Emergency Post

[socaldiver]

I was reading the California Diving News today and came across this website that shows the maps as well as their proposals

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mlpa/index.html

I have been trying to research more but have not been able to come up with additional information yet. I know they were holding "town" meetings in August in various locations but I have not heard the results.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Yeppers... here are the Maps!

Read it and weep! :livid:

 

[large_diver]

There appears to be a lot of loose language in this thing --I guess that's the idea, so fish and game officials can close areas they deem threatened.

Do you really expect them to close most of the coast of California? I'm trying to weed through the alarmist reactions to understand what will happen if the thing is put into action.

If it's as bad as you say -- Gary Condit must be behind it.....;-)

 

[joewr]

I read much of the information in the URL you posted and have some questions.

I must confess that I never heard of an MPLA before this. However, as I read the info you ferreted out, I saw fishing and invertabrate harvesting restrictions. I saw no restrictions of surfing, wading, scuba diving or other such activities. So, my assumption is that this will mostly affect spear fishing and sport fishing. Is that a correct interpretation? If not, please point me in the right direction.

As I read the material I "discovered" that such areas already exist up and down the state. Since I do not dive in California, I guess my ignorance can be excused? From what I read there will not be a general prohibition against spearfishing, but very specific restrictions. It appears that Southern California already has restrictions. For example, Point Cabrillo reserve cannot be "fished" for "all recreational species; all commercial inverts except lobster, sea cucumber and crab," It can be "fished" for "commercial fish, commercial lobster, commercial crab,commercial sea cucumber, commercial kelp (except bull kelp)". Is that the way you read it?

Do people dive at Point Cabrillo now? Please pardon the ignorance again. Do they spearfish there? If so, I think that is the "model" that is being proposed.

I am not sure I have my arms around this...a hard copy is easier to read than a CRT copy. I am getting ready to go on a trip and will be away from computers, etc for a month. So I am not sure how much help I can be. Someone has to study the details of this and really understand it thoroughly in terms of what is now in place and what is proposed. I am far from that now.

If you have a hard copy, can you tell me where you got it? I'd like to help, but the timing is damn bad for me....

Joewr

 

[socaldiver]

There are sections up and down the coast already set as "parks" and "reserves". The part that is alarming but very vague at this time from the MLPA is the language used that not only will it prevent commercial fishing, but also recreational fishing, swimming, diving, etc. If I read the proposal right it could ban these water sports in the reserves, period. It could also restrict these sports in the parks as well. Now, understand I am not a lawyer or a graduate of some higher education uni so, I would need to let the highly educated decipher the lingo.

It does bother me though, mainly because they are proposing areas around Catalina that I personally frequent. I DO NOT hunt though, I primarily just shoot pics (with the exception when lobster season is open).


LD, the one thing about here in Ca is the environmentalists have very strong lobbyists to help sway the voting. Yes, it is a serious matter and critical that as divers we hopefully will get our day to speak out about the proposal. California diving "rules" (if you are into water dives)
:cold:

 

[joewr]

Okay, folks, I am plowing through this and trying not to wait on my printer to make a hard copy. Sorry to take so long to get back to you. But now I see the the "devil" in the details! And that "devil" is in the "Simplified Classification System".

The "Simplified Classification System" outlines different kinds of areas. Each has a specific purpose and can be managed with differing restrictions. I still do not have my arms around all of this, but a "State Marine Reserve" seems to be the most restrictive--I am not sure yet, though--it may have its "access and use(such as walking, swimming, boating and diving)...restricted to protect marine resources." Okay, that is very powerful language!

This is a very complex document and it would take me several days to truly digest it. There are some aspects that are very interesting. For example, the mailings that went out. Who, among, the diving community received one of the mailings? Dive shops, dive clubs, dive boats? What about the commercial fishing industry? If the mailings were not sent, does that weaken the attempt?

Has anybody tried to talk to an Assemblyman? It looks like this is already law: AB 993 apparently passed in 1999 and set the stage for the language in sections 2850-2863 of the Fish and Game Code. If that is true, the cow is out of the barn--and the best to be hoped for is corraling her. But I am not sure.

This needs much more thorough study and understanding of the historical background than the few hours I have given it. I wish I could help more, but Sunday is fast approaching for me!

However, they have rescheduled the public meetings and that may be a hint that there is opposition. A lot more knowledge is needed and I feel helpless right now.

Joewr.......

 

[scubalover]

If it is anything like Point Lobos a few years back, the areas shouldn't be closed for divers. It may have changed since I lived in Monterey, but the way the protected areas worked in that area, was they limited the number of divers in the water at the same time. Of course there was no fishing allowed inside the protected areas. I had no problem with that because it protects the area for the future.

 

[striking viking]

I don't know if this will help, but try
http://www.lawsource.com From what I understand, any law that is being considered will be here.

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

First since i'm a vegan i'll take the 'tree hugging' as a compliment.

Second in responce to the secions so what, it's no different than what's done in in the gulf of mexico, the florida keys, in hawaii and now in california. This doesn't mean that diving's over just means you have some restrictions in place to help retard the shrinking numbers of wildlife stock.

Also if you note the sensitive coral growth around the us it is suffering greatly (for the notes see that group of scientist that monitor the diseases among coral)

Besides whatever happened to the "look but don't touch" and the "take nothing but photo's, leave nothing but bubbles" approach?

Ed

 

[JustAddWater]

Do we know the specific people or groups that are promoting or supporting this? At least we would be able to have some dialogue to find out the contents of their plan.