Vern Goehring, head of the CaliforniaFisheries Coalition, issued this statement after the 3-2 Fish & Game Commission vote this afternoon to adopt MPAs from Santa Cruz to Mendocino:
“Today’s vote to move forward with a new $55 million a year marine program shows that the Schwarzenegger administration is not listening to the people of California. The people have spoken and the governor has said he got the message: live within our means because everyone must contribute to get out of this mess. So how does he justify starting a new program while cutting healthcare for kids, closing parks and now, releasing inmates?
“It’s a fishy business that this expensive new program claims to protect the ocean, but in reality won’t even address water pollution, which we all know is a major issue. All it does is ban fishing, which ironically, is already heavily regulated and studies show California is one of the least fished, best protected areas in the world.
“Playing politics to secure a legacy is a poor way to manage marine reserves, but for the governor, it’s a lot easier than to actually doing something about the pollution plaguing California’s shores.”
The California Fisheries Coalition includes 27 recreational and commercial fishing associations and businesses. We have participated in all aspects of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative process since Fall 2004. We have invested hundreds of hours to attend meetings, analyze options, map key fishing grounds, and develop a recommended network of central coast Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Our objective is to see a full and balanced implementation of the MLPA. This Act seeks to protect diversity of marine life and "help sustain, conserve and protect" marine populations. It requires monitoring and adaptive management of MPAs. It is not intended to duplicate pre-existing comprehensive protections that have been in place on the ocean for many years.
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