Posted by msblucow on April 12, 2001 at 13:16:28:
In Reply to: Re: It's Time To Be Responsible posted by capt-ray on April 11, 2001 at 20:46:36:
Oh boy, where do I start?
Capt-ray wrote: "The eviornmentalist community is well organised and very well financed."
Not nearly as well financed as the commercial and sport fishing lobbies.
"Once they gain a foothold in an area, you can expect that you will never be allowed to have access to that area again. Recently an aquantence of mine inquired as to when we could expect to see an abalone season in Southern California again. He was told that it would be decades, if at all."
What do you mean by 'no access'? No access to dive? No access to take pictures? No access to study? Or do you just mean no access to kill? Also did it ever occur to you that the reason there won't be an abalone season in Southern California for decades to come is because through a combination of over harvesting, pollution, and disease, the abalone population has simply been depleted beyond a sustainable harvest?
Capt-ray wrote: "On the subject of abalone, I have been told by the envionmentalists that the remaining population of white abalone (Haliotis
Sorenseni) is about 2200 animals. I personally know of about three times that number on Catalina alone, irrespective of the other areas that I am aware of that hold breeding populations. The reason that none of us have reliquished the locations of these
populations is that when we do, the enviornmentalists seem to harvest all of them for research and never return them to their natural
home."
How do you know the amount of abalone off of Catalina? Have you conducted detailed site analysis using a standardized scientific protocal (such as setting up a grid pattern over a sample site and extrapolating a statistical model based on data collected)? Or are you basing your statement on unprovable anecdotal evidence? Also, as far as environmentalists 'seeming' to wipe out ANY population for study is just absurd, the worst kind of urban legend. Any scientific collection of threatened or endangered species MUST be done with a permit and within the letter of the law. No legitimate marine biologist, scientist or researcher would do otherwise.
Capt-ray wrote: "Additionally, I have personally been witness to recent daily harvests of game such as halibut by Gill-Net boats (Legally) of 50 fish
per day in local waters. If I had an interest in halibut, it would take about a year to spear 50 halibut, and I am not exactly an
amateur."
I agree with you here. Gill nets are a horrible tool of destruction. Not only do they harvest an unsustainable amount of their intended target, but they cause an incredible amount of collateral damage as well. They ought to be restricted...
Listen, I'm smelling a theme here. Which is, the larger problem isn't us (divers), it's the commerical fishing industry and coastal development. Unless pressure is brought to bear on F&G or the Coastal Commision (or agency 'x'), we're never going to get anywhere with protecting our environment. End near-shore commercial fishing, outlaw gill nets, restrict commerical catches to sustainable levels based on scientific data and not economic models, establish more no-take zones for EVERYONE, and curb coastal development. Do those things, all those things, and we might have a fighting chance.