Posted by JRM on December 05, 2001 at 09:48:44:
In Reply to: Story on successful Marine Protected Areas posted by msblucow on December 03, 2001 at 18:01:52:
Good news folks. Since the bag limits are miniscule and the season non-existant, recreational fisherman were unable to harvest their OY (Optimum Yield) tonnage this year. So, rather than leave that fish in the ocean, DFAG has re-allocated 18 tonnes of it to the nearshore commercial fishing industry. They originally were lobying for 100 tonnes, according to one of the DFAG biologists. And that's just rockfish.
So these MPA's are a great idea. Here's a nice idea, lets *concentrate* the take further. As long as the idiots at DFAG continue to base extraction limits on OY, it doesn't matter how much area you close, because the same amount of fish is gonna get landed. How about doing something usefull, like lobbying for gear restrictions (no sticks and traps), or better yet, eliminate the nearshore commercial fishing permits altogether.
I really enjoy watching a few vocal folks on the boats whine and moan about a spearfisher taking two fish, but are completely content to sit back and watch the commercials decimate the nearshore. When I was at the meeting in Oakland last year, the wardens had to drag a commercial fisher out kicking and screaming, because divers actually showed up en masse. I think that made an impression. That impression until Zeke and his boys cut their latest check, but at least it lasted a while.
I'm all for reserves. And there's currently a motion to get spearfishing the same exemption shorefishing enjoys. But what I'd really like to see is all the people who cry about my spearfishing to give at least the same energy to stopping the nearshore commercials. Then we might actually have some fish to look at in a few years.
JRM
-- This crap is like whining about the impact of gold panning downstream from a strip mining operation. Wake up and smell the money changing hands!