Deadline looms: Abalone advisory board applicants must submit applications by this Friday, April 28.

Dear Divers,

There is a deadline quickly approaching for those who wish to apply to the advisory group for the proposed commercial/recreational abalone fishery at San Miguel Island that the Fish & Game Commission approved in December 2005. I was speaking to some insiders Tuesday and they didn't know of ANY received applications from the dive community. They welcome diving reps of consumptive and non-consumptive backgrounds. So far, the prospective representatives are all from commercial fishing.

It would be a shame to allow the commercial fishers and the Fish and Game Commission to think that divers as a collective group don't care whether the recovering red abalone population is reopened to commercial and/or sport taking and how it is implemented if it occurs. No matter what your personal thoughts on the matter if you think you can contribute to the advisory group, please apply!

They are looking for open-minded individuals to apply. I wonder how open-minded they who are applying from the commercial fishing sector are.

Here is the link to the DFG webpage for this topic:

The CEQA process will allow all to make public comments at a later date. Right now they need applicants for the advisory board.

Thanks,

Debbie Karimoto
OC Diving.com

• DFG page: Abalone Advisory Group info