IT’S ALMOST CRIMINAL …

Did you know that

• Fishing along the Central Coast in 2005 and 2006 will only be allowed in a narrow strip of water from 20 fathoms out to 40 fathoms.  In other words, you will not be allowed to fish from the shoreline out to 120 feet in depth.  If you are a kayaker, you will have to fish beyond one mile from shore and will need a depth-finder to make sure you are fishing between 20-40 fathoms.  No longer will kayakers be allowed to tie-up to kelp beds to fish.  During bad weather or high seas this regulation endangers the lives of boaters and kayakers who are forced to fish far from the safety of shore or protective ports.

·        The Central Coast is the  only part of the state that has been saddled with these  regulations that endanger the lives of boaters and kayakers.  There was absolutely no science, no data, and no evidence that justified this prejudicial treatment of the Central Coast.  Our nearshore waters have the healthiest fishery along the California coast.  No other part of the state has this inherently dangerous regulation.  Even though fishing was fabulous last year along the Central Coast, in 2005 and 2006, bottom fishing will only be allowed for five (5) months instead of the ten months allowed in 2004.

• The State of California is required by law to gather essential fishery data about nearshore ocean species so that they can make fair fishing regulations.  However, since this law was passed in 1998, they have done almost nothing to collect this data.  They use our tax money to investigate more “no-fish zones”, but they will not spend money to assess the health of our nearshore fishery.

• This same 1998 law requires DFG to reduce fishing opportunity in half when they are ignorant (politely called “data poor”) of the status of the nearshore fishery.  Therefore, by spending no money and gathering no data about the nearshore fishery, the state is compelled to cut fishing opportunity in half.  The state spent millions of dollars to develop a plan to manage nearshore species, but has spent almost nothing to implement the plan.  However, they do implement the policy to reduce fishing in half on account of their ignorance.

• Environmental groups have targeted the Central Coast for a network of “no-fish zones” under the 1999 Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).  These groups have a long history of seeking to restrict or destroy recreational fishing rights.  Although this legislation says nary a word about new or additional MPAs, environmental groups have convinced the DFG and our governor that additional MPAs are required by this law.

• The State of California will take $2 million from special interest groups to fund the MLPA.  The state will receive this money on a piecemeal basis.  Staff workers who will be a part of the MLPA process will know that their very salaries and livelihood will depend on continued funding by environmental groups who advocate more “no-fish zones.”  This is an egregious conflict of interest that poisons the system.   

·        From 1988 to 1998, DFG administered a fishery data-gathering program along the Central Coast.  The Marine Interest Group (MIG) of San Luis Obispo County funded fishery data-gathering studies in 2003 and 2004 using the same scientific model developed by DFG.  Dr. John Stephens of Cal Poly has collated all this data going back to 1988 and has had it “peer reviewed” and is trying to get it published.  This report shows that fishing is healthy and thriving along the Central Coast.  This data would go a long way to eliminating the 50% “precautionary restriction” now in place.  DFG has done almost nothing to help in getting this information published and has done nothing to incorporate this data into their regulatory process.

Copyright (c) 2005 RightToFish.com