Lobster FMP

[Saba Slayer]

I know it's not a kayak fish report....but this information is important and I wanted to make sure as many people are aware of this meeting as possible...I hate the crying later..."no body told me or emailed me about this!!!"

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 28, 2012

Contact:
Carrie Wilson, DFGCommunications, (831) 649-7191
Mary Patyten, Marine Region, (707) 964-5026

DFG to Hold Public Meetings on Spiny Lobster Fishery Management Plan Process

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will be holding two public meetings to share information about the Spiny Lobster Fishery Management Plan (FMP) process. The meetings, which will be held in Oxnard and Carlsbad, will provide the public and interested organizations with an opportunity to learn more about DFG's plans to develop a comprehensive Spiny Lobster FMP.

The public feedback from these meetings will help inform the Spiny Lobster FMP process and aid in the plans development.

"The spiny lobster is a prime candidate for an FMP," said Senior Biologist Kristine Barsky, who will coordinate the FMP process. Barsky has worked predominantly with invertebrate species such as lobster during her 37 years with DFG's Marine Region.

The Spiny Lobster FMP is being developed in accordance with the Marine Life Management Act of 1998, as the spiny lobster supports important commercial and recreational fisheries and plays a key role in the Southern California kelp forest ecosystem.

"DFG is committed to making this process transparent, objective and accessible to all, with the goal of completing an adaptable FMP that will ensure a sustainable lobster resource and healthy fisheries," said Barsky.

The agenda is identical for both public meetings so interested parties need only attend one meeting. Members of the public can provide comments in person at either of the following locations and times:

Oxnard: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Open house begins at 6 p.m.
Public meeting will be held from 6:30-9 p.m.
Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center
Ventura Room
800 Hobson Way
Oxnard, CA 93030
www.oxnardpacc.com/directions.html

Carlsbad: Thursday, April 19, 2012
Open house begins at 6 p.m.
Public meeting will be held from6:30-9 p.m.
Grand Pacific Palisades Hotel
Grand Ballroom
5805 Armada Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
www.grandpacificpalisades.com/map-directions

Written comments may also be submitted after the meetings, either by e-mail through the Lobster FMP website (www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/lobsterfmp/) or by regular mail to:

Department of Fish and Game
Attn: Lobster FMP
1933 Cliff Drive, Suite 9
Santa Barbara, CA 93109

For more information about these meetings, the Spiny Lobster FMP process or to be added to the list server, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/lobsterfmp/.

Individuals who cannot receive e-mail may sign up to receive the Lobster FMP news notices via mail. Please contact Rosalyn McFarland at (805) 568-1231 to provide your mailing address.

If you are interested in the resource, please plan on attending one of the meetings and speak up about your concerns or plans for the future of our Lobster resource.
I'll be at the Oxnard meeting and Joe Exline will be at the Carlsbad meeting. The DFG plans on having "stations" (tables manned by various individuals)
at the meeting to represent the various stakeholders. I'll be there to look out for and represent our recreational Hoop Netters. Any creative input or concerns would be help
ful before the meeting
Jim / Saba Slayer

[Baja_Traveler]

"making this process transparent, objective and accessible to all"

That is the exact terminology they used for the MLPA's...

[Saba Slayer]

WEll?
Do you work with them or do we sit on our hands and wait for the axe to fall?
I'm going to use the same approach we used with the MPA in the Palos Verdes/Redondo area...Be Proactive...We worked together and kept the Redondo Canyon and the West side of PV open, thru our hard work and diligence...I'm not going to crawl under a rock and let them make all the decisions.
You can "bitch and moan" like a little Pussy or you can be a part of the process...it's up to you!
Man-up and speak your mind!
Very creative and constructive comment Baja Traveler! Thanks for the input!
See you at the meeting?
Jim / Saba Slayer

[slayersmith]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

WEll?
You can "bitch and moan" like a little Pussy or you can be a part of the process...it's up to you!
Man-up and speak your mind!
Very creative and constructive comment Baja Traveler! Thanks for the input!
See you at the meeting?
Jim / Saba Slayer

Classic! JIM

Car pool to Oxnard? Let me know.

Aaron

[Baja_Traveler]

Geez! A little wound up aern't we Jim? Better switch to decaf...

I'll be at the Carlsbad meeting, and I will speak my mind - just like I did at the MLPA open meetings. Then, later this year they will make it all closed doors just like last time and do whatever the hell they please...

[William Novotny]

Popcorns in the microwave........

[Saba Slayer]

Joe Exline will be at the Carlsbad meeting and he posted this on BD in response to my post...
Thanks Jim I will be at the Carlsbad meeting and just as you stated there are no immediate plans for regulation changes as the stock assessment on lobsters does look good. There will be the opportunity during the meeting to make comments and ask questions about the FMP. Now is the time to voice your concerns about the future of the fishery, ask questions about the process and expected goals/product, and get invoved. I have asked the Department to make these meetings more interactive than the MLPA and Commission meetings normally are and to try to answer questions posed by the public rather than just listening to comments with no reaction as is generally the case. If you cannot attend either of the meetings feel free to post your questions/comments here or send Jim or I a PM and we will try to get back with an answer after the meeting.
Jim / Saba Slayer

[Tman]

Aw gee, another one of these...

Unfortunately it will never be over, just gotta do our best and hope we can at the very least get more unbiased and that, since their initial plan was somewhat foiled, we will truly have a "transparent, objective and accessible to all" process not swayed by political favors (and $)

Hopefully it will be about increasing the population in ways such as, oh, maybe earmarking funds from the newly created lobster cards (twice annually, instead of seasonal) designated for a hatchery program to increase their numbers (think WSB; it has been done, I have seen it), increasing underwater structures for ideal habitat, and of course, more DFG presence.

I'll be at the Cbad meeting, will try to wrangle up some stragglers...

[Matt]

Just like Baja traveller said....I've seen it and heard it all before... Fuck the DFG! I remember the questionnaire they posed asking "where do you fish?" next thing I know southern Blacks Beach got shut down to "bait making only" (thank eb and certain others for at least fighting to let people make bait). I'm not saying I won't go to the Carlsbad meeting but it all feels very reminiscent of the original Mlpa meetings up in Oxnard....hopefully I'll be proven wrong in my distrust of the dfg although I'm skeptical at best......

[jimbo]

If I give those who brought this to the table the benefit of doubt and try to see from their perspective, here's my question ... what is the rationale for this?
We already have a system w/ a size limit that allows breeding. Too much pressure means less legals taken. They're not killed from bario-trauma or release. Compared to fishing - the limit is enforced like crazy. DFG agents have major hard on for checking your boat inside and out during lobster season. People are WAY more careful about not violating lobster laws. And anyone who has gone hooping in the last 5 years knows there are tons of shorts in the areas you would expect bugs. Factors like water temp on bottom of the column and dinophlagylites (sp??) that could be toxic to crustaceans don't need to be discussed at public forums. Uninformed idiots like myself would just be adding more noise to the equation and detracting from efforts to help out the little buggers. Without a logical and clear rationale for the process, I'm hugely skeptical. And I think we have good reason to be.

[jimbo]

and, oh yeah, last time I heard, the state of CA didn't have money to waste on things like this. If the fishery has good stock and the system is working...this is money that could be spent on hatchery or other more productive things. Unless, the real motive is to....

[dos ballenas]

The DFG has done a lot of good things for fishing.... so have fisheries managment plans.

I have never met a bad DFG agent. They are not the ones we should be skeptical about IMO.

There are plenty of lobster poachers despite the strict regulation of the fishery... open your eyes!

[jimbo]

never said DFG nor their officers were bad. i was giving them compliment that they enforce lobster limits vigorously. i think they are middlemen/pawn (at least was my take in mlpa). i don't think they drove mlpa or will be driving force in this process. if i'm wrong, i sincerely want to know - like i said, what is the rationale? i'm skeptical of the necessity of this process.

also never said that there wasn't poaching of lobsters or other species. but that seems like a totally different discussion that doesn't need to be done in public forums with input from all. it's pretty clear - don't do it. i don't think we need a public forum for that, do we? enforcement strategies already amped up this year with cards. i'm all for them doing what they need to do to enforce and i'm always glad to let them go thru my yak/boat/car gear etc.

[lowprofile]

i don't mind larger size limits (to an extent) or smaller bag limits. but if this turns into closing more of our grounds, even though im not an avid lobster fisher/trapper), I'm all for a trip to Oxnard or wherever the meetings will be held when the time comes.

[Saba Slayer]

After the beating we took on the MLPA closures who can trust the DFG Commission and all...For this reason, I feel it's important to be ever vigilant and watch over the process as much as we can.
I say it's not all doom and gloom because DFG has already concluded 3 FMP's that effect us and we're still able to fish, although the "ENDANGERED" Bocassio was part of the Nearshore rockfish FMP.
You may not know it, but, an FMP has already been in effect for WSB and Market Squid, in addition to the nearshore FMP...and the WSB fishing hasn't been shut down or adversely effected.
So let your paranoia go and get involved.
The "Sky is Not Falling" Chicken Little...
Jim / Saba Slayer