Email Campaign for MAP 2!!

[Holy Mackerel]

Email Campaign for MAP 2!!

The short of it...

Anti-Fishing groups have sent thousands of emails to the BRTF for map 3. We need to match them.

*****Time is limited, BRTF meets on 11/10/09 to decide our fate.

Please email

SUBJECT LINE: "South Coast comment for BRTF."

Along with MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov

Please CC: Kayaker4prop2@gmail.com

Tell them you support Map 2. You can use your own words.

This is a simple email I put together for friends, co-workers, family.

Hi Blue Ribbon Task Force,

I am writting in support of Map 2 with regards to La Jolla, CA. Map 2 has the most cross interest support, and buy in of consumptive fishermen. It meets the science guidelines, and leaves safe access for Kayak Fishermen, and shoreline spearfishermen. These two groups have invested a lot of time at these meetings. Please support Map 2.

Thank you,

YOUR NAME
ADDRESS

The long of it! read below!

General letter targets will be announced shortly.

1. Support Prop 2 for San Diego, where it meets all science guidelines and lessens economic impact. Captures the rare deep water rock and pinnacles at Del Mar. Other proposals fall short of SAT guidelines because they do not.

2. If the task force closes south La Jolla, enlarges the existing reserve and grows the SMCA proposed for the pier all the way up to Torrey Pines (BOOKENDS), there will be many negative impacts:

- Compaction will cause a threat to public safety. We'll have to share a tiny area with sportboats, private boats, commercial boats, free divers and kayakers. People will get hurt, most likely a free diver or kayaker.

- Small changes make big differences for kayak anglers. The paddle out from the Shores would go from 1/2 a mile to roughly 2/3 and take out roughly 20% of the east-west extent of the north kelp line. Novices would be pushed out from the shelter of Pt La Jolla out to more open water.

- The existing Scripps MPA boundaries are well known. The new bouys are well maintained and not prone to drifting. Boundary signs with maps are numerous.

- The bait-only SMCA proposed for the pier and north is not needed to meet science guidelines. The habitats that would be protected are represented elsewhere in the study region. It would have a big impact on the local surf-casting community, who would have virtually no fishable sandy beaches the length of La Jolla.

More local info!



Guys and gals,

November 10 is when the BRTF will convene to make their final decision and finish up the work they deferred from their Oct. 21-23 meeting. Between now and Nov. 5th, letters and faxes need to be sent.

We need to put down the hammer on our letter writing and faxing.

The other side brags that there are thousands of emails supporting Proposal 3, and only a handful supporting proposal 1 and 2. I have a hard time believing that there are more Prop 3 supporters than Prop 2 supporters, but the email process is out of our view.

We can only verify what we see.

We need to counter this because that's not representative of the public and unless the BRTF recognizes this, we are screwed by the financially-powerful private interests.

I don't have trust (call me cynical) that ALL our pro-group 2 emails will be accurately counted. So I want to independently verify the number of emails that we sent to the BRTF, just to make sure the process of collecting those emails is forwarding them all to the BRTF.

Call me skeptical but there is NO effing way, looking at the previous meeting statistics, that the pro-Group 3 people can have more people than we do. No effing way looking at the huge majority of black shirts in each meeting.

Some thing is wrong and it's skewing the BRTF's perception of public support. May be nothing is wrong but I'm not trusting the numbers. And I just want to make sure all our emails are accounted for.

1) We have established an email box for kayakers to email your letter to Kayaker4prop2@gmail.com IN ADDITION (PARALLEL--CC us) to your emailing it to MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov. This will be the collection point and verification of the number of emails spearos have sent. We'll do the same thing for other communities.

Please email to both MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov and Kayaker4prop2@gmail.com, Subject line "South Coast comment for BRTF."

I will run a running tally of the numbers, compare it with the official numbers they claim they receive, and make sure that no funny stuff goes on, and make sure that consumptive emails for Prop 2 are not undercounted. But unless you also send the email to our independent verification email box (diver4prop2@gmail.com), we can't argue when we feel the numbers are not right.

Here are the possible arguments when you guys do your letters.

For San Diego (the area I know):

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

1. Support Prop 2 for San Diego, where it meets all science guidelines and lessens economic impact. Captures the rare deep water rock and pinnacles at Del Mar. Other proposals fall short of SAT guidelines because they do not.

2. Argue strenuously against the closure of South La Jolla. If the task force closes south La Jolla, enlarges the existing reserve and grows the SMCA proposed for the pier all the way up to Torrey Pines (BOOKENDS), there will be many negative impacts:

- Compaction will cause a huge threat to public safety. We'll have to share a tiny area with sportboats, private boats, commercial boats, free divers and kayakers. People will get hurt, most likely a free diver or kayaker.


- South La Jolla is critically important to local commercial lobster and urchin and to the sportboat landings in Mission Bay. Remember, in years the current runs predominately uphill, south La Jolla grows in importance to us too. Besides, north Pt Loma is more suitable as it offers the most persistent kelp forest in Southern California. When there's no kelp in LJ, its still hanging on at north Pt Loma. The economic and access hits are much lighter.


STAY TUNED

[tylerdurden]

Bump.

Guys, please cc or bcc Kayaker4prop2@gmail.com

I know it sounds big brotherish, but these comments are public comments to the BRTF. they will be made public anyways on the MLPA site. This is so we can get an idea of how many people are commenting, and more important so we know who has commented and who has not. We need to hold each other accountable here.

Saying you sent in a letter is way different than actually doing it.

I haven't sent my BRTF letter in yet. Still working on the details of it. I will make sure it is counted though.

[zenspearo]

Originally Posted by tylerdurden

Bump.

Guys, please cc or bcc Kayaker4prop2@gmail.com

I know it sounds big brotherish, but these comments are public comments to the BRTF. they will be made public anyways on the MLPA site. This is so we can get an idea of how many people are commenting, and more important so we know who has commented and who has not. We need to hold each other accountable here.

Saying you sent in a letter is way different than actually doing it.

I haven't sent my BRTF letter in yet. Still working on the details of it. I will make sure it is counted though.

Also, our community need to have visibility on how many we sent in. I'm dubious of the current claim (given the huge number of fishermen who care and show up) that there are vastly more group 3 people writing in. We need evidence that we (group 2 supporters) sent in way more emails than they claim we did.

Most of the group 3 supporters are kids, for god's sake!

Keep CC'ing it to Kayaker4prop2@gmail.com everyone!

[Holy Mackerel]

Guys/Gals,

My generic message I wrote above is for your friends, co-workers, and family.... please see the guidelines, and write your own message! If you are short on time, then at least send that one!

Thank you!

don't forget to cc or bcc Kayaker4prop2@gmail.com

[Tman]

So all that fish may understand...

For those that may have attended some of the meetings and the whole process seemed overwhelming, and to those who have not attended but paid close attention, and the process still seemed overwhelming...this is not a time to think that some of the people who are keeping you informed are going overboard, or a bit paranoid...

It is real.

My son and I have attended numerous meetings, and we have witnessed the game playing going on...from accusing us of wearing black shirts as intimidation, only to see them hand out shirts in blue at the next meetings, to bringing in school kids who are clueless about the process and instructing them on what to say.

There are so many people that are clueless to what is actually happening, it is funny how it is supposed to be a process with "extensive public input" yet the public is completely unaware.

I suggest you look at your email database, send all of your contacts a short letter with a link, and encourage them to respond before it becomes too late. Then have them do the same.

Will closures happen in a year or two? Who knows...but remember the old adage..."Give somebody an inch, and they will take a mile."

That is exactly what they plan to do.

Too many people have invested their time, their sick days, their vacation days, and countless frustrating hours to preserve your fishing rights...

DO NOT let them down when they need you the most.

[FISHIONADO]

Too many of you have done nothing. This forum has 2,871 members registered.

It would be a shame if we get outnumbered and outplayed because too many kayak fishermen and fisherwomen couldn't take the time to send an email. While I disagree with the Map 3 folks, I have to admire their tactics. Busing in hundreds of middle school children to fill half the Long Beach meeting with Map 3 t-shirts was brilliant. Disingenuous, but brilliant. Those same kids that are typically not familiar with the issues might be writing letters and emails. The pro Map 3 groups are leveraging their resources. Send an email and encourage your friends.

Here's mine if you want to borrow any part of it.

To: MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov
Subject: South Coast comment for BRTF
Cc: Kayaker4prop2@gmail.com

Dear Members of the Blue Ribbon Task Force,

I am writing in support of Map 2. I believe it has the appropriate balance of conservation and consumption, and it meets all of the science guidelines. The other proposals fall short of SAT guidelines (deep water rock and pinnacles at Del Mar) yet have a big impact on San Diego’s heritage of recreational fishing and it’s local fishing related economy. Map 2 has the most cross interest support, and the buy-in of consumptive fishermen. San Diego’s fishing community has a history of actively supporting conservation issues and enthusiastically following DFG regulations to manage the species. La Jolla is especially important to kayak anglers with it’s protected launch, and kayak anglers are environmentally friendly using human powered vessels. Please support Map 2 for the Southern California MLPA process.

Thank you,

Your Name
Address
Phone Number

[dmrides]

I just sent my letter and sent a request to everyone in my address book that has either enjoyed my stories or the fish I shared with them to do the same. Hopefully this will generate quite a few responses.

[Holy Mackerel]

Thanks, keep those emails coming!

[Holy Mackerel]

Just a heads up, written comment after Nov. 4th noon, will be given to the BRTF the DAY OF!!!

Let's get our message to them, before then!

Public Comment: Written public comment will be accepted by the task force through the day of the meeting. Comments received by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 will be distributed to the task force in advance of the meeting. All comments submitted after 12:00 noon on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 will be distributed to task force members on the day of the meeting.

[bender0240]

Sent mine. Now on to get everyone I know send a generic one.

[JPSURF]

Done!!!!




JP

[Tman]

Email sent....feel free to use...

Especially if your son has the same name....



Dear Members of the Blue Ribbon Task Force,

I am writing in support of Map 2, WG2, Option 4. I believe it has the appropriate balance of conservation and consumption, and it meets all of the science guidelines. The other proposals fall short of SAT guidelines (deep water rock and pinnacles at Del Mar) yet have a big impact on San Diego’s heritage of recreational fishing and it’s local fishing related economy. WG2 option 4 has the most cross interest support, and the buy-in of consumptive fishermen.
San Diego’s fishing community has a history of actively supporting conservation issues and enthusiastically following DFG regulations to manage the species. Many of us have not only been fishing our entire lives, but are passing it on to our children, and by doing that, we are teaching them to be conservatives and respect not only the ocean, but it's creatures as well. With the various programs geared towards our youth, such as Take a Kd Fishing, Friends of Rollo, it is easy so see why preserving fishing for our children should be a high priority, and fishing people know that; we practice catch and release, we don't keep undersized fish, and we abide by the regulations put in place to allow for a sustainable fishery.
WG2 option 4 is best all around for not only the reasons above, but for safety issues as well. Safe access, easy launches, these are all very important for fishers, kayakers, and spearfishers. It is vital that areas such as these remain open as they are in close proximity to life guard locations, should help be needed.
I have a 9 year old son, Clay, who has attended numerous MLPA meetings. Would you take away a favorite fishing spot of your child and expect him/her to paddle out 3 miles to do something they love to do? Of course not. I think the last thing we need to see or hear about is a kayaker or fisherman missing or encounter bad weather all because they were forced to fish beyond 3 miles.
La Jolla is especially important to kayak anglers with it’s protected launch, close proximity to life guard stations, and close enough to land should the weather take a turn for the worse, which we all know can and often does happen.
Kayak anglers are environmentally friendly using human powered vessels. We don't have props that can damage kelp. We have no use for oil or gasoline, so you can be assured we are not polluting our oceans. We don't litter the ocean, in fact we are known to pick up trash, since we are so close to waters' edge. We don't harass sea creatures because essentially we are on the same playing field as them. We understand this, we are out there to not only fish and feed our family, but to interact with nature, the environment, and our love for the ocean. A bonus is that we are being physically active in a safe environment, without doing any damage to that same environment we cherish.
We don't go out to fish to feed the entire neighborhood, just our family. We don't fill our kayaks with fish, we probably take home less fish than any other groups besides spearfishers.

Please support WG 2 for the Southern California MLPA process.

Thank you,