Manhatten Beach Pier and the DFG

[Saba Slayer]

Manhattan Beach Pier and the DFG

I was at the DFG Marine Resources meeting in San Diego today to listen to the latest report from the Department on the Lobster FMP.
A report from the head of enforcement was one of the first items on the agenda. He talked about the Manhattan Beach pier and the Great White Shark bite incident.
Both Commissioners Sutton and Kellogg were there and they had some choice comments on the affair.
Here are a few of my attempts at quoting them…the quotes may not be exact but they are pretty close…I made notes as fast as I could write.
The head of enforcement said that the city didn’t have the right to regulate the type of line, weight capacity of line, or size of hooks. Regulating the method of take or type of gear is not within their scope of legality.
Zonke (the Commission Executive Director) said… “ they are stepping on the State’s authority and the State Constitution.”
Sutton said…”not a damn thing to do with fishing but a social issue…I will be very hostile on racial and social issues…Manhattan Beach doesn’t like it and I don’t care…”
They then went on to talk about how they feel the city would like to shut down fishing on the pier in-order to get rid of the inner city element that comes down there to take advantage of the no license needed pier. Sutton said that it was “the camel poking his nose under the tent”…and the shutdown of the Manhatten Pier would be followed by a domino effect. They implied that they would do all they could, to prevent any fishing shutdown on that pier or any other.
Sara from “Heal the Bay” suggested that the commissioners should draft a letter at tomorrows full DFG Commission meeting in SD and send it to the MB city council before their upcoming meeting on the 12th.
Enforcement said that chumming and fish cleaning can be controlled by the city and that swimming is not allowed within a certain distance from the pier but that regulation was not being enforced by the city. He also said “the city needs to work with the DFW rather than criticize their investigation of the incident.”
Lastly they said that the State Lands Commission holds the lease to the pier and will not allow any more than the current 60 day fishing closure to occur.
Quite interesting to see them all react as they did…I enjoyed the show.
Jim / Saba Slayer