Press Release

JUDGE STOPS ROCKFISH CLOSURE

November 20, 2003.  The statewide rockfish closure scheduled to start at midnight tonight has been put on hold.  San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Martin Tangeman ruled that the California Department of Fish & Game failed to give legal notice of the closure.  With this ruling the earliest that the closure could take place is sometime in December.

The Central Coast Fisheries Conservation Coalition (CCFCC) and other plaintiffs brought an action to stop the recreational rockfish closure.  Judge Tangeman agreed with the plaintiffs and stopped the proposed closure.

On December 8, 2003, Judge Tangeman will consider other grounds for stopping the rockfish closure including claims that the federal data used to support the closure is so inaccurate that it should not be used for inseason changes.

Steve Moore, owner of Patriot Sportfishing, was excited by the ruling.  “I will be able to provide fishing charters during Thanksgiving which is very important to our business.  The ruling will keep my employees from going on unemployment right before Christmas.  This is a fantastic decision for fishermen.  Sometimes the system works and justice is done.”

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