Free Republic

With armed Fish and Game wardens lining the Beach Resort Monterey conference room and allegations of physical threats casting a pall over the proceedings, the Fish and Game Commission slowly drew a patchwork net of preferred packages to create a comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for the state’s Central Coast Region on Tuesday night. The commissioners argued and compromised into the night, creating a divisive but historic blueprint for coastal resource management. After public comment from about 140 individuals, the commission created a proposal that includes 29 MPAs covering 204 square miles. The selected proposal is a patchwork...