Blue Cavern SMCA - F&G Commission action today

[Ken Kurtis]

The F&G Commission today voted unanimously to adopt emergency regulations that will remove the no-anchoring/no-mooring restrictions in the entire Blue Cavern SMCA. At the same time, they also officially re-established the Wrigley Marine Life Refuge, which DOES have a no-anchoring/no-mooring restriction (as it has since 1988). So basically, as far as anchoring is concerned, the area will go back to the way things were prior to January 1. But remember that the entire Blue Cavern SMCA is still no-take.

However . . .

The regulations do not take effect immediately. It'll be about 20 days or so, but the changes should be effective around May 1, in time for Chamber Day.

Also note that these are emergency regulations, so they're only in effect for 180 days. However, the Commission made special note that they will have to approve permanent language for this, which they intend to do within the 180-day period.

- Ken
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Ken Kurtis
Owner, Reef Seekers Dive Co.
Member - Statewide Interests Group, MLPAi
(310) 652-4990
www.reefseekers.com

 

[fnfalman]

So...until then live boating at Blue Cavern?

Cool by me.

 

[jayaspock]

I know I am slow, but in the the words of Denzel Washington from the movie Philadelphia, can you "explain this to me like I am a 6 year old", what does this mean to us divers?

 

[Dive California]

Ken, does that include Bird Rock?

 

[Divebum Don]

This may make it more confusing?

http://www.californiampas.org/pages/regions/southcoast/scpdfs/bluecavernsmca.pdf

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Ken, does that include Bird Rock?

Yes, includes Bird Rock.

For jayaspock . . .

No sense in explaining it to you like you were 6 because you wouldn't be old enough to be certified or to drive a boat so what would be the point? However, I'll give it a go as if talking to an adult.

The current regs, in place since January 1, prohibit any anchoring or mooring in the newly-established Blue Cavern SMCA which runs roughly from Bird Rock eastward to Yellowtail Point. No this doesn't mean no diving, it simply means no anchoring. (On top of that, the entire area is no-take.) But under the new rules, the only way you could dive it would to be live-boat it, which means boat doesn't anchor but drifts, divers jump off, dive, surface, and hopefully get picked up instead of run over. Needless to say, live-boating creates a myriad of safety issues. On top of that, there may be other non-divers in the area who will either be hampered by the dive boats drifting around with engines running or who could also pose a threat to drifting divers.

None of this was the intention when the original regs were written for this. The intent was to leave the Wrigley Marine Life Refuge, contained within the Blue Cavern SMCA, as no-anchor/no-moor, as it has been since it's creation in 1988. But the language got written wrong and instead of applying only to the Wrigley area, it applied to the entire SMCA. Because the area has so many dive sites, and because many of these are used for student training (OW checkout dives), and because live-boating can be fraught with danger which is certainly heightened for students-in-training, what this effectively meant was that it closed off diving access to the entire SMCA.

The actions of the F&G Commission yesterday (1) remove the blanket no-anchor/no-moor langauge for the entire SMCA, (2) re-establishes the Wrigley Marine Life Tefuge, (3) re-establishes no-anchor/no-moor ONLY for the Refuge, and (4) re-establishes that the Wrigley Refuge Director can grant exemptions for scientific purpoises.

Basically, it means, except for the no-take provisions for the entire SMCA, things will go back to the way they were prior to January 1 and boats will once again be able to anchor anywhere in the area EXCEPT within the confines of the Wrigley Reserve, which inclues Big Fisherman's Cove. New revised regs should take effect by May 1.

Does that help???

- Ken

 

[jayaspock]

That helps a lot Thank you Ken!!!

 

[keithbt]

guess im going to get out to blue cavern before may 1st...

 

[Ken Kurtis]

guess im going to get out to blue cavern before may 1st...

Only if you plan to live boat it . . .

Note that what happened last week was the passing the emergency reglation. It does not take effect immediately. They estimated as much as 20 days. If you're anchored in the Blue Cavern SMCA prior to the emergency regs taking effect, you could possibly be cited/fined.

Also, we should be clear that depending on exactly where you are diving Blue Cavern (the dive site, not the SMCA), you may be encroaching upon the Wrigley Reserve, which will remain a non-anchor area.

- Ken

 

[keithbt]

Thank you for the info Ken. Can we dive the Wrigley reserve? as long as we anchor outside...I thought we needed permission? It has to be perfect in there.....