Posted on 03/14/2024 5:22:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Santa Cruz city council and the county's board of supervisors unanimously voted to write an opposition letter to a Los Angeles-based environmental lobbying group's proposal to protect the kelp forests.
They cited a lack of scientific evidence, public outreach and its impact on local fishing.
In a petition to the California Fish and Game Commission, Environment California, a Los Angeles-based, lobbying group, requested the expansion of six marine protected areas, or MPAs, which includes Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve, and the creation of one new one at Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz.
"I guess my question is, environmentalist, is what's wrong with the regulations that are currently in place?" Shawn Dollar, a Pleasure Point local and avid recreational fisherman, said.
A marine protected area is a designated section of the ocean where the government has placed limits on human activity.
This petition is calling for the expansion of state marine reserves, a highly protected type of MPA where removing any animals or natural resources is prohibited, which includes fishing.
In this case, that includes an expansion of Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve southward by 13.7 square miles and a new designation at Pleasure Point at 3.2 square miles.
Recommended Mental health evaluation requested for man accused of killing girlfriend at Seabright Beach "You can go there to dive or surf or swim or do recreational activities. Any of that is totally fine. But anything that's taking stuff out of that area isn't allowed. Kind of like when you go to a national park; you can go and visit and enjoy it, but you can't take the flowers and take them home. You can't hunt," Laura Deehan, a state director with Environment California, said.
"Just to be clear, we're in the very beginning stages of the consent of the state considering expanding these marine protected areas. The state is just getting started on considering this. They asked groups to submit ideas, concepts of what should be protected. We did that with our petitions to protect the kelp forests up and down the state, and was Santa Cruz included," Deehan added.
The petition has amassed about ten thousand signatures, which some locals, many of whom fish and surf, say they feel blindsided by.
"It came as a surprise to me. I know there's been some conversations at the state around trying to expand kelp forest more broadly, but the specificity of the marine protected area and the restrictions that would be imposed was very shocking to me," Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings said.
Among those initially in support of the regulatory change was Mayor Fred Keeley, who wrote a letter to the Fish and Game Commission declaring 'unwavering support.'
During his time as an Assemblyman in the early 2000s, Keeley notably authored the Marine Life Management Act and co-authored the Marine Life Protection Act, which led to today's fishing regulations and established MPAs.
But in Tuesday's city council vote on whether to support the petition, Keeley took on a different position.
"Initially, my thought was to take a look at that. Let's see if there's a problem out here along the Santa Cruz County coast," Keeley said.
"But what should be the basis of whether or not you establish a marine protected area should be scientific. I think that information is missing from this application at this point, and so unless and until there is adequate scientific information to support the MPA designation, they shouldn't do it," Keeley said.
In two separate meetings Tuesday, both the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the Santa Cruz City Council voted to write a letter opposing Environment California's proposal.
Hmmm...
The snail darter only matters on where the $$$ goes it seems..
Keeley’s a bigger horses ass than Texas.
Nothing wrong with Texas. Size reference.
Hahaha. They think California’s “commissions” care one bit what any opposition says. Once those tyrants make up a rule they just do it no matter what.
“”I guess my question is, environmentalist, is what’s wrong with the regulations that are currently in place?” Shawn Dollar, a Pleasure Point local and avid recreational fisherman, said.”
Off topic but same argument applies to pro gun control hysteria.
I realize this is a cut-and-paste artifact but it's a pretty darn good one... ;-)
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