Posted by Cormerant on October 10, 2000 at 06:22:18:
There is a meeting in Santa Barbara this Thursday evening regarding the satus of the proposed Channel Islands "no take zone" plan. They could use your support.
Subject: Marine Reserves Public Meeting.
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 10:39:01 -0700
From: "localo"
SCIENTISTS RECOMMEND BIG RESERVES
Public Input Needed at October 12 Public Forum
Good Day Marine Reserve Supporters:
As you may have seen in the News-Press, our Marine Reserve process has
heated up and moved forward based on a two meeting last week. With a firm
scientific recommendation in hand, we head into a critical phase of this
historic process to preserve marine biodiversity at the Channel Islands and
rescue fisheries in steep decline. An important public forum will be held
the evening of October 12, where it will be important that conservation
supporters speak up for the public benefits of large reserves, and push for
conservation of biological hotspots. More on that later.
The Marine Reserves Working Group (MRWG) received two major reports last
week and began conceptual work with this new knowledge by mapping out
reserve scenarios. First, the "Socio-Economic Team" identified key areas to
resource users in detailed Sanctuary maps. As expected, no closures will be
without economic costs, and we must now balance these with those economic
gains by users who view, photograph, appreciate or otherwise benefit from
unmolested natural resources. These benefits, such as the revenue of dive
boat operators who say they make big money from the tiny reserve now at
Anacapa, are not as clearly identified as those of the fishermen and
hunter-divers.
The Science Panel presented the ecological considerations necessary for the
MRWG to fulfill it?s mission: to restore and preserve biological diversity
while minimizing short term economic losses to Sanctuary resource users. The
Science Panel, consisting of top-drawer marine scientists selected to be
objective, knowledgeable scholars made a surprisingly strong, and unanimous
recommendation: no less than 30% of the Sanctuary's key habitat should be
set aside in Marine Reserves. Anything less, they said, would compromise
ecological integrity, and fail to recognize all that we have learned about
ocean ecosystems in the last 20 years. The stakeholders, agency staff
persons, conservationists, and the community at large now have a clear,
scientifically solid direction as to how to establish a reserve network that
will succeed. (please see the News-Press articles on the Science
recommendation attached).
After months of discussions devoid of public input, we begin the process of
considering the comments and ideas of you the larger community. Our first
opportunity will be a
Marine Reserves Town Hall Meeting
Oct 12th, 2000
6:30-9:00 PM
Holiday Inn, Goleta
5650 Calle Real
In attendance will be members of the Marine Reserves Working Group,
including the two "public at large" representatives who need to be
diplomatically reminded that their job is to represent the public interest,
an issue absent thus far. This meeting will kick off several months of
hearings at which your attendance and support will make the difference. The
group needs to hear from you about your values, the considerations you want
included, and how you wish us to proceed. We need as many folks to make
statements and ask questions as possible. Up to now, the MRWG have been
operating without inclusion of the community?s interests, which must now be
considered. In the days prior to the meeting I will provide talking points
to assist those of you who desire some direction as to what the crucial
issues are, what questions must be raised, and to whom we should direct our
comments. Please contact me if you would like more information, or to offer
advise:
Local Ocean Network, Jesse Swanhuyser 805/882-1104 or localo@inreach.com
"The problems of today can not be solved by the same thinking that created
them."
-Albert Einstein
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