Group wants fishing, boating areas open in Calif.

[LuckyLady]

Group wants fishing, boating areas open in Calif.
May, 06 2009, 08:37 AM

The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans is urging California residents to support recreational fishing and boating opportunities by sending a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission in support of Proposal 2XA.

At its May 13-14 meeting, the commission will begin taking public comment on the proposals that will establish marine protected areas in the north-central coast under the state's Marine Life Protection Act.

The partnership, which represents the interests of recreational anglers and boaters, is supporting Proposal 2XA as the preferred alternative for the north-central coast. It places marine protected areas in locations with a high level of conservation while minimizing the economic impact on local communities, and still allows anglers maximum access to fishing.

Right now, the commission is poised to adopt a proposal that closes 13 percent of the North Coast Study region to recreational fishing.

The commission plans to vote in August on which proposal to adopt.

[Ultralite]

Just an FYI, the Partnerhsip for Sustainable Oceans is autocratically controlled by ASA, the tackle industry trade association, and SAC, the sportboat industry trade association. Though they claim to represent anglers and boaters, the truth is far from. They've circled the boats around SAC who represents the worst of the consumptive users of the resource. Just sayin, because I'm an insider on this and know.

BTW they will fail on 2-XA. The Commission has historically approved the Integrated Preferred Alternative (IPA) which was prepared by the Blue Ribbon Task Force drawing from plans submitted and developed during the stakeholder process. As the IPA is the result of a political process and the Commissioners are politically appointed, historically the Commission has approved the IPA. The Commission vote in Central Cal was 5-0 in favor of the IPA and will be no different in North Central Cal. ASA is using this process to build membership and raise money by showing they can fight for you. When you consider that the fishermen got 85% of what they wanted into the IPA for North Central Cal, you know that the real reason they're pushing for 2-XA is that they want to build membership as the marine reserve process rolls out around the U.S. Problem is, they staked their claim behind the most abusive hook and line users of the resource: commercial sportboats, none of whom practice catch and release.