Posted 8/19/2010

Fish and Game Commission Meeting Rescheduled

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Posted 8/19/2010

North coast summer open houses news release

MM1 Effort Displacement Effects (PDF)

MM2 Community Support Effects

MM3 RSG Tool Effects

Attached are my written comments with respect to the DEIR NOP. I addressed three issues in three separate comments. They are:

1)   The issue of effort displacement, aka ‘compaction’, against a backdrop of many fully exploited fisheries and recovering fisheries where effort reductions have already been painful. Scientific evidence indicates that these previous effort reductions were necessary for continued fisheries sustainability.

2)  The importance of buy-in and compliance with respect to having real protections within MPAs and how facilitating the development of a new culture of non-compliance might have negative implications across the board, including all other conservation measures, our legitmate fishers and our waterfront culture.

3)  I was asked to comment on working within the RSG with respect to the concurrent development of much of the scientific material, accepted knowledge of geographic distributions of biotic community types, and other guidance parameters, aka ‘moving the goalposts’.

This last took very careful consideration of the many parties that expended considerable effort to develop this guidance in a credible, defensible and coordinated fashion such that guidance fit together as a whole. I know that many feel much more strongly about this issue than my description of it records. I did take the opportunity to include several key analyses that I had submitted to the process or presented to the RSG for you earlier, in particular, the Laguna bottom survey, my analysis of the kelp proxies with respect to their correlation with the PISCO species data collection sites for 0-30m hard bottom habitats, the G2 array description that we drafted, and the G2 co-lead presentation of the G2 array with the cost-benefit trade-off slides as presented to the Commission. (These and all other attachements to my comments are not included here, if you want to see them again, email me.)

My primary purpose was documentation of these concerns that I heard from many people in various ways thruout the RSG process. Hopefully others actually do make these very same comments about these same issues. In particular I hope that Joe Exline has addressed item 3 also, as he worked with the challenge of meeting guidance more than most. With respect to # 1, I hope that some of you who have had to move your gear and fishing to other areas or had others land on ’your turf’ in response to CINMS MPAs did provide the benefit of your experience in that regard, positive or negative. With respect to #2 I hope that others who worked in Group 2 have attested to the value of, and difficulty in attaining broad support for an array that costs many considerably in order to further the goals of the MLPA.

These are rough and unpolished, but I got the job done and they are submitted.

Thank you Diane,

Best,

Merit McCrea

Posted 8/13/2010

Fishing industry helps sink Schwarzenegger appointee

When you think of powerful Sacramento interests, you don't normally think of the recreational fishing lobby.... Read more (LATimesBlogs.LATimes.com)

Posted 7/24/2010

Opinion: An environmental rift: Cutting corners in ocean protection

Environmental groups, long the champions of upholding the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), have instead been working to short-cut environmental protection.... Read more (CapitolWeekly.net)

Posted 7/17/2010

New Must-See Video: The Fight for Indigenous Rights on the California Coast!

This is a great, must-see video about the Coastal Justice Coalition protest against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Marine Life "Protection" Act (MLPA) fiasco in Eureka on June 29.... Read more (IndyBay.org)

Posted 6/28/2010

Schwarzenegger's Privatized MLPA Initiative Doesn't Protect The Ocean

A joint press release issued by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative, a privately funded process, and the Department of Fish and Game on June 23 proudly announced the holding of five "open house" events for the Northern California community from July 6 to 8.... Read more (IndyBay.org)

Posted 6/25/2010

North coast summer open houses news release

California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Announcement

Who: MLPA Initiative

What: News release announcing the North Coast Summer Public Open Houses

Where: Below, attached and the MLPA website www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/newsroom_nc.asp

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2010

CONTACT:
Annie Reisewitz, MLPA Initiative 858-228-0526
Kirsten Macintyre, Department of Fish & Game 916-322-8988

Public Input Sought on Draft Proposals for North Coast Marine Protected Areas
MLPA Initiative to hold five "open house" events for the Northern California community July 6-8

SACRAMENTO – Open houses have been scheduled in northern California for the public to review and provide input on four draft proposals developed through the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative. The open houses will focus on draft marine protected area (MPA) proposals for the MLPA North Coast Study Region, which covers state waters from the California/Oregon border to Alder Creek near Point Arena in Mendocino County. Members of the public are invited to attend at any time during the day and evening sessions – in five locations throughout the study region – to visit informational stations and offer input.

Members of the MLPA North Coast Regional Stakeholder Group developed the draft MPA proposals during Round 2 of a three-round planning process. They will be on hand to answer questions and discuss how these ideas will help meet the goals of improved marine life, habitats and overall ecosystem health. MLPA Initiative staff, California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) staff, California State Parks staff and members of the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force will also be available.

“We are seeking additional input from the local community to help redesign California’s marine protected areas into a cohesive coastal network that adequately protects diverse marine life and their habitats,” said Ken Wiseman, executive director the MLPA Initiative. ”These events offer members of the public one-on-one conversation opportunities with stakeholders and staff with regard to the draft MPA proposals and to directly provide their input.”

The five open houses are scheduled for:

- Tuesday, July 6, 2010: 5:00-7:30 p.m., C.V. Starr Community Center,
300 South Lincoln Street, Fort Bragg, CA.
- Wednesday, July 7, 2010: 8:00-10:00 a.m., The Octagon/Beginnings,
5 Cemetery Road, Briceland, CA
- Wednesday, July 7, 2010: 5:00-7:30 p.m., Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center,
921 Waterfront Drive, Room 211, Eureka, CA
- Thursday, July 8, 2010: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Redwood National and State Parks, South Operations Center,
121200 Hwy. 101, Orick, CA
- Thursday, July 8, 2010: 5:00-7:30 p.m., Elk Valley Rancheria Community Center,
2332 Howland Hill Road, Crescent City, CA

At each open house the public will receive information about the four draft MPA proposals currently under consideration, as well as the various evaluations conducted by the MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team, DFG, California State Parks and MLPA Initiative staff. The open houses will also include information about the north coast MPA planning process, next steps in developing MPA proposals and opportunities for public feedback on the draft proposals. To view the Round 2 draft MPA proposals, please see www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/mpaproposals_nc.asp

Members of the public do not have to attend an open house to provide input on the Round 2 draft MPA proposals; they may also provide input by completing an online form at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/mpaproposals_nc.asp. Print copies of the form may be obtained at a number of local libraries and government offices (for a list of locations, please see www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/libraries.pdf. Comments on the Round 2 draft MPA proposals will be most helpful if submitted no later than July 14, 2010, in order for the information to be distributed to regional stakeholder group and task force members prior to the start of Round 3.

Under the guidelines of a master plan for MPAs, the process to develop a recommendation for north coast MPAs involves, among other things, identifying marine species that may benefit from MPAs, considering existing marine protected areas, and developing MPAs that include a variety of habitats and water depths.

The MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force is overseeing the north coast MPA planning process and will make a final recommendation to the California Fish and Game Commission in December of this year. Enacted in 1999, the MLPA directs the state to design and manage a system of marine protected areas in order to, among other things, protect marine life and habitats, marine ecosystems and marine natural heritage, as well as improve recreational, education and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems.

The California Natural Resources Agency and DFG have partnered with the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation in an initiative to help redesign the statewide system of MPAs to achieve these goals. The advice of scientists, resource managers, experts, stakeholders and members of the public guide this public-private partnership.

For additional information about the MLPA Initiative, please see www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa

Posted 6/23/2010

Public Input Sought on Draft Proposals for North Coast Marine Protected Areas

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 23, 2010

Contacts : Annie Reisewitz, MLPA Initiative, (858) 228-0526
Kirsten Macintyre, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8988

Public Input Sought on Draft Proposals for North Coast Marine Protected Areas MLPA Initiative to hold five "open house" events for the Northern California community July 6-8

Open house events have been scheduled in northern California for the public to review and provide input on four draft proposals developed through the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative. The open houses will focus on draft marine protected area (MPA) proposals for the MLPA North Coast Study Region, which covers state waters from the California/Oregon border to Alder Creek near Point Arena in Mendocino County. Members of the public are invited to attend at any time during the day and evening sessions - in five locations throughout the study region - to visit informational stations and offer input.

Members of the MLPA North Coast Regional Stakeholder Group developed the draft MPA proposals during Round 2 of a three-round planning process. They will be on hand to answer questions and discuss how these ideas will help meet the goals of improved marine life, habitats and overall ecosystem health. MLPA Initiative staff, California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) staff, California State Parks staff and members of the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force will also be available.

"We are seeking additional input from the local community to help re-design California's marine protected areas into a cohesive coastal network that adequately protects diverse marine life and their habitats," said Ken Wiseman, executive director the MLPA Initiative. "These events offer members of the public one-on-one conversation opportunities with stakeholders and staff with regard to the draft MPA proposals and to directly provide their input."

The five open houses are scheduled for:

- Tuesday, July 6, 2010: 5:00-7:30 p.m., C.V.
Starr Community Center, 300 South Lincoln Street, Fort Bragg, CA

- Wednesday, July 7, 2010: 8:00-10:00 a.m.,
The Octagon/Beginnings, 5 Cemetery Road Briceland, CA

- Wednesday, July 7, 2010: 5:00-7:30 p.m.,
Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center, 921 Waterfront
Drive, Room 211, Eureka, CA

- Thursday, July 8, 2010: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.,
Redwood National and State Parks, South
Operations Center, 121200 Hwy. 101, Orick, CA

- Thursday, July 8, 2010: 5:00-7:30 p.m., Elk Valley Rancheria Community Center,
2332 Howland Hill Road, Crescent City, CA

At each open house the public will receive information about the four draft MPA proposals currently under consideration, as well as the various evaluations conducted by the MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team, DFG, California State Parks and MLPA Initiative staff. The open houses will also include information about the north coast MPA planning process, next steps in developing MPA proposals and opportunities for public feedback on the draft proposals. To view the Round 2 draft MPA proposals, please see www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/mpaproposals_nc.asp

Members of the public do not have to attend an open house to provide input on the Round 2 draft MPA proposals; they may also provide input by completing an online form at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/mpaproposals_nc.asp. Print copies of the form may be obtained at a number of local libraries and government offices (for a list of locations, please see www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/libraries.pdf. Comments on the Round 2 draft MPA proposals will be most helpful if submitted no later than July 14, 2010, in order for the information to be distributed to regional stakeholder group and task force members prior to the start of Round 3.

Under the guidelines of a master plan for MPAs, the process to develop a recommendation for north coast MPAs involves, among other things, identifying marine species that may benefit from MPAs, considering existing marine protected areas, and developing MPAs that include a variety of habitats and water depths.

The MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force is overseeing the north coast MPA planning process and will make a final recommendation to the California Fish and Game Commission in December of this year.

Enacted in 1999, the MLPA directs the state to design and manage a system of marine protected areas in order to, among other things, protect marine life and habitats, marine ecosystems and marine natural heritage, as well as improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems. The California Natural Resources Agency and DFG have partnered with the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation in an initiative to help re-design the statewide system of MPAs to achieve these goals. The advice of scientists, resource managers, experts, stakeholders and members of the public guide this public-private partnership.

For additional information about the MLPA Initiative, please see www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa

Posted 6/14/2010

Petroleum Association Should Support Offshore Drilling Ban and Sustainable Energy

An Open Letter to Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association, and Member, Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Forces

Dear Catherine Reheis-Boyd,

I’m writing in hopes that you will help change the course of American history by leading the petroleum industry to phase out offshore oil and gas drilling, and to invest massively in sustainable energy sources.

Today we have the technical ability to convert our energy system to sustainable sources, offering opportunity for endless profit to corporations which invest now in these sources. For example, solar thermal power plants, using mirrors in deserts to heat fluids and run turbine generators, could supply all of America’s energy needs forever with minimal environmental impact. Corporations investing now in solar thermal power plants may well dominate the energy supply in the twenty-first century and beyond.

If you continue in your push for more offshore oil and gas drilling off the West Coast, you risk leading the corporations you represent to the catastrophic fate of the British Petroleum Corporation, which may have nothing left to invest in anything after the tragic consequences of the oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico have fully unfolded.

The petroleum industry now holds the fate of our nation in its hands. With your support, we surely can move this year to permanently ban offshore oil and gas drilling off the West Coast, by enacting the West Coast Ocean Protection Act of 2010, recently introduced in the U.S. Congress. If the petroleum industry becomes the “sustainable energy industry” by making a rational analysis of future profit potential and joining President Obama in a determined effort to transform the nation’s energy system to rely on sustainable sources, our society can launch a massive, job-creating transition to sustainable energy while we still have the “petroleum subsidy” we need to power this transition.

The financial and political power of the petroleum industry is so great that without your support we are unlikely to be able to ban offshore oil and gas drilling, nor to make a graceful transition to sustainable energy, without a long, expensive, suicidal struggle pitting ourselves against ourselves.

Please share these thoughts with your colleagues in the petroleum industry. The whole nation will love you if you lead the transition to sustainable energy.

--John Lewallen, Mendocino Sea Vegetable Company

Posted 4/28/2010

Journalist Arrested for Filming and Speaking at Public MLPAI Meeting

Independent video journalist David Gurney has a powerful sense of duty: to create a video record of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (MLPAI), and to speak politely and in turn at public MLPA meetings. David Gurney was forcibly removed by a Fish and Game Warden from the MLPA North Coast Regional Stakeholders Group public meeting in his home town, Fort Bragg, California.... Read more (IndyBay.org)

Posted 4/28/2010

MLPA Goal 3 draft guidelines

Available for review and comment

Posted 4/28/2010

MarineMap Survey

Dear MLPAI Stakeholder Group Member (disregard if you have taken survey already, thanks for your input):

You are invited to participate in a research project on the use of MarineMap in the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (MLPAI). This is a Master’s Degree project being conducted by Derek Campbell from the Public Policy Department at the University of Oregon and in cooperation with the MarineMap Consortium. The research will help those involved in the study gauge the strengths and weaknesses of MarineMap in its application to marine protected area (MPA) design.

If you are willing, all you need to do is complete this short questionnaire, which should take approximately 15 minutes. Your participation is voluntary. If you do not wish to participate, simply delete this email with questionnaire link. Responses will be completely anonymous; your name will not appear anywhere on the survey. Completing the questionnaire constitutes your consent to participate. The questionnaire can be found at the link provided below.

Keep this letter for your records. If you have any questions regarding the research, contact Derek Campbell at 541.350.6620 or Rich Margerum (student advisor) at 541.346.2526. If you have any questions regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the Office for Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Oregon at 541.346.2510. This Office oversees the review of the research to protect your rights and is not involved with this study.

Thank you for your help, participation is very appreciated.

Sincerely, Derek Campbell
Dcampbe4@uoregon.edu

MarineMap Survey

Posted 3/12/2010

North Coast Enviros Blast MLPA as Evidence of Corruption Emerges

John and Barbara Stephens-Lewallen, Mendocino County's leading environmental activist couple, demanded that the Schwarzenegger administration stop the corrupt, fast-track Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative during their testimony before the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force for the North Coast Study Region on March 1... (North Coast IndyMedia)

Posted 3/5/2010

MLPA Stakeholders Draft Resolution to Address Disregard for Tribal Rights

The Ocean Protection Council has awarded $4 million to support initial monitoring of the recently designated North Central Coast marine protected areas (MPAs).... (North Coast IndyMedia)

Posted 3/5/2010

Fish & Game Commission advances MLPA coastal fishing restrictions

The state Fish and Game Commission this week advanced a plan to limit or end fishing in nearly 400 square miles of state coastal waters, including an area off Point Vicente and south of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.... (Daily Breeze)

Posted 2/24/2010

$4 Million Awarded to North Central Coast MPA Baseline Program

The Ocean Protection Council has awarded $4 million to support initial monitoring of the recently designated North Central Coast marine protected areas (MPAs).... (Reef Check)

Posted 2/24/2010

Former Congressman Dan Hamburg Slams MLPA Initiative

Dan Hamburg, a North Coast Democratic Congressman from 1992-94 and a Green Party candidate for Governor in 1998, recently blasted Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's fast-track Marine Life Protection (MLPA) process for its many conflicts of interests, private funding and other problems in a great letter to the editor he wrote to the Anderson Valley Advertiser in Boonville.... (IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/24/2010

Local fishermen named to MLPA group

Jim Bassler, a Mendocino County commercial fisherman, has been added to the Marine Life Protection Act North Coast Regional Stakeholder Group.... (Ukiah Daily Journal/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/24/2010

Officials show concern

Emergency actions taken by the City Council at the Feb. 2 meeting reflected city officials’ concerns about the health of Laguna’s coastal waters and its denizens.... (Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/24/2010

Mendocino County Asks for More Local Representation on MLPA Panel

The Mendocino County of Supervisors has told state officials overseeing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's controversial Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative that more representation of the diverse interests found in the county is needed on the Regional Stakeholder Group (RSG).... (IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/15/2010

Stakeholder group enters MLPA process

A 32-member group of people representing North Coast and state interests in the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative met for the first time Monday in front of video cameras and big screens connected to a dock of laptop computers.... (Eureka Times/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/15/2010

Mix-up to begin for MLPA proposals

A number of proposals to create marine reserves off the North Coast have gone into the blender, as a 31-member group formed under the state Marine Life Protection Act Initiative meets for the first time on Monday.... (Eureka Times/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/15/2010

MLPA Initiative Announces New Member of Stakeholder Group

Under political pressure from North Coast fishermen and environmentalists, California’s MLPA Initiative staff on Saturday, February 6 announced that Jim Bassler, a Mendocino County commercial fisherman, has been added to the MLPA North Coast Regional Stakeholder Group.... (IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/15/2010

MPA plans due Monday

Marine protected areas are coming to the North Coast, and a local effort to influence where and what size they are culminates Monday.... (Daily Triplicate/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/15/2010

Another View: Wardens not staffed for sufficient enforcement

California's Fish and Game wardens are responsible for enforcing fishing and hunting laws, and have jurisdiction over illegal water diversions and water pollution.... (Sacramento Bee/CFC Web site)

Posted 2/15/2010

Save the Date! Fishermen's Cioppino Dinner at Portugese Hall March 13

The North Coast Fishing Association, in conjunction with the California Fisheries Coalition, will be hosting a family-style cioppino dinner on Saturday, March 13, at Portugese Hall in Fort Bragg. Doors open at 5 p.m., with a raffle, auction and no-host bar.... (CFC Web site)

Posted 2/15/2010

MLPAI: The Thousand-Year View

The conflict between “conservationists” and “preservationists” as it shapes fisheries policy and law is analyzed by Laura L. Manning in her 1989 study focused on marine mammals.... (Public Ocean Access Network/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/27/2010

Coastal Voices Guest Opinion: Native sovereignty and the MLPA

The process to close off public access in our ocean waters is now entering a critical stage.... (Daily Triplicate/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/27/2010

Schwarzenegger Tours Earthquake Damage As MLPA Proceeds on Fast Track

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday toured damage caused by the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that took place in the Eureka area of Humboldt County on Saturday.... (IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/27/2010

Supes to give Humboldt Bay's MLPA efforts Headwaters funding

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors may financially support a study about the potentially negative impact the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) would have on the local community.... (Eureka Times/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/27/2010

Supervisors approve part of MLPA request

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved partial funding of a project to measure the anticipated social and economic effects of the Marine Life Protection Act on the North Coast.... (Eureka Times/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/17/2010

Natural Resources Defense Council Brings Big Oil’s Agenda to North Coast

There has to be another word to define the “foundation-funded corporations” such as the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which calls itself an “environmentalist” organization.... (Public Ocean Access Network/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/17/2010

Harbor grants to help fisheries research, MLPA efforts

The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District has netted $250,000 in grants to coordinate efforts during the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative process and for other related fisheries research.... (Eureka Times-Standard/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/17/2010

Visalia rancher to leave state post

Visalia rancher Mike Chrisman will retire next month as the state's Natural Resources Agency secretary to take a job at a fish and wildlife foundation, he said Tuesday.... (Fresno Bee/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/17/2010

Governor Can Really Help North Coast by Suspending MLPA Process

On January 10, Melissa Miller-Henson from the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative sent a message to the "north coast community" regarding the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck the Eureka area Saturday.... (North Coast IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/11/2010

Lester Snow to Replace Mike Chrisman as Natural Resources Secretary

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Lester Snow as Resources Secretary on Tuesday to replace Secretary Mike Chrisman, who announced his retirement from state service effective February 1, 2010 to work in a new position at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.... (North Coast IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/11/2010

Chrisman out at Resources; Gov taps Lester Snow to replace him

Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman has been one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's closest allies in the last seven years. Guess that's enough: he's leaving the department, as of February 1.... (So. Cal. Public Radio/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/11/2010

NRDC, Sierra Club Propose to Close Coast From Mendocino to Caspar

At last night's Mendocino Ocean Community Alliance meeting in Fort Bragg, Bill Lemos, the NRDC consultant who wears a hat by a different constituent user group each time he appears anywhere to speak about Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), and who has been instrumental in both slowing the MOCA group's ability to accomplish anything from the onset, continues now to rush to submit a MPA external array proposal of 'their' own and rejects community discussion!... (North Coast IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/11/2010

South Coast Marine Protection Plan Formulation Is A Drawn-Out Process

The process of choosing an implementation plan for the south coast region of the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative is going to be complicated and time consuming.... (Malibu Surfside News/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/11/2010

Local group’s MPA request gets rejected

The North Coast will not get another deadline extension as the process to establish marine protected areas moves forward.... (The Daily Triplicate/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/11/2010

Who Runs the MLPAI?

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) setting up the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (MLPAI) at is essential reading for anyone dealing with the MLPAI “external array” process.... (North Coast IndyMedia/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/11/2010

Governor Can Really Help North Coast by Suspending MLPA Process

On January 10, Melissa Miller-Henson from the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative sent a message to the "north coast community" regarding the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck the Eureka area Saturday. The quake damaged homes and businesses, toppled chimneys, knocked out traffic signals, snapped power lines and left a trail of broken windows, dishes and bottles.... (North Coast IndyMedia)

Posted 1/5/2010

State denies extension for MLPA proposal

The secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency has turned down a request by a tri-county group for more time to draft a proposal for marine reserves along the North Coast.... (Eureka Times/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/5/2010

Scientists, Anglers' Views Cloud The Route Towards a Marine Reserve

The battle to prevent further fishing restrictions along the North Coast was feeding Crescent City well Sunday.... (IndyMedia/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/5/2010

Prominent Biologist Challenges MLPA Science Panel Assumptions and Data

Bill Shedd paddled his kayak along the reefs just off of Woods Cove, where he lives and fishes 30 days per year. Nearby in a small boat a father was fishing with his three-year-old daughter and eightyear old son.... (Laguna Beach Independent/CFC Web site)

Posted 1/5/2010

Phil Isenberg's Business Ties to the Irvine Ranch Water District

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta, exposes how Phil Isenberg, a former Sacramento Mayor and California Assembly Member whom many fear will be appointed to the Delta Stewardship Council by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, has represented the Irvine Ranch Water District in a lobbing capacity over the last two years.... (IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 12/23/2009

Fearing a take-away

The battle to prevent further fishing restrictions along the North Coast was feeding Crescent City well Sunday.... (IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 12/23/2009

The Whalegate Scandal: State Lands Commission Finds MLPA Habitat Data Acquired Illegally

Local fishermen and environmentalists are wondering: if Fugro Pelagos was cutting corners by illegally failing to pay for marine wildlife observers, what other corners did they cut in obtaining the habitat data?... (IndyBay/CFC Web site)

Posted 12/21/2009

The MLPA Process and Peripheral Canal: One Ugly, Environmentally Injust Process

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) and peripheral canal boondoggles, although they may be at first appear to be different issues, are effectively one and the same process.... (IndyMedia/CFC Web site)

Posted 12/21/2009

Laguna Beach residents choose local economy over marine closures

Because of continuing concerns about closures of California's coastal fishing areas, California's recreational fishing community decided to examine the City of Laguna Beach residents' attitudes towards ocean closures.... (BYM Marine & Maritime News/CFC Web site)

Posted 12/21/2009

Close Laguna coast to fishing? Big decision expected Tuesday

A major decision on new protections for ocean life that could include banning fishing off Laguna Beach is expected Tuesday in Los Angeles.... (Orange County Register/CFC Web site)

Posted 12/21/2009

MLPA panel decision due Nov. 10

A Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Blue Ribbon Task Force that delayed a final decision Oct. 22 on choosing among three proposals for creating marine protected areas along the Southern California coast, is expected to render its decision Nov. 10 following a hearing in Los Angeles.... (Del Mar Times/CFC Web site)

Posted 12/19/2009

The MLPA Process and Peripheral Canal: One Ugly, Environmentally Injust Process

Make no mistake about it - Governor Arnold Schwarznegger's MLPA and peripheral canal boondoggles are effectively one and the same process.... (North Coast IndyMedia)

Posted 11/13/2009

California Fish and Game Commission Weighs in on South Coast Region Marine Protected Areas

On Wednesday, December 9, California's Fish and Game Commission heard reports and recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) regarding the establishment of new marine protected areas (MPAs) along California's South Coast from Point Conception to the Mexican border in accordance with the state's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).... (Daily Triplicate/CFC web site)

Posted 11/13/2009

Editorial: Devil in the details

And so we wait. The future of the coast off of Laguna Beach has moved behind the scenes with the completion of a public process for the Marine Life Protection Act.... (Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot/CFC web site)

Posted 11/13/2009

Fish and Game panel hears views on Marine Life Protection proposal

More than 160 speakers had a minute each on Dec. 9 to tell the Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force and state Fish and Game Commission what they think about proposals for Marine Protected Areas off limits to fishing along the Southern California coast including La Jolla and coastal North County.... (La Jolla Light/CFC web site)

Posted 11/13/2009

Recreational Boaters of California Support MLPA Proposal #2

Recreational Boaters of California [RBOC] joins the Southern California Yachting Association [SCYA] in urging that the California Fish and Game Commission select Proposal #2 as its recommended preferred proposal.... (CFC web site)

Posted 11/13/2009

New Southern California underwater marine habitats approved

State authorities approved new underwater marine habitats off Southern California's coast Wednesday, restricting fishing and diving in areas where stocks have been severely depleted in recent decades.... (Contra Costa Times/CFC web site)

Posted 11/13/2009

Coast protection plans move to Calif. commission

The California Fish and Game Commission has begun hearing a hotly debated proposal for protecting ocean life and habitat along the state's south coast.... (Associated Press/CFC web site)

Posted 11/13/2009

Supervisors back marine life protection funding request

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday chose to support a Humboldt Bay Harbor, Conservation and Recreation District request for funds to develop a single marine reserve proposal for the state's Marine Life Protection Act Initiative.... (Eureka Times/CFC web site)

Posted 11/13/2009

Enlarged marine sanctuaries lack funding for enforcement

The millions of dollars spent on a decade-long effort to create or enlarge coastal sanctuaries could fail to enhance protection for marine life because the state lacks funding to enforce or manage the project.... (San Diego Union Tribune/CFC web site)

Posted 11/7/2009

North Coast counties are working together on the MLPA

The Marine Life Protection Act, passed in 1999, mandates a comprehensive review of existing marine reserves, and, when necessary, allows for the creation of new reserves for marine ecosystem protection.... (Daily Triplicate/CFC web site)

Posted 11/7/2009

Monterey Peninsula fishermen worry about impact of national marine policies on livelihood

Times are tough for Monterey fisherman Pete Bruno. For over a decade, tighter and tighter fishing regulations have slowed his charter fishing boat business to a trickle.... (Monterey County Herald/CFC web site)

Posted 11/7/2009

VAN ZANT: Support Proposal 2 to hinder closures

More than 70 people showed up Thursday night to talk to officials involved with the effort to create marine protected areas along California’s coast.... (Long Beach Press-Telegram/CFC web site)

Posted 11/7/2009

Schwarzenegger's MLPA: Marine Life Guardians or Corporate Privateers?

Tom Stienstra, outdoor columnist for the S.F. Chronicle, on Sunday pointed out the absurdity of the people that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently appointed to the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) for the North Coast by listing the appointees and their "qualifications."... (California Progress Report/CFC web site)

Posted 11/7/2009

Marine Protection Option for South Coast Finally Goes to DFG

Task Force Recommendations Are Usually Followed But Contentiousness Is Anticipated... (Malibu Surfside News/CFC web site)

Posted 11/7/2009

Fish and Game to cast final vote on marine protected areas

Conservationists and fishing advocates are gearing up for next Wednesday's California Department of Fish and Game Commission hearing on a proposal to ban fishing off various parts of the Southern California coast, including Point Dume.... (The Malibu Times/CFC web site)

Posted 11/7/2009

MLPA's Proposed Closures Anger Local Fishermen

Local fishing-industry representatives are expressing disappointment with a recommendation to close part of South Orange County’s coast to fishing under the Marine Life Protection Act.... (San Clemente Times/CFC web site)

Posted 11/7/2009

Viewpoint: Good intentions, bad result

Sylvia Earle’s commentary (“A needed sea change for Southern California,” Oct. 22) does a great job of romanticizing the Marine Life Protection Act.... (San Luis Obispo Tribune/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Blue whale's death incites local emotions, interest and research

More than 70 people showed up Thursday night to talk to officials involved with the effort to create marine protected areas along California’s coast.... (Daily Triplicate/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Steve Scheiblauer: State's ocean protection areas won't work

Will the State's Marine Protected Areas be a model for dealing with threats from over-fishing, climate change and habitat destruction? No, and here's why.... (Santa Cruz Sentinel/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Panel delays habitat decision

Saying it didn't have enough information to pick one of three proposals for marine protected areas along the Southern California coast, a state panel will gather more data before making a decision on Nov. 10.... (La Jolla Light/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Third Division Bay District race a clash of enviro-titans

The hotly contested race for the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Board pits two Arcatans with unassailable environmental credentials against each other, stressing longstanding friendships and laying bare generational divisions.... (Arcata Eye/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

State lobster fishery in a pinch for help

If you're interested in the lobster fishery in California, the Department of Fish & Game has a deal for you. ... (SignOnSanDiego/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

MLPA process worries locals

A change in the process for creating marine protected areas on the North Coast has opponents of additional protections feeling sidelined.... (Daily Triplicate/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Blue whale's death incites local emotions, interest and research

The news that a 73-foot-long female blue whale had washed ashore Oct. 19 after colliding with a research vessel has resulted in dozens of calls, comments and emails to the newspaper office.... (Fort Bragg Advocate/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

MLPAs back on agenda

The process for creating marine protected areas along the North Coast will once again be discussed in Crescent City on Thursday.... (The Daily Triplicate/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Fish and Game announces MLPA science panel

California Department of Fish and Game Director Donald Koch has announced a panel of science advisors to help develop marine protected areas along the North Coast.... (The Times-Standard/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

MLPA proposal deadline extended six weeks

State Secretary of Natural Resources Mike Chrisman announced Friday that the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative will extend the deadline to submit proposals for North Coast marine protected areas.... (The Times-Standard/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Enviros, Fishermen Force Governor to Extend MLPA North Coast Process

Secretary for Natural Resources Mike Chrisman (right), under intense pressure from a broad coalition of environmentalists, fishermen, seaweed harvesters and Indian Tribes, said Friday the MLPA Initiative will extend the local proposal deadline for marine protected areas on the north coast.... (IndyBay/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

NOAA Contract Boat Kills Blue Whale Off Fort Bragg

Environmentalists and fishermen on California’s North Coast are calling for an independent investigation into the killing of an endangered blue whale off Fort Bragg by a mapping survey boat contracted by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).... (IndyBay/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

ABC Ch. 7 in LA Features Long Beach MLPA Rally, CFC

Watch video (ABC 7 Los Angeles/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Ocean Task Force Delays Decision on South Coast Marine Protected Area Plan

The Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force, a governor-appointed advisory group, this week reviewed three marine protected area plans for coastal waters between Point Conception and the border with Mexico.... (San Clemente Times/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

MLPA Update: Task Force Postpones Decision

A panel charged with recommending new regulations for marine protected areas in Southern California put off making a decision late Thursday, following seven hours of deliberation over three full-day hearings in Long Beach.... (Laguna Beach Independent/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

State panel postpones decision on Rocky Point preserve

A state panel postponed a decision on whether areas of the Palos Verdes Peninsula may be closed to fishing under the Marine Life Protection Act in an effort to protect ocean habitat.... (Torrance Daily Breeze/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Task force postpones ocean decision

A state panel indicated Thursday it will consider establishing a marine protected area off Swami's Beach in Encinitas that could hurt North County's lobster and sea-urchin fishing industry, but members put off a decision until next month after a lengthy meeting in Long Beach.... (North County Times/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Group fails to find preferred fishing closure alternative

Final word won't come until next month, but San Diego County recreational and commercial fishermen may have avoided huge hits yesterday when the Marine Life Protection Act's Blue Ribbon Task Force wrapped up its three-day meeting here at the Hilton Hotel.... (San Diego Union Tribune/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

MLPA task force delays vote on no-take marine reserves off Southern California

A state task force failed to reach consensus Thursday on a network of marine reserves and conservation zones to be established off Southern California and will reconvene Nov. 10 in the Los Angeles area to produce a version it hopes will meet conservation goals without severe economic impact.... (LA Times/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Department of Fish and Game Director Resigns

Donald Koch, the director of the Department of Fish and Game for 18 months, sent his letter of resignation to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today.... (IndyBay/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Southern California anglers, conservationists negotiate ocean protection in Long Beach

A blue ribbon panel will vote today in Long Beach on plans to designate marine protected areas along southern California's coast.... (Southern CA Public Radio/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Fishing hearing roils waters

Commercial fishermen, recreational anglers, restaurateurs, marine biologists and state authorities packed a raucous public hearing Wednesday as California considers expanding restrictions on fishing zones off hundreds of miles of Southern California's coast.... (Long Beach Press/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Fishing hearing roils waters

Commercial fishermen, recreational anglers, restaurateurs, marine biologists and state authorities packed a raucous public hearing Wednesday as California considers expanding restrictions on fishing zones off hundreds of miles of Southern California's coast.... (Long Beach Press/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

A rocky point indeed for California coastal task force

Opposing factions will be watching as a state panel proposes fishing restrictions off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The Fish and Game Commission tends to accept such recommendations with few changes.... (LA Times/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Ventura County Star Op-Ed: Something smells with marine reserves

Today, the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force will vote on which of three different marine reserve plans should be implemented along Southern California’s coastal waters.... (Ventura County Star/CFC web site)

Posted 11/2/2009

Fishermen contest plans for Calif. ocean reserves

There's nothing pacific about the ocean off Southern California these days. A battle over how to establish marine reserves along the coast has roiled the waters with the competing interests of environmentalists, fishermen and seaside businesses.... (Associated Press/CFC web site)

Posted 10/21/2009

A Letter to the Palos Verdes Estates City Council

Dear PVE City Council Members, I think delineating the future risk exposure to environmental litigation for MLPA Prop 1 and 3 will be important for you over the next few weeks. (CFC web site)

Posted 10/21/2009

Final Vote on So. Calif. Marine Protected Areas Thursday, Oct. 22, in Long Beach

CA Fishermen, Supporters to Rally Tomorrow, Oct. 21, Before Final Vote, to Protest Any Unfair Version.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 10/21/2009

An Update of Where Cities and Public Officials Stand on MLPA

Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 10/14/2009

Fishing Groups Converge for MLPA Rally Today

Anglers from throughout Southern California today will converge on Dana Point Harbor at 2 p.m. for a rally of angler solidarity and a show of support for the plan put forth by Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Workgroup 2.... Read more (IndyBay/CFC web site)

Posted 10/14/2009

Letter from Assemblymember Ted W. Lieu in Favor of MLPA Proposal #2

Dear Blue Ribbon Task Force Members: I fully support the Marine Life Protection Act and the goals of improving our marine ecosystems statewide. ... Read more (Press Release/CFC web site)

Posted 10/14/2009

Anglers Protest at Global Climate Summit

Anglers and advocates for retaining open fishing areas rallied outside of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Global Climate Summit in protest of proposed Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) fishing closures, Sept. 30.... Read more (The Log/CFC web site)

Posted 10/14/2009

REGION: Panel finishes work on ocean reserves

It has taken a decade to get to this point, but the goal of a landmark 1999 state law -- to create a robust system of protected areas of ocean along the 1,100-mile California coast that preserve the marine environment and boost declining populations of fish -- is within reach.... Read more (North County Times/CFC web site)

Posted 10/14/2009

Council backs third MLPA option

Del Mar City Council has selected its preferred plan for the Marine Life Protection Act, one that has minimal impact to Del Mar.... Read more (Del Mar Times/CFC web site)

Posted 10/14/2009

Battle lines drawn around La Jolla marine life protection

A San Diego City Council committee declined today to act on an environmental group’s request to endorse the most stringent of three proposals under the state’s Marine Life Protection Act that would cut off fishing to a large swath of La Jolla.... Read more (San Diego News Network/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Fishermen Protest Schwarzenegger’s Green Hypocrisy at Global Climate Summit

Southern California fishermen exposed the environmental hypocrisy of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at a protest in front of the Hyatt Regency Plaza in Los Angeles during the Global Climate Summit on September 30.... Read more (IndyBay/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

A Final Cast for Marine Protection Plans

Controversial plans for creating new marine protected areas along the Southern California coast are nearing a conclusion, and will impact Laguna Beach residents, tourists, fishermen and other ocean-users by the end of the year.... Read more (Laguna Beach Independent/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Ecotrust Studies Justify MLPA Fisheries Fascism, Cultural Genocide

John Lewallen, North Coast environmental leader and co-owner of the Mendocino Sea Vegetable Company, has written a blistering letter to the Ecotrust Corporation, a corporate greenwashing group hired by the Resource Legacy Fund Foundation to remove Indian Tribes, seaweed harvesters, commercial fishermen, recreational anglers and abalone divers from the North Coast under the guise of "marine protection."... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Three final MLPA proposals being considered

he public got its first glimpse of three final round stakeholder plans for a South Coast network of marine protected areas on Sept. 25.... Read more (Del Mar Times/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Sacramento CBS Covers Fishermen Protest of 'Green' Governor

Watch video clip (CBS San Francisco/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Fishermen Protest "Green" Governor Schwarzenegger at Global Climate Summit

View photos (CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

North Coast Rallies Against MLPA - KIEM-TV 3 NBC Eureka

Watch video clips (KIEM-TV 3 NBC Eureka/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Organizers lay out public process for marine life protection areas

In what was billed as an educational workshop Tuesday, staff from the Marine Life Protection Area Initiative -- designed to provide varying degrees of protection for offshore habitats and species -- laid out the timeline and process for public involvement, but some remained skeptical that the North Coast would have its say.... Read more (The Times-Standard/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

KCBS-TV 2 Los Angeles, KCAL-TV 9 Los Angeles Cover Fishermen Protest of Governor

Watch video clips (KCBS-TV 2 Los Angeles, KCAL-TV 9 Los Angeles/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Take A Stand Event Against MLPA a Big Success

Local environmentalists, fishermen, seaweed harvesters, Native Americans and other supporters of environmental justice showed in force at the "Take A Stand Concert and Seafood Tasting" against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's corrupt Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process in Albion, Mendocino County, on September 22.... Read more (Ventura County Star/CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Fishermen Protest "Green" Governor Schwarzenegger at Global Climate Summit (photos)

View photos (CFC web site)

Posted 10/7/2009

Schwarzenegger Celebrates 'Green' Policies As He Wages War On Salmon

As Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to wage a relentless war on Central Valley salmon and Delta smelt populations, he today participated in another cynical photo opportunity celebrating his "leadership role" in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to promote the false notion that he is the "Green Governor."... Read more (IndyBay/CFC web site)

Posted 9/21/2009

Three marine protected area groups proposed

A Marine Life Protection Act stakeholders group and task force debate the ups and downs of the three proposals, which would create marine protected areas off the coast.... Read more (Ventura County Star/CFC web site)

Posted 9/21/2009

Trailerboaters Convoy to Fight Fishing Closures

More than 100 San Diego-area fishing enthusiasts with several dozen trailerboats participated in a convoy Sept. 5 to protest proposed regulations that, depending on the plan that received final approval, could permanently prohibit recreational angling along area shorelines to 3 miles offshore and limit fishing in South San Diego Bay.... Read more (The Log/CFC web site)

Posted 9/21/2009

Chesbro says unity key in MLPA process

Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro said Monday that the North Coast's best strategy to handle the oncoming Marine Life Protection Act Initiative is to stay united in the face of an administration bent on pressing forward.... Read more (Eureka Times/CFC web site)

Posted 9/11/2009

Proposed sea areas to protect are mapped out

After months of debate about the merits of setting aside parcels of the ocean versus allowing fishing to continue as-is, the process of establishing new marine protected areas got one step closer to completion Thursday when three maps were proposed as potential finalized blueprints for protecting the ocean.... Read more (Ventura County Star/CFC web site)

Posted 9/11/2009

Take A Stand for Local Ocean Food Event

Local ocean food providers urge everyone to come to the “Take a Stand for Local Ocean Food!” Concert and Seafood Tasting at the Albion River Campground on Saturday, Sept. 26, from noon until 8.... Read more & watch video(San Diego 6 News/CFC web site)

Posted 9/11/2009

MLPA Protesting in San Diego on CW & ABC

Watch two videos (CW News/ABC News/CFC web site)

Posted 9/11/2009

State May Change Protected Marine Areas on San Diego's Coast

A state marine advisory panel meets in San Diego today to discuss the 43 protected habitats off Southern California and any recommendations for adjustments.... Read more & watch video(San Diego 6 News/CFC web site)

Posted 9/3/2009

Coastal Conundrum: The Marine Life Protection Act is good—except when it's not

Environmentalists are applauding the implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act on the local coastline as a victory for conservationists, for the oceans and for coastal communities.... Read more (The Bohemian/CFC web site)

Posted 8/24/2009

Another Victim of the MLPA propaganda machine

In Matt Horn's Aug. 12th "My Word" published in the Times-Standard he makes several assertions about the MLPA (Marine Life Protection Act) that are false.... Read more (Eureka Times-Standard/CFC web site)

Posted 8/20/2009

EDITORIAL: Compromise key to coast management

A delicate but necessary struggle over Neptune's bounty has been playing out near our beaches recently.... Read more (North County Times/CFC web site)

Posted 8/20/2009

Marine Life Protection Act politics hits Humboldt County

The Marine Life Protection Act Initiative is stirring up the waters of the North Coast. While the possibility of more fishing restrictions is enough to raise interest, the most recent controversy centers around the formation of a Science Advisory Team (SAT).... Read more (The Triplicate/CFC web site)

Posted 8/17/2009

Critics decry fast timeline for MLPA

Citizens of Humboldt County should take note of the California Fish and Game Commission's Aug. 5 action designating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for the North Central Coast Region (NCC) immediately south of us.... Read more (Times-Standard/CFC web site)

Posted 8/17/2009

Del Mar tries to fend off marine reserve designation

DEL MAR — In 1999, the California Legislature passed the Marine Life Protection Act to redesign the state’s marine protected areas to safeguard marine life, habitats and ecosystems as well as improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by those ecosystems.... Read more (Coast News/CFC web site)

Posted 8/17/2009

Sea change

California Fish and Game Commission approves controversial marine reserve; peripheral canal plan proceeds behind closed doors.... Read more (Sacramento News & Review/CFC web site)

Posted 8/17/2009

MLPAI ocean privatization breaks new ground

(In part 4 of this series on the Marine Life Protection Act, we look into how the MLPA Initiative fits into the fast evolving history of environmental privatization and how the successes and failures of that movement might impact the Mendocino Coast).... Read more (Fort Bragg News/CFC web site)

Posted 8/17/2009

MLPA: Don’t buy into the lies

Our community is being carefully fed lies to justify closing large areas of our local state marine waters. Our community is being carefully fed lies to justify closing large areas of our local state marine waters.... Read more (Coast Voices/CFC web site)

Posted 8/17/2009

In Case You Missed It: Cathy Reheis-Boyd to chair the MLPA BRTF South Project

California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Announcement... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 8/11/2009

Timing of Marine Life Protection Act not good

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative creates Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that ban all or most types of recreational and commercial fishing.... Read more (Humboldt Beacon/CFC web site)

Posted 8/11/2009

MLPA News Roundup: Monday, August 10, 2009

Read (CFC web site)

Posted 8/11/2009

COMMISSION SEALS MLPA DEAL: COMPLETE REPORT: Fish and Game Commission approves North Central Coast closures despite lack of funds

After four hours of public testimony and acrimonious debate among themselves, the Fish and Game Commission voted to put in place the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative’s Integrated Preferred Alternative of fishing closures along the North Central Coast by a vote of 3-2.... Read more (Rich Holland/CFC web site)

Posted 8/11/2009

Marine Reserves Discussion on Mendocino Radio: Fisherman, Ocean Conservancy

Marine Protected Areas- is it really good for the oceans and the fisheries? Guest are local fisherman Jim Martin, who represents local fisherman and seaweed gatherers who have expressed concerns about the MLPA process, and Jennifer Savage from the Ocean Conservancy, whose organization is among environmental groups who have championed the initiative. Listen to recorded broadcast (CFC web site)

Posted 8/11/2009

10 News San Diego: Restrictions May Sink Local Fishing Industry

See Video (CFC Web site)

Posted 8/5/2009

The Double Standard: RSG v. SAT

The MLPA team has structured the R.S.G. decision-making process to give the position held (work product) by the minority of stakeholders the same opportunity to go forward and be used and evaluated by the B.R.T.F. and possibly the F&G Commission as the majority.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 8/5/2009

Senator Patricia Wiggins Letter to Fish and Game Commission

Dear President Gustafson, As the Fish and Game Commission moves towards adoption of Marine Protected Areas on the North Central Coast, I would like to provide input both as the Senator representing Humboldt, Mendocino and northern Sonoma Counties, and as the Chair of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 8/5/2009

Vote on California marine preserves roiled by board shake-up

An unexpected layer of political drama has been added to the controversy over 30 proposed ocean preserves off the California coast: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday added a voting member to the commission that will decide the fate of the preserves.... Read more (Sacramento Bee/CFC web site)

Posted 8/5/2009

Donald Benninghoven Appointed to the Fish and Game Commission

Donald Benninghoven, 76, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the Fish and Game Commission. Prior to retiring, he served as executive director and member of the board for the City-County-School Partnership from 1998 to 2000, a cooperative venture of the California State Association of Counties, the California School Boards Association and the League of California Cities.... Read more (Gloucester Daily Times/CFC web site)

Posted 8/5/2009

Marine protected areas in north-central California up for vote today

Today beginning at 10 a.m. the California Fish and Game Commission will decide on the Marine Life Protection Act issue as it pertains to north-central California.... Read more (Los Angeles Times/CFC web site)

Posted 8/1/2009

'Overfishing' Line Has Been Significantly Oversold, Study Shows

A landmark new study of the world's fisheries released yesterday found that management efforts — especially in developmentally advanced nations, notably in the United States, New Zealand and Iceland — have been effective in reversing declines caused by chronic overfishing.... Read more (Gloucester Daily Times/CFC web site)

Posted 7/31/2009

Study: California has the lowest exploitation rate of fished stocks in the world

The analysis presented in our Science paper shows that the California Current ecosystem has the lowest exploitation rates of any place we examined in the world.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/31/2009

ABC 7 Los Angeles: No Fishing Zones Upset Local Officials (Video)

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative creates Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that ban all or most types of recreational and commercial fishing. On Monday, July 20, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District forwarded a letter to California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman asking for a delay of the MLPA Initiative.... Read more (ABC Los Angeles/CFC web site)

Posted 7/31/2009

The Fight for the Bight

Fishermen and Environmentalists Square Off Over Marine Reserves in Southern California... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/31/2009

Diverse views, high stakes at marine protected areas meeting

A state Fish and Game oversight panel is meeting in Santa Monica to study proposals for limiting access in parts of state waters to protect marine life. KPCC’s Molly Peterson reports.... Read more (KPCC/CFC web site)

Posted 7/28/2009

Everyone should take a hard look at Marine Protection Act

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative creates Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that ban all or most types of recreational and commercial fishing. On Monday, July 20, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District forwarded a letter to California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman asking for a delay of the MLPA Initiative.... Read more (Times Standard/CFC web site)

Posted 7/24/2009

Redondo Beach Votes to Oppose MLPA: Objections to proposed no-fishing zones

A statewide effort to create coastal no-fishing zones designed to protect ocean habitat has come under fire from the Redondo Beach City Council, which cited potentially "devastating" economic repercussions from proposed closures off Palos Verdes Peninsula.... Read more (Torrance Daily Breeze/CFC web site)

Posted 7/24/2009

What Officials Are Saying About the Marine Life Protection Act

State and local government officials, Fish & Game commissioners and other environmental leaders have expressed doubt about the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) and even called for the process to be halted.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/24/2009

North Coast Government Agencies Protest Rush to Create Marine Reserves

On Monday July 20, 2009 the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District (District) forwarded a letter signed by three North Coast counties and numerous local governments to California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman asking for a delay in implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/24/2009

POLL: Public Doesn’t Support Total Ocean Bans, Believes in Reasonable Regulation to Accommodate Fishing and Also Protect Species

MONTEREY, Calif. – July 22, 2009 — The Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries (ACSF) has released the results of a national public opinion poll revealing the public’s attitudes about ocean conservation which found that the public strongly wants the ocean to be protected, but not with total marine closures.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/24/2009

Confused about MLPA? + Unfunded mandate vs. funded planning

While the MLPA Initiative hasn't quite taken over my life — unlike the poor SOBs who volunteered to be stakeholders, — it certainly has taken over my blog. Here are two news stories that I filed for the July 24 Western Outdoor News that I think are important to read if you want to stay up to date on the process.... Read more (Rich Holland's blog/CFC web site)

Posted 7/21/2009

Sen. Feinstein: 'I believe in standing up for small businesses that are woven into the rich heritage of our coast'

The thousands of small fishing businesses and harbor community interests represented in the California Fisheries Coalition (CFC) greatly appreciate the following statement included in a recent opinion piece by U.S. Senator Feinstein:... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/21/2009

No way to guard new ocean sanctuaries, state game wardens say

It seems a contradiction: State game wardens oppose creating 30 new ocean sanctuaries on California's coast to protect sensitive fisheries.... Read more (CFC web site/Sacramento Bee)

Posted 7/15/2009

CA Fish & Game Wardens' Association Letter: Please Delay MLPA

Dear Ms. Gustafson: Thanks to you and the Commission for recognizing the ongoing plight of Wardens in California. We greatly appreciate the tremendous support from those who understand and value California's wildlife and its susceptibility.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/15/2009

Wes Chesbro: Show Me the Science behind the MLPA Process

First District Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) released a statement on Friday, July 10, criticizing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's fast-track Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process - and urging that North Coast communities be made "equal partners" in the process.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/15/2009

Chesbro: Make communities equal partners in MLPA process

SACRAMENTO ­ First District Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-Eureka) said Tuesday that he is skeptical about the process used to develop a marine life protection bill that even many ocean advocates don't like.... Read more (Ukiah Daily Journal Staff/CFC web site)

Posted 7/13/2009

Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro Statement Today on MLPA

SACRAMENTO – First District Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) released the following statement today on the process of establishing Marine Protected Areas under the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/13/2009

Vivian Helliwell SIG Resignation Letter

Dear Mr. Ken Wiseman, Mr. Don Benninghoven, and Ms. Melissa Miller-Henson:
I find that I must withdraw from participation in the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Statewide Interests Group (SIG).... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/13/2009

Marine Life Protection Act study tools miss the mark with local fishers

Fishers, seaweed harvesters and divers, side-by-side with local restaurateurs and retailers, are united against research they suspect is questionable, that's being undertaken to implement the state's 1999 Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/13/2009

The governor’s fishy business

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) was estab­lished in California in 1999. The MLPA by law will create Marine Protected Areas (MPA) that in theory will protect breeding populations of bottom fish and other sea creatures.... Read more (Eureka Times Standard/CFC web site)

Posted 7/13/2009

Enforcing a Slippery Issue

As state wildlife officials move closer to finalizing a Southern California coastal protection plan, enforcement has emerged as a significant issue in the debate.... Read more (Long Beach Indepedent/CFC web site)

Posted 7/13/2009

'End of the Line' doesn't have to be

As a documentary, “The End of the Line” makes a strong case for its premise that the planet will run out of wild seafood by 2048 if European and Asian fishing fleets continue to abuse the ocean.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/9/2009

A fundamentally flawed Marine Life Protection Act (by Pat Higgins)

Thanks so much for covering the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) issue. I would like to offer the following response and additional information.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/9/2009

Governor Lounges as Rest of State Scrounges (Rich Holland's blog)

A story in the L.A. Times today about the players in the state’s ongoing budget crisis mentioned how Governor Schwarzenegger made a remark that he was going to go home and enjoy a good cigar in his Jacuzzi to show how little pressure he felt... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/7/2009

State needs to address county's ocean pollution

Wednesday, Ventura County beachgoers, surfers, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts will have a chance to weigh in on six different Southern California marine reserve proposals being considered under the Marine Life Protection Act.... Read more (Ventura County Star/CFC web site)

Posted 7/6/2009

NO FISHING ALLOWED

The waters off the Palos Verdes Peninsula have emerged as one of the most contentious areas in a yearslong statewide effort to draw the boundaries of a network of protected no-fishing zones.... Read more (Torrance Daily Breeze/CFC web site)

Posted 7/6/2009

“Environmentalists” Ignore Ocean Pollution in Southern California

It’s pretty unbelievable that a station like KPBS that has many true environmentalists as listeners, would in a conversation about protecting marine life, neglect to bring up the number one environmental problem plaguing Southern California’s ocean waters – pollution.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 7/2/2009

Del Mar, Agua Hedionda Lagoon targeted for reserves

Just about every map of proposed marine protected areas on display at a meeting Monday night had the waters off Del Mar closed to fishing, and Jeff Squires wanted to know why.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 6/30/2009

What's at Stake in the Marine Life Protection Act?

The Marine Life Protection Act Initiative will hold two open houses in San Diego on Monday, June 29, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Carlsbad, and on Tuesday, June 30, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. at the Marina Village Conference Center in San Diego.... Read more (These Days/CFC web site)

Posted 6/25/2009

Malibu Gets Its First Look at New Marine Life Protection Law

Malibuites took part in the first public discussion of what might be in store for the local coastline in terms of possible more stringent conservation measures at a public workshop last week that addresed implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act, 10 years after its passage.... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 6/25/2009

Fish and Game Commissioner Richards fires back at Resources Secretary Chrisman

Fish and Game Commissioner Dan Richards has sent a defiant letter to California Natural Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman to remind him that Governor-appointed commissioners like him are free to act independently and without "undo influence from any source."... Read more (CFC web site)

Posted 6/24/2009

Ocean Protection Coalition Opposes Corrupted MLPA Process

In 1999 the California State Legislature passed the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). This Act seeks to protect diversity of marine life and “help sustain, conserve and protect” marine populations.... Read more (North Coast/CFC web site)

Posted 6/24/2009

Several Malibu beaches targeted for marine protection

Activities could be restricted at the beaches if they are included in marine protected areas by the state.... Read more (San Bernadino Sun/CFC web site)

Posted 6/19/2009

Local ocean lovers oppose new state protection plan

A privately-funded state program could turn one quarter of the offshore coasts of Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties into underwater parks.... Read more (Fort Bragg Advocate/CFC web site)

Posted 6/19/2009

DFG Commissioner Under Investigation

California Fish and Game Commission member Michael Sutton is being investigated by the Fair Political Practices Commission in response to a complaint filed against him by the Central Coast Fisheries Conservation Coalition, a sportfishing and commercial fishing interest group.... Read more (San Bernadino Sun/CFC web site)

Posted 6/19/2009

Laguna Beach Endorses Citywide Fishing Ban

Laguna Beach's City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to request that the California Department of Fish and Game give Laguna the highest possible level of marine protection, barring fishing of any kind in Laguna's coastal waters by declaring the city's entire seven-mile coastline a State Marine Reserve.... Read more (Laguna Beach Independent/CFC web site)

Posted 6/15/2009

Delay the MPA's

It's unfortunate that state regulators seem unwilling to budge on the approaching establishment of Marine Protected Areas off our coast, a move that could severely restrict where fishing is allowed in our local waters despite a dearth of real science.... Read more (Eureka Times)

Posted 6/03/2009

It's an interesting trip, following the money...

These days, partnerships involving government and private groups for fish and game issues are leading to some pretty strange bedfellows.... Read more (San Diego Union Tribune)

Posted 6/03/2009

Fish and Game Commissioner Dan Richards disappointed in Ken Wiseman and Don Benninghoven

Fish and Game Commissioner Dan Richards is not happy with the latest developments in the South Coast project area in the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative and comments by Resources Agency officials about the next region, the area north of Point Arena to the Oregon border, due to begin meeting this fall.... Read more (CFC Web Site/Rich Holland's Blog)

Posted 6/03/2009

Special Important Announcement: Critical MLPA mobilization this Thursday June 4th, 2009

Guys and gals, The MLPA Implementation Team has double-crossed fishermen and other consumptives with their blatant bias for the anti-fishing faction. Ed Zieralski, writer for San Diego Tribune called it “Betrayal at its worst in MLPA process.” Paul Leibowitz, writer for Western Outdoor News, called it “Trust Betrayed.”... Read more (CFC Web Site)

Posted 6/03/2009

MLPA process gets more than a little bit fishy, pro-fishing groups claim

A reader shared an interesting observation this week regarding the controversial Marine Life Protection Act process, an ongoing saga that ultimately will set in place a coast-wide network of zones that will become off-limits to fishermen or carry severe restrictions.... Read more (Los Angeles Times)

Posted 6/01/2009

Betrayal at its worst in MLPA process

Fishing interests involved in the Marine Life Protection Act process and those following it closely were outraged this week by a decision made by those running the show.... Read more (CFC Web Site)

Posted 5/28/2009

Investigation of Fish & Game Commission Member Begins

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) disclosed on May 19 that its Enforcement Division has opened a formal investigation into conflict of interest charges against Fish and Game Commissioner George Michael Sutton regarding his votes on the implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).... Read more (CFC Web Site)

Posted 5/19/2009

Jim Kellogg Asks Commission to Put MLPA Process on Hold

As the California Fish and Game Commission was hearing public testimony in Sacramento from anglers, environmentalists and scientists about Marine Protected Area (MPA) alternatives, Commission Member Jim Kellogg received word from the Governor’s office that Schwarzenegger was going to lay off 5,000 more state workers.... Read more (CFC Web Site)

Save us from the recklessness of the righteous

Open letter to President Obama, with a copy to Governor Schwartzenegger.... Read more (CFC Web Site)

Posted 5/15/2009

Funding Woes May Interrupt Marine Act: Is cost of MLPA too rich for state?

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger could be getting a letter from the state Fish and Game Commission asking him to delay implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act because of lack of funding.... Read more (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Proposed Marine Preserves Could Eliminate Anglers

A decade after the legislation was passed, the Marine Life Protection Act is now being hammered into shape for Southern California ocean waters, and there are no happy campers in the sport fishing community.... Read more (San Bernadino Sun)

A call to save fishing spots from permanently closing

To all my faithful readers, I ask that you react to the following to help save the fishing spots we have been fishing for nearly 100 years.... Read more (CFC Web Site)

Controversy Stirs around the Marine Life Protection Act

A short interview with Dan Bacher, editor of the Fish Sniffer, a fishing publication, about the conflicts of interest with the Marine Life Protection Act.... Read more (CFC Web Site)

Posted 5/12/2009

Opinion: Collaboration on protecting the ocean moves into critical phase

On Thursday in Sacramento, the Fish and Game Commission will hold the last big public comment hearing on a bold new plan to protect coastal waters off California's north central coast.... Read more (CFC Web Site)

View From The North Coast

For the last 3 mornings I have sat on the hill above Highway 1 watching the ranch and enjoying the view. Watching the same cars, 3 days in a row northbound before the tide and then again watching them go south after the tide. Where are they going?... Read more (CFC Web Site)

Ocean fish fewer, smaller

As environmentalists and fishermen spar over what proportion of coastal Southern California waters should be protected as a sort of ocean wilderness, scientists say one thing is clear: The marine environment along San Diego and nearby counties is far from pristine.... Read more (North County Times)

Posted 5/6/2009

Marine Life Act on North Coast doorstep

It's coming. The long-awaited, and often dreaded, state program to designate marine havens for sea life is now within reach of the North Coast.... Read more (Eureka Times)

Posted 5/5/2009

Tensions climb at marathon MLPA stakeholder session

"There was no hugging and singing of campfire songs..." That's how my news story about the recent stakeholder meetings in Oxnard starts.... Read more (Western Outdoor News)

State-commissioned study looks deep into commercial fisheries

The first comprehensive economic study of the state's commercial fisheries shows an industry with promise but also in peril.... Read more (Eureka Times)

Posted 4/23/2009

Implementation of ocean protections not working

Californians concerned about protecting our ocean should pay attention to the ongoing Marine Life Protection Act process that's supposed to improve ocean health, biodiversity and marine ecosystems off the coast of California.... Read more (San Francisco Chronicle)

Endangered: SB Channel's commercial fishermen

The level of awareness and activism of those who live along the Santa Barbara Channel can only be commended. But with all we’ve done to protect the channel from the worst effects of offshore oil and gas development.... Read more (Ventura County Star)

The purpose of the California Fisheries Coalition is to provide a mechanism for recreational and commercial fishing groups to work together in a proactive manner on the MLPA Initiative to ensure a credible, fair and science-based outcome. Participating groups all recognize that by working together and focusing on their core values they increase the likely hood that they will be able to maximize the resource conservation benefits and minimize the detrimental economic impacts derived from improving an MPA network in California. The CFC will pool resources (e.g. knowledge, time, and money) from the participating organizations and persons to increase efficiency and impact for all.

CFC participants agree to respect each other's expertise and to strive for consensus. They also agree to listen respectfully to each other, seek clarification, stay on the subject at hand, and be flexible when exploring solutions and developing recommendations. Those who find they are unable, for whatever reason, to constructively take part in the CFC collaboration will voluntarily withdraw from participating rather than potentially hinder the work of others.

CFC participants recognize that their respective groups will not necessarily always agree on all marine or fishery policies. That recognition, however, does not preclude the group from working collaboratively on the MLPA Initiative. The companies that support the CFC are:

Alliance of Communities for sustainable fisheries - Monterey Commercial Fishermen's Assoc.

AAFA - Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen's Org.

California Abalone Growers - Port Salt Lake Commercial Fishermen's Assoc.

California Fisheries & Seafood Institute - Recreational Fishing Alliance

California wetfish Producers Assoc - Sea Urchin Harvesters Assoc. - CA

Fishermen's Alliance of CA - Sea Urchin Processors Assoc. - CA

Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbarba Inc - So. Central Nearshore Trap Org.

Federation of Independent Seafood Harvesters - So CA Trawlers Assoc.

Fishermen's Assoc. of Moss Landing - Sportfishing Assoc. of CA

Golden Gate fishermen's Assoc. - Ventura County Commercial Fishermen's Assoc.

I.S.P. Alginates Kelp Harvesters - Central Coast Fisheries Corporation Coalition

Kingfisher Trading Inc