, Dana Pt stayed off the closure maps. That's another very important kayak fishing access.

I'm putting a map package together for Western Outdoor News. I'll post up once its ready. Could be a few days.

[dorado50]

How the Hell can the state of California afford to enforce the MLPA closures...Gov Brown wants to cut $1.7 billion from Medical...$1.5 billion from Welfare...$750 million from services for the developmentally disabled...$5000 million from the UC and Cal. State University systems...(these numbers are from the LA Times last week).
It's estimated that the enforcement will cost $30 to $40 million per year! Tell me, where will that money come from???
Do you mean to tell me that fishing closures are more important than the sick and disabled and our students??? WTF...we need to get our priorities straight!!!
PLEASE DONATE TO OUR LEGAL DEFENCE FUND...
KEEP AMERICA FISHING.ORG
It's our last chance!!!!!!!!
Jim / Saba Slayer



Its coming from the Cal. state employee pension fund. You know "take from peter to pay paul". Calif is 25 billion in debt right now whats another 40 million per year?

[dsafety]

The DFG is gearing up to have the ability to enforce at least some of the MLPA regulations. I have a friend who was just hired by the DFG and is currently in their training academy. Although nothing is yet set in stone, there is rhumored to be a new on-the-water position being set up in San Diego, probably based in Mission Bay. Ventura already has such a vessel. I am not sure about the LA area.

The cadet training is an eight month program so I seriously doubt that the DFG will have any new staff to deploy until next fall at the earliest. Even if they do deploy additional wardens, the job will still be much bigger than they will be able to handle with current or even significantly increased staff.

Bob

[dorado50]

They better have there sh.. together because the burden of proof is on the state. They are going to need an areial camera with all sorts of other navigational equipment to prove ones position on the water...of course there will be ways to prove them wrong also.

[Siebler]

The DFG is gearing up to have the ability to enforce at least some of the MLPA regulations. I have a friend who was just hired by the DFG and is currently in their training academy.
Bob


I looked into applying, they were hiring something around 200 wardens from what I recall. Pay with them was just too much less than CBP and they demand far more as far as education though.

[Aaron&Julie]

At a time like this, we should remember that our community's impressively strong showing saved north La Jolla, everything from Windnsea and up.

Does that mean straight in front of the large condo will still be fair game to fish?

[Regor]

Straight off the DFG site:

"In recent years, the DFG's budget has been significantly reduced due to the state's economic downturn. These reductions have overwhelmed the DFG's Law Enforcement Division (http://www.dfg.ca.gov/enforcement/). Recognizing the dire situation, an advocacy group proposed the idea of selling a “Game Warden Stamp” to raise additional funds to support Game Wardens critical work on behalf of California's natural resources."

I DO NOT see a ton of people stepping up to help fund the DFG ( @ $5 for a “Game Warden Stamp”), so as was asked earlier, how in the world is the DFG expecting to enforce the new MPA? And how have they even recruited anyone right now - unless they had a LARGE donation? (is that even legal).

[PAL]

They aren't expecting to adequately enforce the closures. The game wardens' association is on record as opposing the MLPA unless it comes with dedicated funds.

There are only some 220 game wardens for the entire state.

[dsafety]

I looked into applying, they were hiring something around 200 wardens from what I recall. Pay with them was just too much less than CBP and they demand far more as far as education though.

I can't comment on the pay but my friend seemed OK with it. I was blown away by how carefully they checked out potential recruits however. My friend went through nearly six months of background checks, psychological exams and physical exams, not to mention multiple interviews. The vetting process was far more strict than anything I have every heard of in other types of law enforcement or the military.

If my friend is any example of the kind of people the DFG hires as wardens, they are a smart and talented bunch. I have spoken with dozens of DFG folks over the past few months. Without exception I have been impressed with these guys. Not a yahoo among them. I have yet to find a warden who thinks that the MLPA in its current form is reasonable or enforceable.

On the other hand, if things do not end up going our way, we have to keep in mind that the wardens are hired to do a difficult job. They do not make the rules but are still responsible for enforcing what gets handed to them.

Bob

[dorado50]

I doubt one would find any educated person that is famililar with the mlpa's who thinks that this process in its current form is resonable and/or enforceable.

[old_rookie]

The only thing I have seem them enforce is having a license to fish.
When landing at the beach, how can they know where I caught the fish?
Maybe they'll be setting up cameras up by the cove along the western boundary and aim it north. But then what? Sit someone in front of a screen watching 24hrs a day?

[brotherp]

JD's report has the link to the detailed maps.

[JoeBeck]

No one in this town could catch any fish except this one man

The game warden asked him how he did it so the man told the game warden that he would take him fishing the next day...

Once they got to the fishing spot the man took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the water. After the explosion fish started floating to the top of the water. The man took out a net and started picking up the fish.

The game warden told him that this was illegal. The man took out another stick of dynamite and lit it. He then handed it to the game warden and said " are you going to fish or talk?"

[Tman]

Personally, I don't think the state or the DFG's for that matter realize what they are going up against. The burden of proof will be on the wardens writing the tickets, so if you do decide to fight it, they would have to show up at court.

Now, follow this for a bit, count the number of wardens vs the number of police. How much would it affect them to have a warden and quite possibly his partner take a day off to attend court?

I doubt that initially wardens will be going out solo.

What would be the deciding factor that would allow them to secure a conviction based on the burden of proof? There would have to be an absolute certainty that a violation did occur, and they would have to be prepared to prove it.

The reason I pose this is that I love the challenges of our legal system.

The most glaring example is that of a 'red light' ticket. We all know what they are about, yet few choose to fight it. Simple to do actually, and even easier to show up at court to have them dismiss it when they know you plan to contest it. Why? Too many variables, too many loopholes.

The same applies here. But it just gets better...

There are ways to challenge the system and not only have fun doing it, but frustrate the hell out of them.

By fun, things like exercising your rights. If you know you plan to contest a ticket that you got in, say, Oceanside, ask that the hearing be held at the county seat (downtown SD). It would be assumed that you would want to go to the Vista courthouse, but maybe SD is more convenient for you, thus less convenient for them. That is your right.

As is rescheduling your court date due to an unforeseen inconvenience. You can always reschedule, better yet, you can reschedule again and again according to your schedule, and not the officer's, who may have that certain day off.

And if it just happens to be his day off, he would have to clear it with his supervisor to attend said court date. Remember, everything would have to be cleared, and they would have to pay them for attending. I wonder it the state is prepared to grant overtime in non-emergency situations.

Best part, if they are a no-show, case dismissed...:cheers1:

BTW, clean DMV, fought a red light ticket, a radar ticket doing 65 in a 45, and beat a CC debt with attorney fees and court fees included to the tune of 32K...even sent a bill to the attorney to cover the $45 filing fee...:the_finger:

[PAL]

Thanks for the laugh Joe!

You can cruise the closures at http://southcoast.marinemap.org/marinemap/.

You can also wait a day or two for the cheat sheet that'll be up at the Western Outdoor News webpage. I submitted it just a few minutes ago.

http://www.wonews.com/

[wiredantz]

No one in this town could catch any fish except this one man

The game warden asked him how he did it so the man told the game warden that he would take him fishing the next day...

Once they got to the fishing spot the man took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the water. After the explosion fish started floating to the top of the water. The man took out a net and started picking up the fish.

The game warden told him that this was illegal. The man took out another stick of dynamite and lit it. He then handed it to the game warden and said " are you going to fish or talk?"

that is funny