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News We have 13 days to make history. Save California's coast and ocean!
Support the North Central coast marine protected areas
by Serge Dedina
09/04/2008:// Underwater Yosemites' chart course for California's ocean legacy
North Central Coast After months of hard work, the North Central Coast regional stakeholder group has finalized three proposals for protecting the coastline between San Mateo and Mendocino Counties. The plans vary in the level of protection they provide. The strongest plan, nicknamed "Proposal 4", would do the best job of helping California's ocean life recover and thrive.
On April 22-23, the state's Blue Ribbon Task Force (a high level group of policy advisors) will recommend one proposal to the Fish & Game Commission. Please join us in making your voice heard by sending an email.
We need your help! Fishing clubs have generated an avalanche of emails supporting the weakest plan. We want to make sure strong conservation voices balance that out to avoid the Task Force feeling like it has to lower the bar. Please visit caloceans.org where you can easily send a public comment supporting the strongest of the three plans. Comments can also be emailed to MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov .
Let's follow on the footsteps of those who created our National Park System and save California's coast and ocean for generations to come.
Marine Reserves at a Glance
The Problem California fish populations, habitats, and marine ecosystems need help. In 2000, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce declared the West Coast groundfish fishery a "disaster." By 2002, seven species of rockfish were designated as "overfished" by the federal government. "Overfished" means that the estimated numbers of fish were less than 25 percent of their original populations. While roughly 75% (66 out of 89) of West Coast fisheries have not been fully assessed, scientists have seen declines in fish populations around the globe. Further, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service have documented a 45% decline in fish population size along the West Coast in the last twenty-one years alone.
The solution Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), are areas of the ocean set aside where some or all types of human activity are restricted. They help conserve biological diversity, protect habitats, aid recovery of depleted fisheries, and promote recreation, study, and education, a function similar to that of national parks. Benefits of Marine Reserves
Marine protected areas can help curb this decline. A marine reserve is a type of MPA that limits all extractive uses, which makes them the most protective and potentially the most beneficial. Scientific studies of over 80 marine reserves worldwide have shown that protecting areas from fishing and other extractive uses really do make a difference. These studies show that reserves placed in California-like habitats allow the fish and other animals to more than double their population size and grow 30% larger than animals outside reserves. Marine reserves provide an area for fish to grow older and larger. These older and larger fish produce more young.
• Bigger, older female fish produce a greater quantity and greater quality of larvae.
• These protected areas also have 20% higher diversity of plants and animals than outside reserves.
• Over 160 scientists signed a consensus statement stating that marine reserves are a highly effective but under-appreciated and under-utilized tool that can help alleviate the declining state of the ocean.
• 71% of Californians stated they wanted more marine reserves created off the coast in a recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California.
• The California Department of Fish and Game found no direct evidence that MPAs were responsible for any gains or losses in commercial fisheries in the Channel Islands region three years after the establishment of the Channel Islands marine reserves, despite predictions of economic hardship and loss prior to their establishment.
[Carissa Moore (in yellow) receiving the winner's prize]
[The number of high-rated Australian surf competitions are set to increase]
[Pablo Gutierrez winner of the Superbock Pro]
Hawaiian Carissa Moore won the Roxy Pro Junior surfing in her first ever contest in France
ASP International has announce the inception of their fourth regional branch, ASP Australasia
Twenty-six-year-old Pablo Guitierrez took top honours in the Superbock Pro in Portugal after defeating fellow Portugeuse surfer Eduardo Fernandes in the final
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