SHOW UP & STAND UP!
When: October 21, 2009
Where: Long Beach Hilton, 701 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA
Time: Protest 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Outside on Ocean Avenue Sidewalk)
Public Comment 1:30 PM (Please turn in your speaker card as early as possible)
Public Comment 7:00 PM (Please turn in your speaker card as early as possible)
Why: The Blue Ribbon Task force is scheduled to recommend which Marine Protected Area (MPA) proposal to move forward to the Fish and Game Commission (F&GC).
Your support for Work Group 2’s Proposal (WG2) is needed. WG2 has the support of recreational fishermen, commercial fishermen; has gained cross interest support; and minimizes the socio-economic impact on our communities.
This is it! We can’t stress how important it is that you show up to this meeting!
If you value our near-shore fishery and having access to it, now is the time to act. We have been keeping you abreast of the MLPA issues, and we are in the final leg of our battle to keep our fishing grounds open. There is no more important time than now to let your voice be heard. This is our LAST chance to let the BRTF know that we fishermen and fisherwomen support Map 2, the least restrictive to recreational fishing and with the least economic impact.
Oct. 21st is the last BRTF meeting and the most critical one of your fishing career. What you do on Oct. 21st will determine where you can fish (and for some--whether you can fish) for the rest of your life.
Bussing has been organized to take you to the meeting and back. Watermen's Alliance will feed you pizza and drinks. Wear black shirts and tags (tag furnished at the event). All we need is your support.
You need to show up to speak, and even if you don't speak, we need people to support and cede time to those who speak. Keep in mind that the fishermen were outnumbered 10:1 at the July 28, 2009 BRTF meeting (a day known as Bloody Tuesday). If the majority of the attendees again say "We need to close as much of the ocean as possible" and "Fishermen are the problem", you bet the BRTF will be paying attention and the maps will reflect accordingly.
By Oct. 22nd, some of you may be looking at the Salton Sea as your only remaining fishing option.
Please show up on Oct. 21st, 2009, but more importantly, please bring your wife, parents, children to show them the faces of the communities they will be hurting if they shut down areas where people make their livelihood and recreate.
Lots of BDers and people in other communities have worked long and hard to protect key fishing spots for you. Group 2 map is the ONLY map to back. Group 1 and 3 maps will KILL fishing in southern California.
Starting at 8:30am, the Regional Stakeholder Group Members will be presenting the three proposals to the BRTF. There will also be a question and answer session to allow each RSG member to express their individual point of view. Naturally, all of that is open to members of the public!
Most likely, the BRTF will begin their deliberations on their choice of a preferred alternative that morning. At the very least, they'll be thinking about it and working with staff to craft a suggested motion or motions.
That's where all you urgently valuable members of the public come in to express YOUR preference, YES ON 2. The first opportunity to do that will come at about 1:30pm, just after the lunch break. The staff will be gathering speaker cards all morning long.
So, it will be important for folks arriving later, to find out just exactly what went on that morning!
Bloodydecks has helped arrange bus transportation to the event. Busses will be leaving from San Diego, Riverside and Temecula with various pick up points along the way. Cost to ride the bus is $20 but will include a free half-day pass from one of the participating landings. For more information please follow these links:
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING AT OCT. 21, 2009 BRTF MEETING
Acknowledgement: This document is the work of many from different fishing communities and websites. It’s done in spare time by multiple volunteers, who love diving and fishing and the ocean. It’s not supported or paid for by the mega-enviro foundations who paid for the MLPA implementation. So it is not spit-and-polish. We all have real jobs. We do not get paid by grants from some animal rights mega-group or some other corporate/enviro entities. However, like all underdog fishermen volunteer efforts in this process, it comes from the right place.
Please help by being there on October 21st, 2009 in Long Beach.
A) GENERAL COMMENT
The fishermen’s map is the Group 2 map. Period. That’s the one we all support (H&L, commercial, kayakfishing, pier fishermen, spearfishermen, etc.). Period.
Let us dispel the notion that Group 3 gives a shit about fishermen. That’s an enviro map and they don’t give a crap. The maps exceed what is required—the goal is to close as much as they can get away with. Let us also dispel the notion that Group 1 is a “cross-interest” map. There are so many things wrong with that map, and with the shenanigans involved in coming up with that map, that would take too long to discuss here.
As far as we’re concerned, for fisherman, there’s only one map that makes sense and balances socio-economic versus closures the best: the Group 2 map.
Remember the V for peace sign. Two fingers. Group 2. That’s us.
B) WHAT CAN I SPEAK ABOUT? (FOR YOU NEWBIES)
The easiest way to craft your speech, if you have never done one, is a 3-part speech.
1) My name is {fill in the blank}. I’m a {fisherman, kayakfisherman, spearfishermen, lobster diver, etc.} and a conservationist. I support Proposal 2 because it does the best job of balancing my needs as a ocean user versus closures.
2) I specifically like Proposal 2 shape for {fill in the blank—San Diego, La Jolla, Laguna, PV, Malibu, Point Dume, Santa Barbara, Catalina, whatever} because _________________.
3) I'm opposed to [Proposal 1 and/or 3] for {fill in the blank—San Diego, La Jolla, Laguna, PV, Malibu, Point Dume, Santa Barbara, Catalina, whatever} because ______________.
{Click here to see what is on the table NOW}
Using 1) 2) and 3) above as a framework, there is a lot of latitude for individual expression that may include issues about business losses, access issues, cultural and family values, family recreation and bonding, safety concerns (!), access issues(again!), subsistence, carbon footprint, costs, etc. -- or some combination. All of these issues will be relevant with the overwhelming majority of the BRTF members to varying degrees.
Create two speeches before you show up to the meeting: The first 30-second speech (between 80-100 words) needs to cover Points #1 and #2. The second 30-second speech can be an add-on and can expand on #2, or go into #3. But do not go over the 30-second (for the first speech) and 1-minute mark (for both speeches) since this is likely all the time you have. Remember—we make the most impact by the variety and number of people and the different logical points we can point out from our experience as ocean users.
C) DO NOT BE A TOOL FOR THE OTHER SIDE
What fishermen do NOT want to do, even inadvertently (because it will encourage the BRTF to substitute or mix and match or come up with new proposals out of thin air or worse, allow the enviros to capitalize on your acquiescence in one location and claim that there is cross-interest for their ENTIRE group 1 map or group 3 map):
1) I like [some particular MPA] in [Group 1 or 3 map] but not that particular MPA in Group 2. NO NO NO(!)
2) Anything that resembles (1) NO NO NO(!)
3) Anything that even faintly suggests that a segment of the fishing community supports ANY particular MPA location in Proposal 1 or Proposal 3. NO NO NO(!)
D) WHAT IS NOT USEFUL AT EITHER THE 1:30PM SESSION OR THE 7PM SESSION
First and foremost, Do not rant. Do not be disrespectful. Do not let your anger or emotion undo the work that hundreds of others have put in, involving tens of thousands of hours achieving so far for you. Trust us—you will be helping the other side more if you come across crude or ranting and you are identified with the fishermen side. This is not the time and place.
These following comments do NOT work AT ALL at this stage. AVOID THEM. There was a time and place for these and there will be a time and place for these again. Not at the Oct. 21st meeting either day or night sessions. These are no good even for the general comments during the evening session.
1) General complaints about MPA's -- not proven to work, not necessary, fishing regulations are a better approach, we already have too many, etc.
2) Stop the process -- lack of funding, no money for enforcement, monitoring, evaluation, adaptive management, etc.
3) Leave my NIMBY interest alone -- blame it on those other guys (commercial or rec or both), if only it wasn't for [fill in the blank] things would be just fine, make an exception for me everywhere, etc.
4) Anything that does not reference the current proposals as they are NOW -- complaints about concepts that used to be, former packages (like past External C), individual MPA concepts that once existed early in the process, etc. {Click
here to see what is on the table NOW}
5) Complaints about what the BRTF has done in the past, unrelated to the current proposals.
6) Challenges to the science, partisan politics, the RSGs, the greenhaired lady in the audience, this group, that group, the governor, the DFG, individual BRTF members, etc.
There was a time and a place for almost all of the above. And there will be again, we’ll let you know when. Just don’t make these at the Oct. 21st meeting— you’ll be wasting your time and take valuable time away from others.
E) Q&As
1) Can you create a sample speech?
Sure. This is a sample speech but you can see how it flows.
My name is John Doe. I’m a fisherman and conservationist and I’ve fished La Jolla for most of my life, the last 7 years with my sons and wife. I support Proposal 2 because it does the best job of balancing my family needs as ocean users versus closures. I specifically like Proposal 2’s shape for La Jolla because it keeps the existing reserve at La Jolla Cove and additionally proposes to create Del Mar and North Point Loma reserves. These are good habitats for closure that will clearly support the goals of the MLPA.
Fishing in La Jolla is how our family bonds. (*Note 1: this is your 30-second speech. In general, count on 80-100 words every 30 seconds. *)
The Proposal 1 map for La Jolla is bad because it unnecessarily brackets both sides of Mission Bay, one of the busiest fishing ports in the world. Proposal 3 is bad because it closes off access for fishermen to a large area of La Jolla, where most of the shore access and fishable waters for millions of San Diegans are found. Impact to users and businesses will be devastating, and when a lot of boats are jammed into smaller open areas, danger to spearfishermen and kayakfishermen increases. Proposal 2 does the best job of balancing socio-economic interests versus closure by placing reserves in less populated areas. Thank you. (*Note 2: this is the second part of your 30-second speech. If you have a minute, then read this second part *).
2) Should I write my speech ahead?
It’s the only way. You will be cut off when your time (either 30 seconds or 1 minute) is up. Write two-part speech. The first 100 words is your 30-second speech. The second 100 words, if you have time, will help you finish your 1-minute speech if you are given 1 minute.
3) Should I read my speech or should I do a public speaking delivery?
No one is grading you on public speaking. Deliver your message in the most concise and accurate way. For me, that’s reading my prepared speech. I recommend it.
4) What about ceding time? I don’t want to speak.
New and interesting faces from the public are worth more than the same few faces and speeches heard over and over. We encourage you to speak. That’s why we spent time creating this document.
If you want to cede time (and we do need people to cede time), look for a spearfishermen or kayakfishermen representative. These two groups are coordinating ceding time for the entire fishermen side (last thing we want to do is stupidly cede time to a speaker from the other side (!) or leave any of our speakers short on cede time). Ask any spearfisherman for Zenspearo or Paul Romanowski or Jeff Sporcich or Volker Hoehne. Ask any kayakfishermen for Tyler Webb or Billy V or Holy Mackerel (Chris Fierro) or Grego. They will tell you what to do. PLEASE CONTACT THEM AT THE LATEST BY 1PM FOR THE AFTERNOON SESSION, OR BY 6PM FOR THE EVENING SESSION. THE MLPA PEOPLE WILL NOT (!) ACCEPT LATE CARDS.
5) What if I need more time for my speech? How can I get people to cede time to me?
Again, look for a spearfishermen or kayakfishermen representative. These two groups are coordinating ceding time for the entire fishermen side (last thing we want to do is stupidly cede time to a speaker from the other side (!) or leave any of our speakers short on cede time). Ask any spearfisherman for Zenspearo or Paul Romanowski or Jeff Sporcich or Volker Hoehne. Ask any kayakfishermen for Tyler Webb or Billy V or Holy Mackerel (Chris Fierro) or Grego. They will tell you what to do. PLEASE CONTACT THEM AT THE LATEST BY 1PM FOR THE AFTERNOON SESSION, OR BY 6PM FOR THE EVENING SESSION. THE MLPA PEOPLE WILL NOT (!) ACCEPT LATE CARDS.
6) Should I bring my wife and kids and neighbors?
Absolutely. Please do. We really mean it. This is the best thing you can do for your fishing.
Everyone, from 90 YO to 6-month old, gets the same amount of time. It’s very important that we have new faces and new voices. The few of us have spoken so many times, people are starting to tune us out. We need time cards for ceding time even if they don’t speak. Plus, your family and friends’ attendance will show that the public cares about closures that affect them.
7) Should we applause or cheer or jeer to show our approval/disapproval of someone’s speech?
In a word. No.
I know it’s aggravating, as you have seen in the tapes of the RSG meeting past, that fishermen get cut off on the dot (or even before they can speak), while conservation speakers are allowed to go on and on past their time. Let it slide. Our number will hopefully make up for it. As someone said after the August RSG meeting: It sucks; it’s not fair; it’s blatantly biased. Let it slide. Not easy, but you won’t help us much by getting kicked out either. Let it be.
8) How important is my attendance? I’m only one person. What difference does it make?
We fishermen got stomped by people acting on this impulse and did not attend the July 28 BRTF meeting. The ratio was 10:1 against fishermen. We looked pathetic.
This is the last MLPA meeting for the South Coast. We need your help, and we need you to bring your wife, husband, kids, friends, neighbors to show public support for fishing, to balance out the shouts for ridiculously large closures, and to cede time. Lots of fishermen, spearfishermen, kayakfishermen, need time to speak on behalf of all fishermen. Be there to help out fishing interests or we’ll all be fishing at Lake Hodges next year.
9) What color shirt are we wearing?
We are coordinating with black shirts. A collar shirt is preferred but nice clean t-shirt will do. Keep the R-rated ones at home.
We will also hand out a placard to help identify you as a fisherman at the meeting. These placards will be available on-site that day.
10) If I can’t speak about general comment topics in the evening session, what can I speak about?
Background: The MLPA I-team will not allow you to speak about a preferred map if you already spoke on that topic during the afternoon session.
First strategy: We need you there in the evening as well to cede time to the people who, due to extreme circumstances, can only make the evening session to speak. This is not preferred—we need people there for both the afternoon and evening sessions, but some can’t help it. For the evening speakers, we want to give them as much time as possible to speak. So stay around to at least cede time.
Second Strategy: There are some general comment topics that will be discussed. These will be coordinated among the veterans who have been around and know what they can say. They NEED more time from you. So please hang around and give the veterans your cede time in the evening session.
Third Strategy: Say you (John Doe) show up with your fishing buddy Jack Brown. You can speak in the afternoon on your support of Group 2’s map for your area, using the time ceded from Jack Brown, to more fully present your point of view. Then Jack can speak in the evening in support of Group 2’s map for whatever area he fishes in, using your cede time, to more fully present his point of view. Caveat: Now that we’ve said this, the MLPA I-team will probably try to change the rules to keep fishermen from speaking. So stay tuned.
11) What about transportation?
The hotel will validate your car. Try to carpool if possible. There will also be at least 3 buses running from San Diego, Temecula, and Riverside and rides can be obtained for a nominal cost of $20/person round trip. No driving, no parking, no hassle. Go
here for more information.
12) What about food?
The Watermen’s Alliance will serve pizza and drinks to all fishermen wearing black at approximately 6PM that day on site.
13) Where do I get additional information?
Go to the following websites for latest info and updates:
14) Who can I talk to if I have further questions?
Go to the following websites and post your question. Someone will respond.
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This is our last chance to make public comment with the BRTF. Be there at least 1 hour before the speaking times are due to start. The evening session will have free pizza for all fishermen in black shirts in attendance compliments of the Watermen's Alliance. If you don’t wear a black shirt, we assume you are going to speak against fishermen. Don’t worry, someone will still feed you but it’d be a veggie pizza and I’d check that slice of pizza carefully…just kidding…
Hilton Long Beach & Public Executive Meeting Center
701 West Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90831
Public Speaking Times: 1:30PM-5PM and 7PM-10PM.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
See you on Oct. 21st in Long Beach.
