Important: MLPA - Speak up now, comment deadline Tues

[PAL]

Make Your Voice Heard on Regulations That Propose to Close Southern California's Marine Waters to Fishing
This May Be Your Last Chance to Comment on MLPA Regulations Before They Are Finalized

Via Keep America Fishing: http://keepamericafishing.salsalabs....ction_KEY=4051

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process, which propose to unnecessarily close much of the state's best coastal waters to sportfishing, is near completion in southern California, but anglers and boaters still have an opportunity to provide input before these regulations are finalized. On October 3, the California Fish and Game Commission opened a 15-day public comment period for revised proposed regulations for the South Coast marine protected areas developed under the MLPA process. Revisions were made because the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL), which must first review and approve the regulations before they go into effect, rejected the regulatory package previously provided by the commission.

The re-noticed regulatory package attempts to clarify and revise several aspects of the commission's decision making per the OAL's request, and makes changes to some of the proposed marine protected area (MPA) boundaries and what activities will be allowed in them. The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans, which represents the interests of California's recreational anglers and boaters in the MLPA process, urges all anglers to provide their thoughts and concerns about the regulations prior to the October 18, deadline. Comments will also be accepted at the October 19 Fish and Game Commission meeting in Monterey, Calif. It is important that anglers respond to the revised MPA regulations since they may significantly affect their ability to access the most productive ocean areas!

For a suggested letter, go here: http://keepamericafishing.salsalabs....ction_KEY=4051

For those familiar with this MLPA, please fire off your own letter directly to the Fish and Game Commission: The deadline is tomorrow, Tues Oct 18.

Background to get you up to speed if you've put this thing out of mind:

In the meantime, here are a few possible topics:

Maps, so you can write about the mess / injustice / safety issue / your term here that will be created in La Jolla, Laguna, Malibu's Pt Dume, and so on: http://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=9...exclusive-maps

Corruption: http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...highlight=mlpa

It's illegal: http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...highlight=mlpa

The MLPA process has been plagued by numerous issues which have not been resolved, including:


The lack of a transparent and open decision making process
Inadequate resources for enforcement and biological monitoring
A process that side-steps a science-based fisheries management approach that clearly identifies the threats to California ’s marine environment

Touted as “ecosystem protection,” the MLPA only targets recreational fishing and its significant economic contributions to California’s economy all the while ignoring the litany of significant threats to California’s oceans, such as sewage outfalls and storm water runoff, agricultural chemicals and other pollutants, ocean acidification, ocean side development and once-through cooling.

The Department of Fish and Game estimates that the MPA regulations will cost California ’s taxpayers $40 million annually for enforcement and biological monitoring – resources that the state simply does not have. With a current deficit of $26 billion, California cannot afford to adopt costly measures that will only work to limit recreational fishing access which provides employment for 20,000 Californians.

How You Can Help

Given the numerous serious concerns surrounding the process, please send a message to the California Fish and Game Commission urging them to suspend the South Coast MLPA implementation.

[mtnbykr2]

let's keep at it, thanks for keepin the info out....done....

[WahooUSMA]

Done

[blitzburgh]

Done

[silverbullet]

Done

[paddle man]

$40 million they say well if it passes we won't need all the DFG wardens because we fisherman are lawabideing so that should save $ the expense should go toward biological reserch on the brains of the monkeys at the mlpa zoo

[RK]

done


F-The Man

[The Kid]

Done. JUST DO IT! The little amount of your time it takes to speak up will make a huge difference.

[wiredantz]

Done!

[sharonkayak]

done...

[Billy V]

Remember this......We can throw a few punches in this fight too, and I dare say it will cut the b@lls off The State, DFG and More.

-Just don't buy a California Fishing License on January 1st. - when these New Closures go into effect.

$43.40 License
4.89 Ocean Enhancement
------------
$48.29 Per Person at a Minimum - Times 2 Million Fishing Licenses

-California Fishing License Statistics Here - 2 Million
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/statistics/

$96,580,000.00 Ninety Six Million Dollars The State Wouldn't Be Getting.
Hit them where it hurts, cut their b@lls off.

I'm done sending my letter, but I'm not done fighting those mudafkrs.

[wade]

OCCUPY MPA.



_

[DanaPT]

Thanks for the post.

[jbm]

Done!

[blitzburgh]

Originally Posted by Billy V

Remember this......We can throw a few punches in this fight too, and I dare say it will cut the b@lls off The State, DFG and More.

-Just don't buy a California Fishing License on January 1st. - when these New Closures go into effect.

$43.40 License
4.89 Ocean Enhancement
------------
$48.29 Per Person at a Minimum - Times 2 Million Fishing Licenses

-California Fishing License Statistics Here - 2 Million
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/statistics/

$96,580,000.00 Ninety Six Million Dollars The State Wouldn't Be Getting.
Hit them where it hurts, cut their b@lls off.

I'm done sending my letter, but I'm not done fighting those mudafkrs.

I'm with Billy on this one. Any way we can get something like this going strong? Ideas?

[Tman]

Done, thanks Paul.

Funny, I was forwarding it to some people, entered email addresses, when it came to typing the words they wanted me to, the words were:

"lystele themselves"

The irony...

Agree with Billy V, maybe do a separate thread and sticky it...

Do not rush out at the beginning of the year and buy a license.
Take your time, only buy it when you need it, wait it out.
I no longer support or respect DFG. Like to see them enforce anything when their manpower and other cutbacks take hold for them. No longer should they expect us to assist them.

[dsafety]

Originally Posted by Tman

.
I no longer support or respect DFG. Like to see them enforce anything when their manpower and other cutbacks take hold for them. No longer should they expect us to assist them.

I think we have to be very careful of is tarring the average game warden with the same brush that should be reserved for use on the political appointees who establish the DFG policies. Virtually every warden that I have spoken to is on our side.

As for the license boycott, I think that it is a great idea to hold off buying the license. Unfortunately, unless a very large number of former license buyers take the year off, I doubt that anyone in a position to make changes would figure out what was going on or get the message.

Bob

[C. Cary]

Painful memories.

Done!

[griffsd06]

Done and thanks for the link/letter etc.!