[PAL]

Bad news. The state Office of Administrative Law signed off on the revised South Coast MLPA closures. They start Jan 1.

SACRAMENTO -- The day Southern California’s saltwater anglers have long dreaded is now set. On January 1, vast swaths of local ocean will be officially off limits to fishing, closed under the auspices of the Marine Life Protection Act.

The giant rubber stamp of officialdom came down a week earlier than expected. In a decision dated December 8 and revealed late on Monday, the California Office of Administrative Law approved the long disputed regulations.

Say your farewells now. Come the new year, iconic spots such as Malibu’s Pt. Dume, south La Jolla, the majority of the Laguna shore, and many other locations will close. For a better idea of the lost areas, visit WON’s exclusive MLPA South Coast Closure Maps. WON staff will update them to reflect any changes, which should be relatively minor.

Keep in mind that a hundred feet this direction or that could lead to legal complications once the curtain comes down. The fine print is critically important. Read carefully to check on permitted activities. Some otherwise closed areas allow fishing for fin bait or spear fishing.

If the administrative fight is over, at least for now, the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans hasn't thrown in the towel in the court battle. The coalition of angling advocacy groups continues to weigh its options following an October setback. Donate to the legal fund via the Ocean Access Protection Fund (www.oceanaccessprotectionfund.org ).

Source: http://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=1...20START%20DATE