We're foooooked!

[Kiyo]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Daniel Kramer (916) 941-6102 – dan@kpastrategies.com

Susan Bitar (916) 941-6102 – susan@kpastrategies.com






Schwarzenegger Freezes Funding for MLPA-Related Activities

Due to State Budget Crisis



Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO) Urges Governor to

Closely Examine Potential Impacts on Recreational Fishing


SACRAMENTO, CA, January 22, 2009 – Governor Schwarzenegger’s December 19, 2008 Executive Order (S-16-0, designed to help prevent a state budget shortfall, suspended indefinitely funding for essential Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) oversight initiatives. The budget cuts have created concern among stakeholders that, with a loss of funding, critical scientific and enforcement safeguards in newly created marine protected areas (MPAs) may unnecessarily restrict recreational angling or prohibit it entirely.



Proposed cutbacks related to the MLPA implementation total more than $6,756,000. This does not include work stoppages or potential furloughs or cutbacks within the Department of Fish and Game itself. In response, the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO) recently sent a letter to the governor urging him to consider the impact of such funding restrictions on the effectiveness of the implementation process and the impacts on anglers, boaters and local economies.

The California Department of Finance has released a 161-page, 5,300-item
list of public works projects that will be suspended or delayed indefinitely because of the state's cash crunch which can be found on the following Website:
http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/pmia-laif/pmib-staff/20090116_projects.pdf

“The MLPA is supposed to be a science-based initiative, and with the current budget crisis in California, that will no longer be the case,” said Gordon Robertson , vice president of the American Sportfishing Association and a member of the PSO, a coalition of angling and boating groups. “Without funding, the MPA review process will lack basic enforcement safeguards. In addition, without a scientific basis and required scientific baseline and monitoring data, there cannot be a proper five-year review and a chance for adaptive management, which is clearly prescribed in the statute.”

In order for the MLPA process to work, MPA management requires a scientific baseline, along with continued monitoring and enforcement. Absent such enforcement and scientific monitoring, future scientists will not have the data to analyze the success or failure of a marine protected area, significantly curtailing its utility.



“ California cannot pick and choose which part of the statute to implement,” Robertson continued. “Without scientific monitoring and adequate enforcement, vast areas of the California coast will be closed to public access and public resources. In the end, such piecemeal implementation only costs California more jobs and more economic woes, with coastal communities taking the brunt of the economic hit.”



The PSO has requested a meeting with Governor Schwarzenegger to develop a strategy to ensure the future health of the marine environment without unnecessary restrictions on recreational anglers and boaters. To download a copy of the PSO letter to the governor, go to http://www.keepamericafishing.org/california.asp.



PSO members include the American Sportfishing Association, Berkley Conservation Institute, Coastside Fishing Club, International Game Fish Association, Kayak Fishing Association of California, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Nor-Cal Kayak Anglers, Shimano Sport Fisheries Initiative, Southern California Marine Association and the Sportfishing Association of California.



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_________________
Kiyo

[j mo]

Sweet- Just as I got into yaking, spent a ton of coin on gear with not much to show....

[T-Rex]

We can only hope that the entire freakin MLPA implementation process will be suspended also. It's time to get militant if the State goes forward with closures without reasonable oversight and stakeholder input.

[Billy V]

If the Governor was smart he would suspend the MLPA process entirely until there was proper funding to complete it as the statute requires.

The injunctions and law suits would cost California much more time and money than the MLPA budget.

[1Flatfish]

What does this mean in english?

[T-Rex]

Originally Posted by 1Flatfish

What does this mean in english?

We're foooooked!

[dsafety]

I am far from an expert on this subject but it appears to me that the Governor, (whom I support on many issues), is trying to play hardball with the legislature in order to get them to get off their butts and do something useful. For far too long, many of the decisions that affect all of us have been made in back rooms by politicians who have two primary priorities. First, to get elected, or re-elected. Second, to reward the special interests that help them get elected or re-elected.>>
>>
Since neither of these priorities requires them to give a rat’s ass about the wishes of the general public, we usually end up getting screwed. My guess is that the vast majority of our elected officials have little more than a passing awareness of the MLPA process because none of their fat cat supporters have vested interests.>>
>>
Without a high profile champion to fight for the best and most reasonable solution, the issue will probably end up being settled by an obscure bureaucrat who may never have set foot in the ocean. >>
>>
We are all hopeful that the new kid in Washington will reform the way our Government works so that it actually represents the People for a change. Even if he is successful, it will take a very long time for this new attitude to filter down to the State level and even longer for the petty bureaucrats to be replaced by knowledgeable people who really care about the rest of us.>>
>>
Someone earlier in this thread suggested that the time may come for those of us who will be affected by the decisions made on this issue to become "militant". Normally I am a peaceful person but I can easily imagine myself supporting and probably participating in a rebellion against any decision that takes away my access to the local fishing grounds. >>
>>
My two cents for the day.

Bob

[joyjiggin']

"Rebellion?????" Count me in!!

[bajadog]

Originally Posted by T-Rex

We can only hope that the entire freakin MLPA implementation process will be suspended also. It's time to get militant if the State goes forward with closures without reasonable oversight and stakeholder input.

With our state, and federal lawmakers all on the left of center now,
I doubt the implementation part of the budget gets axed.

[Billy V]

Originally Posted by Billy V

If the Governor was smart he would suspend the MLPA process entirely until there was proper funding to complete it as the statute requires.

The injunctions and law suits would cost California much more time and money than the MLPA budget.

Or finish it up without depriving us of our fishing grounds, and launch sites.
That would seem the best option to me.

[Geoffkoop]

I ride motocross --> deserts are getting closed
I hunt--> hunting areas are getting closed
I fish--> now the ocean is getting closed

Doesnt sound like feedom to me?
I love California but why does it have to be so freaking left!

[Billy V]

The Fun Police are going to shut down the world starting with Kalifornia.

NO Fishing , smoking, drinking, fire pits, No Guns, ammo, diesel trucks, gas vehicles. No Classic Cars.
Definitely NO Motorcycles, dirt bikes, No Hunting, farting, swearing, No Football.

No Surfing, No Talking, No Skateboards, No Sex (or big time restrictions on it).

No Trespassing, No Hamburgers, Steak, or Animal of any kind for Food.
The tight side of Palomar.


Move out of my way. You've just been Passed by a Dirt Bike.


Rant Off.

[Geoffkoop]

Passing a gixxer on an enduro...Love it!

[Drew]

Wearing full leather armor and Timberland's. Love it!

[Billy V]

Originally Posted by Drew

Wearing full leather armor and Timberland's. Love it!

Yes, those are Timberland's Basic.
Only when I'm on one of my SuperMoto bikes, or dual sports. The pavement destroys the soles of the boots and leaves long melted snots of rubber.
Too expensive to wear road racing boots with that riding style.

[PAL]

I wouldn't go so far as to say we're fooked, but the budget situation is something of great concern.

All the press release is saying, is given the state's financial woes, the funding necessary for MLPA related research and MPA enforcement has been either frozen or never budgeted. In light of these developments, the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans, of which the Kayak Fishing Association of California is a member, is asking Governor Schwarzenegger for a meeting to discuss the issue.

The MLPA calls for adaptive management of MPAs. Periodically, the MPAs are monitored to determine if they are serving their intended functions. If not, they can be altered or removed.

Here's the problem. Without baseline data completed prior to adoption, there's no way to determine if new MLPA-created MPAs are effective.

Further, some of the canceled research was meant to help site the new SoCal MPAs required by the law. If it is not resumed, we could be acting less on science and more on guesswork.

New MPAs may have a major impact on the state's sport and commercial fisheries and other related activities, all of which contribute to the state's struggling economy.

There's no money to publicize or enforce the new MPAs. The estimated state-wide cost is no drop in the bucket, it is some $40 million per year, money the state doesn't have. That's a problem; they won't be effective if they aren't properly enforced. Personally, I'm concerned the budget freeze will be used as an excuse to justify MPAs at public access points that have other, readily available enforcement such as lifeguards, state or national park rangers, or docents working for the adjacent aquarium.

I hope the message you'll take from the PSO press release is that your fishing advocates have their eyes on the ball and will act accordingly.

Paul

[Dan]

Thanks again Paul for the clear, concise updates.

[MKNOTT]

I aplaud everyones efforts "especially you paul" at keeping up with whats going on and fighting the closures....

But in the end when alot of our favorite places to fish are closed, we will still find other places to go and catch great fish. It might not be as easy of a launch, it might be a longer paddle, but there are pleanty of fish in the sea and alot of them travel too and from La Jolla. I

MKNOTT

[dsafety]

Originally Posted by PAL

There's no money to publicize or enforce the new MPAs. The estimated state-wide cost is no drop in the bucket, it is some $40 million per year, money the state doesn't have. That's a problem; they won't be effective if they aren't properly enforced. Personally, I'm concerned the budget freeze will be used as an excuse to justify MPAs at public access points that have other, readily available enforcement such as lifeguards, state or national park rangers, or docents working for the adjacent aquarium.


Paul

Paul, please expand on the above thoughts. As a former lifeguard, I can tell you that empowering untrained seasonal staff to enforce poorly thought-out regulations can be a big disaster. The idea that an 18 year old kid with no specific training would be asked to determine and enforce fishery regulations makes me shiver.

Maybe the best solution is to table the entire thing until conditons, both political and economic, have become more stable.

Bob

[Holy Mackerel]

Originally Posted by PAL

I hope the message you'll take from the PSO press release is that your fishing advocates have their eyes on the ball and will act accordingly.

Paul

Thank you Paul, and MJ, not to mention all the people behind the scences! The more I read about this stuff in all of my ocean interest groups, the more I become thankful for people like you on the front lines! Again, thank you very much, this is going to be a TOUGH fight to preserve our fishing rights, and access to the ocean, we are lucky to have these guys step up for us!

chris