Posted by JRM on December 11, 2001 at 09:39:39:
In Reply to: Abalone posted by Frank on December 11, 2001 at 08:51:39:
It's a well known, but not often mentioned fact that one of the major problems with the abalone planting was that the farms were infested with "withering foot." And, thanks to the now defunct restocking plan for the north coast, DFAG managed to bring withering foot into the colder water. Luckily the cold keeps it from spreading as rapidly, but still, talk about kicking a resource when it's down.
As a side note, there's a discussion going on amongst the freedivers about the lack of cabezon allowing the abs higher recruitment rates. It seems that since the nearshore commercial live fishery (also known as nearshore rapists) have pretty much wiped out the cabs up north, recruitment rates are up. Since cabs are a major predator of baby abs, I guess it could be considered the "silver lining." Parallel to that conversation is one about the new reduction in take for abs (3 per day, 24 per year). More than one person feels that the paranoia on the part of DFAG is in part due to their own introduction of the withering foot to the north coast. Personally, the new regs are still generous for my own take philosophy.
And, as a side note, DFAG actually got something right (or almost right) in that they have given spearfishing the same exemption as shore fishing (in fact, they just added spearfishing to the sentence). Now the big debate is, "what exactly does spearfishing from the shore mean???"
JRM
-- and just for the record, I dropped my support for UASC becuase they oppose the MLPAs. It seems the commercial guys have just what they want, the recreationals are all hot and bothered and fighting amongst themselves while the commercials continue to decimate the nearshore. Ain't it grand what money can buy these days???