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.