DFG Meeting - A Newbie's Observations

[Hunters Pa]

Originally Posted by JoeBeck

Bob,

Good write up and accurate. I think we were well represented by kayak and boat fishermen and I was happy to cede my time to clay.

Hunters Pa. It sounded like to me that they were trying to get the MPA reworded in the beginning of the meeting to allow sand replenishment. I actually had a good conversation about this with a lady representing Heel the Bay. She seemed opened to my thoughts because I told her this whole process angers me because they are targeting Recreational fishemen who have a small impact on the ocean environment and are people who care for it. That they are not targeting urban runoff, the damages of ocean front development that have created the need to replenish sand, dumping waist into our seas including cruise boats and poorly maintained city sewage lines..... on and on I went about other factors that effect the ocean and the fishing. I also let her know that this process has had a negative effect because it is dividing stewards of the environment into two groups having the fishermen dropping support for their organizations.

Yeah, Joe, they want to keep certain man-made impacts that alter the environment and ban others. All that sand was not there until development in the early part of the 20th century. The beaches were narrow & rocky - down past the surfline too. That rocky bottom provides better anchoring for kelp which would be better habitat for marine life. BUT Laguna wants their nice wide sandy beaches, so they approve of periodically trucking in more sand to replace what the ocean takes away. They call it "nourishment". I call it destruction of the natural environment.

Oh, and I am willing to bet that a lot of those Laguna closure activists have those houses with leaky septic systems that are directly polluting the water

[robmandel]

Originally Posted by Hunters Pa

Yep, when they get the reserve passed for Laguna I will be ready and waiting when they do their annual sand replenishment that perpetuates a non-natural, man-made state. This would be banned by the MLPA as it would be in direct conflict with para 2853.b.(3)-(4) in the MLPA http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/revisedmp0108a.pdf

(3) To improve recreational, eductaional, and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems that are subject to MINIMAL HUMAN DISTURBANCE, and to manage these uses in a manner consistent with protecting biodiversity
(4) To protect marine NATURAL HERITAGE, including protection of representative and unique marine life habitats in California waters for tehir intrinsic value.

Yep, I'll be watching, and waiting

yep, that was my point earlier. I think most those enviros know that fishing isn't really the "problem" so much as mpa's just happen to be anti-fishing. they're not pro-fishing at all, but it serves their purpose. the mpa's can, and no doubt will, be used to do all sorts of drastic things.

sean, your interested in laguna. me, I'm thinking of all that disturbance in paradise cove

[GregAndrew]

The Lagunatics were pretty well represented and focused. There were several arguments against their presentations though. The sewage outfall was the most prominent argument the current shape of the Reserve or any further southward consideration. Most of the rest of the speakers that mentioned it were divers concerned with access through the tide pool areas.

After I left, I thought of the perfect counter to the teacher manipulation of the students. Ask for a show of hands from the students how many have been informed that the fisheries were on the verge of collapse? Then ask if it would surprise them to know that the DFG knows of no fish specie that is on the decline?

[Hunters Pa]

Originally Posted by robmandel

yep, that was my point earlier. I think most those enviros know that fishing isn't really the "problem" so much as mpa's just happen to be anti-fishing. they're not pro-fishing at all, but it serves their purpose. the mpa's can, and no doubt will, be used to do all sorts of drastic things.

sean, your interested in laguna. me, I'm thinking of all that disturbance in paradise cove

The Laguna situation just pisses me off. I'll be watching all the closed areas. And I can't wait to see/hear teh Surfrider reaction when they go to ban surfing in the closures.

[old_rookie]

Originally Posted by jbm

Mike,
Nice speaking to you in the lobby. I hope your foot didn't give you too much trouble.

Jason

Same here Jason. Not much. It only prevented me from meeting more of the members here since I went in early to rest my foot.

[T Bone]

Doesnt anyone remember that the LaGOONS allready tried to close laguna to fishing.The dfg told the city council they didnt have the authority.This was big news awhile back maybe someone has a better memory than me.

Thanks to those who went,as I could not.Good to meet some of you that I met in Ontario earlier this year.

[cowboybill]

Dsafety.....You summed up all my thoughts in a well written narative...

cowboybill