[PAL]

The sample letter, right here for your convenience. I'm working on getting the direct email address.

Please Do Not Reappoint Richard Rogers to the FGC

I am writing to oppose the reappointment of Richard Rogers to the California Fish and Game Commission. As one of California’s 760,000 saltwater anglers, I am troubled by his failure to address the real threats to California’s ocean resources and his bias against recreational fishing. His strong support for the flawed Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative process, even after disclosures of his participation in non-public meetings where critical decisions were made, renders him unfit to serve California’s citizens.

Further, his cavalier attitude to the loss of jobs and economic losses that the MLPA will cause in these dire economic times demonstrates that he is no friend to working-class Californians. Rogers’ blind dedication to the anti-job MLPA could not be swayed even by a personal plea from Commissioner Jim Kellogg to save “just one fisherman’s job,” especially with our state’s unemployment rate at 12.4 percent.

The MLPA will severely reduce recreational fishing opportunity in California which threatens the 20,000 jobs that it supports. With a current deficit of almost $30 billion, the state cannot afford the necessary enforcement, biological monitoring and public outreach – currently estimated by the Department of Fish and Game to be $40 million annually – of proposed MLPA regulations.

In addition, Rogers has ignored numerous Department of Fish and Game reports that none of California’s fisheries are in crisis. California’s marine fish stocks have improved dramatically over the past twenty years as a result of successful fisheries management practices. In the waters of California, there is not one marine fish stock currently experiencing overfishing and the few stocks still under stress are rebuilding due to strict fisheries management and conservation plans. Fishery management in California is working, and recreational fishing closures are not needed. California’s citizens are better served by focusing on habitat loss and environmental pollutants than denying them the right to access public resources.

Given these numerous concerns, I urge you to replace Richard Rogers with a commissioner who will both conserve California’s natural resources and be mindful of the impact of new regulations on its citizens.

Thank you for your consideration.