State Considers Restricting Waters
Douglas Fischer
Inside Bay Area
12/22/2006
State wildlife regulators Thursday proposed extending a statewide network of marine reserves from Half Moon Bay north to near Mendocino, potentially banning or severely limiting fishing in some of the Bay Area's most popular fishing grounds.
The move was touted by conservationists as a crucial step toward rebuilding depleted rockfish and other hard-hit ocean stocks.
It is also part of an ongoing - and controversial - effort to create a statewide network of marine reserves.
"This is an important next step in improving ... marine protected areas along California's entire coast," state resources Secretary Mike Chrisman said in a statement. "We're excited to continue to move the process forward."
Thursday's decision does not change fishing rules. Instead, it simply announces the state's intent to do so. Chrisman will empower a "blue ribbon" panel of experts early next year to assess suggestions from the public about where fishing should be allowed and where it should be restricted.
Areas under consideration include waters around the Farallon Islands and the Point Reyes National Seashore.
"It's going to take some studies to say where the productive areas are and what areas could be productive if they are left alone for a long period of time to regenerate," said Tim Eichenberg, director of The Ocean Conservancy's Pacific office.
"There are going to have to be some compromises made. The fishermen are going to have to give a little, we're going to have to give a little.
"But we're not going to preclude fishing by any means."
In August, the state Fish and Game Commission approved a network of 29 marine protected areas from Santa Barbara to Half Moon Bay, with fishing banned from 8 percent of those waters, including the rich upwellings off Big Sur. Fisherman have fought efforts to further restrict their fishing grounds.
The new proposal essentially connects those protected waters with reserves extending north of Mendocino to the Oregon border.
"All of these pieces are essential to bringing the oceans back to health," said Linda Sheehan, director of the California Coastkeeper Alliance.
