Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times
Fishing rods line the stern of Afishionado, a charter boat out of Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island. Discussions between fishermen and conservationists about where to designate marine life protected areas have heated up in recent weeks.
Those who want to harvest sea life and those who want to keep it safe from harvesting will be trying to hatch a compromise in coming months over where to locate havens in popular waters.
A landmark effort to transform Southern California's coastal waters into a network of havens for marine life has sparked a fierce debate over where to locate no-fishing zones that ecologists believe are needed to replenish the surrounding seas.
Divers, fishermen, conservationists, business owners and marine ecologists will toil over proposed maps for the next few months, deciding how much each is willing to sacrifice in the interest of saving plummeting populations of fish that are the cornerstone of recreational and commercial fishing and tourism.
Divers, fishermen, conservationists, business owners and marine ecologists will toil over proposed maps for the next few months, deciding how much each is willing to sacrifice in the interest of saving plummeting populations of fish that are the cornerstone of recreational and commercial fishing and tourism.
"Every square foot of the Southern California coastline is somebody's favorite fishing spot," said Steve Benavides, a tax attorney and diver of 40 years who is among the group of stakeholders hashing out their differences.
"Reserves are insurance against our own well-intentioned mismanagement of marine resources."
Of particular concern is a swath of ocean off Santa Catalina Island where kelp beds are patrolled by sea bass, and submerged cracks and crevices bristle with spiny lobsters. On the island's wind-swept western side, trawlers from Seattle, Portland, Ore., and San Pedro haul up 400 tons of squid a night, leaving little left to eat for resident white sea bass prized by fishermen and marine ecologists alike.
The effort is being conducted under the California Marine Life Protection Act, which was adopted in 1999 to set aside a comprehensive, science-based network of marine parks and wilderness areas along the state's 1,100-mile coast where fishing would be severely limited or banned."Reserves are insurance against our own well-intentioned mismanagement of marine resources."
Of particular concern is a swath of ocean off Santa Catalina Island where kelp beds are patrolled by sea bass, and submerged cracks and crevices bristle with spiny lobsters. On the island's wind-swept western side, trawlers from Seattle, Portland, Ore., and San Pedro haul up 400 tons of squid a night, leaving little left to eat for resident white sea bass prized by fishermen and marine ecologists alike.
The law was passed after scientists and fisheries managers determined that catches of many species, including bottom-dwelling rockfish and cod, had fallen as much as 95% in recent decades. Implementation was delayed for years by budget cuts, staffing shortages and fierce opposition from recreational and commercial fishing interests.
Southern California is the third region to be tackled under the program, which divided the state coastline into five parts.
Marine reserves have been created off the north-central and south-central portions of the state.
California has been leading the nation in establishing marine reserves, a relatively new approach to reviving habitats that have been overfished despite a complex array of traditional fishing regulations.
Extending the program to Southern California, one of the most heavily used stretches of ocean in the nation, has proved tricky.
Church Rock, a guano-covered outcropping pounded by surf just east of Avalon, is one of several areas being considered for a marine reserve.
On a recent sunny week- day morning, a group of supporters of the reserve led by Sara Sikich, coastal resources director for the nonprofit environmental group Heal the Bay, throttled down near the scenic site.
Strands of kelp nodded in the current. Mackerel and blacksmith fish rounded the boat's hull. White geysers on the horizon indicated a procession of migrating whales. Bright orange and yellow buoys marked the locations of lobster traps. Dozens of sea lions lounged on rocky reefs.
"Environmentalists like good habitat for the same reasons fishermen do: bigger sea creatures and more of them," Sikich said.
"Marine reserves, smartly placed, will ensure there are enough fish for everyone for generations to come," she said.
Not so fast, warn those whose livelihoods depend on the sea.
"If they really want to restore local fisheries, they ought to push the squid boats off the island," said John King, who operates a commercial fishing boat, Afishionado, out of Avalon.
"They come in at night by the dozens and pound this area with nets that drag along the bottom," he said.
Leslie Page, manager of the Redondo Beach Marina, whose clients fish the waters off Catalina and the Palos Verdes Peninsula, said the prospect of restrictions ranging from catch limits to outright bans "scares me to death. It's going to hurt all my lobster fishermen, pleasure fishermen, as well as hotels and restaurants."
But Bill Bushing, a marine ecologist who has been diving off Catalina for 40 years, believes reserves are the only hope of saving critical habitats and bringing back the kind of 400-pounders that made scales creak a century ago.
"The marine protection area selection process has become so tainted by politics and self-interests that it is losing sight of its original goal," said Bushing, who has proposed five no-fishing zones at Catalina. "That is to bring marine ecosystems back to life by setting aside a network of protected areas based on the best possible science.
"It's not reserves that will ruin local economies," he added, "it's overfishing."
I need to make a make few comments to the statements below....
ReplyDeleteDivers, fishermen, conservationists, business owners and marine ecologists will toil over proposed maps for the next few months, deciding how much each is willing to sacrifice in the interest of saving plummeting populations of fish that are the cornerstone of recreational and commercial fishing and tourism.
1) Yes, all involved will toil over proposed maps for the next few months.
2) The only group/groups that will be sacrificing will be the fishermen (Commercial, Recreational & CPFVs)
3) Not only will the fishermen feel the pain but if large reserves are chosen we will have a huge negative economic impact on sportfishing fleets, fuel docks, marinas, bait haulers, commercial fishermen, tackle stores, kayak manufacturers, boat manufacturers, tow vehicles, restaurants, waiters, waitresses, hotels, maids, linen companies...you get the picture......there will be a HUGE trickledown effect....
BUSINESSES WILL BE CLOSED!
MORE PEOPLE WILL BE OUT OF WORK/UNEMPLOYED!
4) The employment rate is currently at 10.5% it will definitely increase with large reserves.
4) Please tell me which "populations of fish that are the cornerstone of recreational and commercial fishing and tourism are plummeting?"
"Reserves are insurance against our own well-intentioned mismanagement of marine resources."
The mismanagement of marine resources should include water quality.....
Bad water quality = no kelp, no bait, no fish!
Fishermen and women are huge conservationists when it comes to fishing, I for one mainly practice catch and release.
Of particular concern is a swath of ocean off Santa Catalina Island where kelp beds are patrolled by sea bass, and submerged cracks and crevices bristle with spiny lobsters. On the island's wind-swept western side, trawlers from Seattle, Portland, Ore., and San Pedro haul up 400 tons of squid a night, leaving little left to eat for resident white sea bass prized by fishermen and marine ecologists alike.
Yes, Catalina has kelp beds patrolled by white seabass….healthy WSBs....lots of them…they’re pretty fat and happy if you ask me! The white seabass have made a huge come back....due to proper management and the Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute's white seabass recovery program. Please see the statement below:
Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI) has been adding to California’s white seabass populations for more than 20 years. Our program of brood-stock collection, optimized spawning, and distribution of seabass fingerlings to more than 13 grow-out locations throughout southern California has been underway since 1983. More than 1.4 million juvenile white seabass have been tagged and released during this period. We are the world leaders in the field of white seabass stock replenishment, and we share your delight in of the recovery of this exciting species over the past two decades. It wasn’t
all because of us, but we certainly did our part.
"The marine protection area selection process has become so tainted by politics and self-interests that it is losing sight of its original goal," said Bushing, who has proposed five no-fishing zones at Catalina. "That is to bring marine ecosystems back to life by setting aside a network of protected areas based on the best possible science.
Who...Who has become tainted by politics and self interests?
The MLPA requires the state to redesign existing state marine protected areas (MPAs), and to establish a cohesive network of MPAs to protect, among other things, marine life, habitats ecosystems and natural heritage as well s to improve recreational, educational, and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems.
NO FISHING ZONES……Where in the act does it state its original goal was to propose no-fishing zones?
"It's not reserves that will ruin local economies," he added, "it's overfishing."
Wrong!!! Large reserves like External Proposal C would devastate the fishing industry as well as ruin local economies!!!!
Terrestrial activities can have significant impacts on coastal water quality and habitat condition. Nearly 8,366 sq. mi. of land in 19 major watersheds drain directly to the ocean. Some of the most important water quality issues include:
• Impaired rivers and waterbodies that have been identified under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act and have a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for pollutants;
• Recognized water quality management areas including state water quality protection areas (SWQPAs), areas of special biological significance (ASBSs), and California critical coastal areas (CCAs);
• The highest number of beach closures in California, mostly due to high bacteria levels from sewage spillages;
• Sediment contamination, with 94% of the study region sediments being affected by one or more contaminants. Contamination is typically linked to pollutants transported via urban runoff and released into the ocean from outfalls, with the most notable example on the Palos Verdes shelf where a superfund site was established due to high levels of DDT and PCBs from decades of wastewater discharge;
• Point sources of pollution that empty into the coastal environment at specific locations and may cause localized impacts. Examples of point sources of pollution in the study region are wastewater treatment facilities, desalination plants, and stormwater outfalls;
• Nonpoint source pollution, which is a leading cause of degraded water quality in the study region, but it is difficult to identify sources as it derives from diffuse locations. Five major sources of nonpoint source pollution are agriculture, urban areas, resource extraction, hydromodification, and ports associated with vessels; and
• Coastal energy which involves development, extraction, and transportation of energy-related resources in coastal waters, as well as offshore. Projects include oil drilling, liquid natural gas, and coastal power plants.
Let’s say we improve water quality and support the FIN/FIC proposal!!!
Obviously the poster above does not realize:
ReplyDelete(1) that those of us who wish to study HEALTHY marine ecosystems, or just enjoy diving in them and photographing them have had our "right" to do so negated by MANY decades of cumulative overfishing
(2) the over-fishing referred to in the article is the cumulative effect of millions of anglers over 150 years of time in the State, with the most intense activity occurring over the past 60 years (post WWII)
(3) to judge almost all fish stocks by their present state is not a good baseline for determine whether they are healthy in view of the above. Just talk to anglers who have been fishing the State's marine waters as far back as the 20's (and I have), or read the tales of anglers Zane Grey and Charles F. Holder from the late 1800s and early 1900s, and you'll get a better feel for what healthy marine ecosystems may have been like.