New CA Marine reserves --> SCUBA off limits?

[calwolf]

I was wondering if anyone else had heard about the newly proposed marine reserves along the California coast... if I understand the article I read correctly (see the map that goes with it, link below), some popular dive spots may be designated off limits for conservation purposes... like Point Lobos, etc.

I'm a biologist, and all in favor of conservation (there are definitely places in CA people shouldn't harvest rockfish, etc), but I don't see scuba diving as having that strong a negative impact as long as "no take" regulations are in place (in CA, that is... some tropical coral reefs are definitely harmed by careless divers).

See the article at:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/16/BAG3FKJDJS1.DTL

Thanks for comments.

--Jesse W.

 

[dlndavid]

I hope it stays just a proposal.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

The Chronichuckle got it wrong.

I've sat through a lot of MLPA meetings, and there's never been any serious discussion
of banning diving. There have been a few fishermen saying "divers scare the fish", but
Clinton Bauder got some great video of me a while back that disproves that (I'm
the biggest blue rockfish in the school.)

The existing no-dive area in Pt. Lobos will stay no-dive. That's a Parks and Rec rule,
not a DFG rule. The no-dive Big Creek reserve is unclear, but I'd guess that it will stay
no dive. All the other reserves that are interesting to divers state that one of the
purposes of the reserve is to "enhance the recreational diving experience". Can't do
that if the reserve is closed to diving, can they?