Ocean Zone News Blog

Casey Allen/For the Times-Standard

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) was established in California in 1999. The MLPA by law will create Marine Protected Areas (MPA) that in theory will protect breeding populations of bottom fish and other sea creatures.

The idea is these fish-generating areas will provide enough fish outside the MPAs for fishermen to catch while at the same time protect the resource for future generations. There will be three levels of restrictions assigned to MPAs — no human access, research access only, and limited recreational access.

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 12,
From the Eureka Times Standard:

The state and its program to rope off or curtail the use of wide stretches of coastal waters is finding itself in increasingly rough seas as it moves north.

Those who fear the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative has overstepped its bounds to the hazard of fishermen and other gatherers have, as the program has moved from region to region, been called “a vocal minority.” The state secretary of resources, Mike Chrisman, has called them, “Those few who seem opposed.”

Examiner.com

The fishing industry is harvesting too many fish from the ocean.Without intervention the oceans will lose the ability to support biodiversity essential to survival, the fishing industry will colapse, and millions will suffer and die. The documentary The End of the Line (see trailer below), narrated by Ted Danson convincingly presents the problem and an essential component of the solution. More and more people are competing for fewer fish. The Oceans must have Marine reserves, perhaps a third of the worlds oceans should be a no-fish zone.

In the Discussion  Forum of this Interactive Public Docket, CRE has posted two papers related to OCS development for public comment, see

http://www.thecre.com/zoning-forum/

http://www.thecre.com/zoning-forum/?p=113

http://www.thecre.com/zoning-forum/?p=90

Laguna Independent

As state wildlife officials move closer to finalizing a Southern California coastal protection plan, enforcement has emerged as a significant issue in the debate.

The various constituents involved in shaping the boundaries of marine protected areas agree enforcement resources are woefully lacking, and all sides point to enforcement short-comings to bolster their opposing positions.