Posted by Eric Frasco on April 12, 2001 at 16:14:26:
In Reply to: Re: It will take more than that... posted by randy54 on April 11, 2001 at 12:32:21:
Randy:
Up to two years ago, your comments would have been correct. In the past, conservation was legislated - by our elected officials who were influenced by Lobbiests, and who knew little or nothing about marine conservation.
But now DFG is going to be playing a much larger role in creating the laws due to AB1241 - the Marine Life Management Act. From their web page:
The Marine Life Management Act (MLMA), which became law on January 1, 1999, opened a new era in the management and conservation of California's marine living resources. In fashioning the MLMA, which was introduced as AB 1241 by Assemblyman Fred Keeley, the Legislature drew upon years of experience in California and elsewhere in the United States and the world.
The Act includes a number of innovative features.
The MLMA applies not only to fish and shellfish taken by commercial and recreational fishermen, but to all marine wildlife.
Rather than assuming that exploitation should continue until damage has become clear, the MLMA shifts the burden of proof toward demonstrating that fisheries and other activities are sustainable.
Through the MLMA, the Legislature delegates greater management authority to the Fish and Game Commission and the Department of Fish and Game.
Rather than focusing on single fisheries management, the MLMA requires an ecosystem perspective including the whole environment.
The MLMA strongly emphasizes science-based management developed with the help of all those interested in California's marine resources.
More can be seen at:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mlma/index.html
Furthermore, DFG is having a hard time getting Game Wardens. They recently started training "cadets" and out of 38 that qualified for the training, only 15 showed up. Guess the economy is doing so well that no one wants a job with DFG.
-Eric-