Why Do Some Feel Entitled to 100% (MLPA)?

[jridg]

drbill,

It seems as though most of your responses have been positive. Personally I find that outstanding. As previously stated, we need to stand up and make ourselves heard. The anglers and spearos make a lot of noise, perhaps we need to do the same for the other side.

If we don't manage what we have left responsibly, we won't have anything to manage.....

 

[drbill]

Thanks all. This message was posted by a dive friend on another board. Although I had a few somewhat derogatory follow-ups that were misleading as to my intent, I also had feedback from one of the most respected kelp researchers in the world who applauded my stance. That individual had to stop speaking out in favor of marine reserves and managing our marine species properly due to threats from anglers. One even spit on him. Those are the kind of people that give the good anglers and spearos a bad name, and keep a number of marine reserve supporters from attending meetings where these people seem to take a dominant role.

 

[textilet]

I did some shore diving with my brother in Laguna this weekend. We found a reef we hadn't discovered before--looooong surface kick--and were standing on the beach after our dive excitedly talking it over when two big party fishing boats pulled up directly over our "new" reef. Each one had 30 or 40 odd lines in the water within minutes. We watched shaking our heads as they sat there, about 100 feet apart, pulling fish off the reef for the next 45 minutes. I understand that the people on those boats aren't evil, but man, that pissed me off. My bro and I both have fished with hand spears in other places at other times but neither of us would have any problem with putting big chunks of the SoCal coast off limits to fishing of any sort. Once you've been underwater at some of the channel islands then come back to the coast, you can't help but mourn the absence of living things. If the fish were allowed to recover, maybe the guys running the fishing boats could eventually charge to take divers out to these spots. At anyrate, I personally won't be taking any more fish from the water--whether its legal or not.

 

[DwayneJ]

You have to check out some of the fishing websites to get some insight into the "fishing mentality" -

Fishing Forums - Boating - Reports - Bloodydecks.com

 

[drbill]

Some of it seems pretty sick, but I have little problem with those who fish for food and do not need to take the biggest fish out there (which often have the highest reproductive potential AND in some species don't taste near as good as the tender young 'uns).

 

[DwayneJ]

I absolutely agree with you Dr. Just in advertising and sponsored events, there is a lot of money behind this to keep the status quo. I have not seen GM advertising on this website.

 

[jridg]

I think the point here is responsible management of the resource. In the Northeast, they hunt deer - they specify a certain number of tags and hunters don't always get to hunt as much as they want - on the plus side, they keep the deer population in check. It's a well managed area for that one item. Now we move the the ocean waters and find that irresponsible fishing practices are rampant around the world. Poor resource management has the European fish stocks severely depleted.

Now I realize we don't necessarily want to dive where deep water fishing occurs, but the point is the same - the areas we want to make no take zones are areas that some of these species come to reproduce. The fisherman sometimes act like fish never move from place to place. Having a solid network of no-take areas will go a long way to helping the recovery of our waters.

Too many people only think about 'right now' that they are entitled to do what they want. This entitlement mentality is rampant in socal - just drive on the freeway and you will know what I mean. It's an uphill fight for sure - I only hope the voice of reason is heard.

 

[on_two_wheels]

Dr. Bill....out on the island have you noticed a change in fishing habits in the last few years? I know the green movement has expanded to the fishing world so catch and release is growing in popularity. Certainly a step in the right direction. Possibly even a possible solution. You could have protected zones (zero fishing), open areas (fishing/hunting) and catch/release zones. That would provide more protected areas but preserve some numbers.

 

[White Knight]

As I was loading my dive gear into my boat as part of my predive routine, I noticed a commerical boat loading his catch into a truck parked on the ramp (Santa Barbara Harbor). He had been catching rock crab. By the time they were done loading the truck with his rock crab, my buddy and I each looked at one another and said, "This guy has just caught more rock crab than all the sportsmen in California combined for their lifetimes!" Closing of the ocean to sportsmen is unfair and stupid. Sportsmen are not the problem. Can we try restricting the catch "before" we close the oceans down? Please? Can we just give it a shot first? Please? As far as the 30% of the ocean, that is a misstatement as well, at least if you consider the productive reefs available. As far as I have been able to research, the suggestion is to shut down "all" productive reef areas. Not one blade of kelp would be left outside of a off limit zone--at least along the coastline in Santa Barbara county. I am not going to spit in anyone's face, but I will not back down for the truth just the same.

 

[drbill]

White.Knight... agree that with a number of targeted species, the commercials take far more than the recreational catch. However, this is not true for a number of species where the recreational catch is higher than the commercial.

No one is "closing the oceans," only a relatively small portion of them (less than 30%). That is neither unfair or stupid. In fact it is long over due.

The State has had fishing restrictions for at least a century, and it is obvious these have NOT worked. It has been given "a shot." Just read the accounts of fishing a century or even 60 years ago. We do NOT have sustainable fisheries in the State for the most part.

Anglers have had largely "unrestricted" access in terms of fishing anywhere. Catch and size limits have not worked for most species. Indeed catch limits protecting only the smaller fish which do not usually contribute as much to the reproductive potential of the species is NOT a good strategy. One needs slot limits where fish over a certain size are allowed to remain and contribute to the creation of more fish in the future.

I think you need to check your facts. "Not one blade of kelp would be left outside of a [sic] off limit zone?" Absolutely untrue.