Dr. Bill in the LA Times, Good Job Bill!

[Teamcasa]

Link to complete article
Southern California marine reserve plan spawns debate

Dr. Bill says it right! Thanks Dr. Bill.
From the article:

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."

 

[drbill]

Thanks, Dave.

As soon as I read it this morning, I went right out and bought body armor and two handguns... some fishers have been sabotaging and harassing folks about this. I guess they just can't handle the truth. I'll be posting a series of three newspaper columns to go into this topic in greater depth over the next three weeks.

Overfishing is the issue... not fishing per se. After all, my son and several of my buddies take game and I have no problem with that.

The need for marine reserves, and their potential economic impacts on those whose livelihood depends on fishing or support of fishing activities is a very complex issue. I wish the reporter had been given more time to go into these complexities, but that's the nature of media news these days. Given the relative brevity of the article, I thought he did a pretty good job of presenting things in a fair and balanced manner.

 

[Codyjp]

National Geographic had a really outstanding artical on over fishing and fish reserves. In New Zealand they enforced some of these reserves and it worked great. As it turned out the fishermen are now one of the biggest proponents of them in the area.

Good work Dr. Bill!

 

[drbill]

Thanks Cody. You are probably referring to Dr. Bill Ballantine who I've had discussions with back in the early 1990's. The Goat Island Marimne Reserve was established in the mid 1970's and has indeed won the support of a number of fishers because they have seen it works. A link to their web site is:

Goat Island Marine Reserve

What aggravates me is that the organized elements in the fishing community are TOTALLY opposed to the very thing that may save their asses. They don't want ANY new reserves for the most part. There is no interest in compromise.

I'd like to call upon the wisdom of Solomon and take a sword, divide the California coastline 50/50 and THAT would be fair to both sides. Fat chance.

 

[fnfalman]

Dr. Bill,

You're famous!!!

As far as getting some handguns and body armors go, heck, just let me know who's harassing you and I'll handle'em. I have plenty of guns & ammo stashed up.

 

[drbill]

Cody, I searched for the on-line version of the National Geographic article. Yep, that's Bill Ballantine. Good article. I might add some info from it to my second column on marine reserves (results).

FnFalman... nope, just infamous again. And to think I used to drive into Avalon in my jeep back in the early 70's with a pistol on each side of my belt and a rifle for good measure. As the LA County Sheriff who stopped me said "Bill, what you're doing is perfectly legal... but I wish you'd put them away." I had forgotten the pistols were still there.

 

[mislav]

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."

It's fast becoming an issue all over the globe. Good job speaking out, Dr. Bill! Thanks!

 

[drbill]

You're right Mislav... many of the pioneers are from other countries than mine and have led the way. The great thing is that once the results are seen, wise fishers often join in supporting the concept.

 

[White Knight]

I don’t make it to Catalina much, but I do dive the four Northern most Channel Islands a lot. I am also an avid spear fisherman and a rod and reel guy too. It breaks my heart to see the reduction of fish that I have witnessed over the years--diving since 1983. I believe that the issue is over fishing. That said, I am not so much in agreement with "no catch" reserve areas. In my experience, that puts too much pressure on the remaining open areas, encourages too much poaching in the forever-closed areas, and doesn't address the "over fishing" issue. As a game collector, I do not need to be convinced of the destruction of habitat and fish stocks--I witness it every dive I do. For my two cents, I do not support any additional no take zones. I do support limiting the total catch, smaller allowable catch totals, shorter (but staggered) seasons, virtual elimination of commercial fishing, etc. There simply needs to be a better way than completely closing the ocean's floor to fishing altogether.

 

[Red Vette]

This issue brings to mind the sardines and what happened to Monterey because of the overfishing. You would think we could learn from our previous mistakes.

We who enjoy the ocean (those who fish for a living, gamers, as well as us who just blow bubbles) need to address this quickly. We all know that our beautiful resourse is lost quickly.

As usual excellent job Dr. Bill.