In Reply to: Draft Management Plans for Cordell Bank, Farallones, Monterey Bay National Sanctuaries posted by Jennifer Stock on October 06, 2006 at 10:38:33:

've just read this stuff for the MBNMS, and to a lesser extent for
the Farallones.

1. Jade divers need to unite. It ALLOWS the sanctuary director to issue
a permit allowing jade collection, but it doesn't require it, and it doesn't
mean you won't EACH need your own permit.

2. It prohibits chumming except as part of traditional fishing activities,
so you can chum for blue sharks to kill them, but not to watch them.

3. It prohibits abandoning a vessel. This is intended to prevent derelicts,
but they don't define abandonment in the actual regs. It could be construed that when Linda and
I dive off the whaler, we have abandoned it.

4. It does not allow possession of historical resources that removed prior to
the establishment of the the sanctuary. One example is the big anchor at the
Monterey Maritime Museum. It was removed from the sanctuary boundaries shortly
before the Sanctuary came into being.

5. It prohibits the State Lifeguards from using their PWC. It needs language allowing
federal, state, and local government agencies to use PWC for rescue, patrol, and
training.

6. The Farallones rules will shut down white shark watching trips.

Chuck