The fisherman were not phony, just outgunned by all the sky-is-falling Chicken Little's, in all their various guises, including the so-called "scientists", whom are every one of them, products of our way-far-left educational processes.
They lack much in the way of real data, concerning this area, too. One gal wanted to close the whole thing down, so they could "study" it!
I sat in on, or watched, many of the "Marine Interest Group" meetings, personally. It was painful to watch these ninnys discuss things like "where are the areas to be defined", "where will the Northerly, and Southerly borders be". After a couple of hours, a whole room full of these geniuses finally recognized that Pt. Conception, is a place where there is the biggest change of marine species. Uh, I could have told them that ---- in fact--- I did --- had already --- when the question was posed to me by a NMFS Biologist, I answered the same as they did (except that I also stated the "why" of why this is true, which they never got around to mentioning(!)) but it only took me about 15 seconds to respond...long before they ever began to discuss it.
The State is choking the live out of the fishing industry in this part of California. They are being pushed to do so by many well funded environmental groups. All they know, is they think they must "save" it, somehow. From what, I don't know any more...as it is now, we are down to about 15 percent of the commercial boat licenses, State-wide, compared to about a dozen years ago. Of those who are left, effort is way down, per boat, due to OTHER restrictions, already in place during that same time period.
Ever heard of the "Rockfish Conservation Area"? It only goes from the Mexican border to the Canadian border!!! Though the regulations have fluctuated somewhat, as far as depths in which fishing was prohibited, it's most generally from 50-150 fathoms. It's been in place for what, EIGHT years now(?), only the largest fishery closure in the history of the Nation, and now one has ever HEARD of it!!!!!!!!!!
(I don't even pay attention anymore, I'm tired out by it all, and haven't fished in a year...it could be more restrictive, now, since they always liked to fiddle with it, damn their eyes...) And this portion, in this last general area where they want to put this latest additional"new" "exclusion zone" is as healthy as any other wide area, except for those parts it is MUCH better than, in terms of health of fish populations. But they just had to pick on us, right here.
They've killed me. Oftentimes, I think of just going ahead and finishing the job, and shooting myself.
Thanks for clarifying that the fisheman's group was not another leftist plant. And thanks for all the background. My disgust and frustration with government comes from reading so many stories like yours. Many posters have offered similar anecdotes that have been quite telling as to what we are all up against.
I believe that your level of frustration may have eclipsed SierraWasp's disgust for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (and that's sayin' somethin'!)
Hang in there. You ain't alone!