FISHING FRIENDLY: Keep recreational-fishing industry alive

For the past two years, recreational fishermen in California have rolled up their sleeves and quietly worked hand-in-hand with state and environmental officials on an effort to protect the state's ocean health.

Some may think that recreational fishermen and environmentalists have nothing in common, but in fact both groups share a mutual, vested interest in preserving the California ocean ecosystem. Both groups share respect for ocean resources, and both groups are passionate about the protection of marine wildlife.

That's why recreational fishermen represented by the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans have actively participated in a Blue Ribbon Task Force as part of the state's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) program to examine all options available to prevent the harm of our oceans. While the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans shares the goal of protecting the health of California's ocean environment, the organization does not want to see unnecessary closures of state coastal waters to recreational fishing.

Since its inception in 1999, the MLPA has been used to close off all recreational fishing access to certain areas of the state's coast, and new sections are being considered for closure. As part of its efforts on the task force, Partnership for Sustainable Oceans has stepped up to help educate and answer myths about fishing activities.

The partnership supports conservation-based proposal 2-XA as the recommended "preferred alternative" in the North Central Coast phase of the MLPA process.

Proposal 2-XA provides ecosystem protection while minimizing unnecessary closures to recreational fishing. It helps provide a backbone of marine reserves that also allow for fishing in designated areas. And, the proposal has received cross-interest support from both environmental and fishing supports on the task force.

Ecosystem conservation is the primary goal of proposal 2-XA. An important component of the overall design is the establishment of a well-defined network of state marine reserves, strategically located in core areas of the North Central Coast study region. These areas include Point Arena, Black Point, Bodega Head, Point Reyes, Pillar Point and the Farallon Islands.

At each location a full, no-take reserve is used to provide the foundation of the overall network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Adjacent state marine conservation areas are incorporated to buffer and create a proper reserve network. The conservation areas allow for fishing of certain species, such as chinook salmon and dungeness crab, while providing additional protection to marine ecosystems without disturbance to the adjacent key habitat.

As part of proposal 2-XA, conservation areas are located adjacent to the SMRs using the same general design. The proposal is clear that MPAs should be allocated with areas that are open to fishing to facilitate comparative analysis of the efficacy of reserves and MPAs. To accomplish this, several complexes are designed to include portions of reef that are left open to fishing. In sum, the proposal presents an efficient, scientifically based alternative that meets both the letter and the spirit of the act.

Closing areas to fishing does not take into account the economics of recreational sportfishing and our communities that depend upon it.

At $225 million, California earns more state tax revenues from recreational fishing than any other state. The state earns $2.6 billion in recreational fishing retail sales. Sportfishing supports more than 15,000 jobs in the state and generates more than $21 million in state income taxes and pays about $445 million in related salaries and wages.

The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans believes proposal 2-XA achieves ecosystem conservation without the risk of severe economic loss from the complete closure of fishing.

Ken Elie is the president of Outdoor Pro Shop Inc. in Rohnert Park.