In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: California's coastal waters a dump for fishing gear posted by Ross-O on October 23, 2009 at 08:06:09:

I too of course had the VERY same knee jerk reaction to this NS article, (and I too have been miss quoted in the media). In an effort to keep it free and balanced, here’s what I accept after rereading this article.

1) I haven’t been to the very DEEP California canyons on ANY dive, have you?
2) I haven’t made 400 of these DEEP canyon dives as they have. (Granted that a Submarine’s Vizz is limited)
3) I’m not sure where all the DEEP canyon areas are that are in California (P)reserves?
4) UK reporting/commentary is sorta second hand.
5) The N/S video is interesting, in which NOAA suggests leaving “in place” all the good quality Debris/Habitat, I agree.
6) “Recreational”<=>“Nets”: I’m curious if there is some sort of a miss-interpretation or miss quote here between the Brits and us? I intend to contact NOAA about these observations and any reports about “Recreational Nets”, what exactly are they??
7) Maybe, in the California areas they visited, there was observed not so much the commercial derelict trawling nets hanging off our near shore rocky reefs, but more the DEEP bundles of mono, plastics, Etc???
8) In the Mid Pacific Gyre there are plastics you wouldn’t imagine if you haven’t seen it, maybe that’s what’s also going on down deep right here?
9) Try to give these scientists at least a little respect if you haven’t been there and seen it. Arm chair diving is cheap and ignorant compared to launching an observational sub or ROV :~)

Stay tuned! This is VERY interesting, and so is the idea of Sinking more Ships for fishing reefs, (S2R) You’d think more of the fishers would be more involved in this grassroots effort, it’s a great idea IMO.

Be safe out there!