Email Campaign for MAP 2!!

[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,