DFG gets Mobil App for MPA

DFG Releases Mobile Website with MPA Maps

posted: 10/27/2011

By: Taylor Hill

 SACRAMENTO — Anglers heading out on offshore fishing trips will be able to locate all the planned Marine Protected Areas off Southern California with a glance at their smartphones — as long as they have cell service. The California Department of Fish and Game’s new mobile website recently added maps of the north, central and south coast Marine Protected Areas, so anglers can see where the no-fishing zones are — wherever they may be.

“We think this site is a thing of genius,” said DFG Director Charlton H. Bonham. “This site will help immensely in our outreach efforts regarding the MPAs.”

With the regulations already in place in the north coast and central coast areas, the south coast region regulations are expected to be implemented Jan. 1, 2012.

Though some offshore areas may have spotty cellphone coverage, the website is expected to be useful to anglers, boaters and others who plan to use or pass through MPA waters. Users can access the information from personal computers, as well as smartphones, tablets and other portable devices. The site’s color-coded map shows distinctions between different levels of protection in each MPA — and it allows users to select areas by map, county, region or by alphabetical order.

“This site is testament to the caliber and commitment of DFG employees,” Bonham said.

To view the site, visit dfg.ca.gov/mobile.
Marine Protected Areas to go into effect Jan. 1, 2012:

San Diego County:

Agua Hedionda Lagoon State Marine Reserve 
Batiquitos Lagoon State Marine Park
Buena Vista Lagoon State Marine Park
Cardiff-San Elijo State Marine Conservation Area 
Encinitas State Marine Conservation Area
La Jolla State Marine Conservation Area
Mia J. Tegner State Marine Conservation Area
San Diego-Scripps State Marine Conservation Area
San Dieguito Lagoon State Marine Park
San Elijo Lagoon State Marine Park

Orange County:

Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area
Dana Point State Marine Conservation Area
Doheny Beach State Marine Conservation Area
Doheny State Marine Conservation Area
Heisler Park State Marine Reserve
Irvine Coast State Marine Conservation   Area
Laguna Beach State Marine Conservation Area
Niguel State Marine Conservation Area
Robert E. Badham State Marine Conservation Area
South Laguna Beach State Marine Conservation Area
Upper Newport Bay State Marine Park

Los Angeles County:

Abalone Cove State Marine Park
Arrow Point to Lion Head Point Invertebrate Area, Catalina Island Special Closure
Catalina Marine Science Center State Marine Reserve
Farnsworth Bank State Marine Conservation Area
Lover’s Cove State Marine Conservation Area
Point Fermin State Marine Park

Ventura County:

Anacapa Island Special Closure
Anacapa Island State Marine Conservation Area
Anacapa Island State Marine Reserve
Big Sycamore Canyon State Marine Reserve
Footprint State Marine Reserve, Anacapa Channel

Santa Barbara County:

Carrington Point State Marine Reserve,  Santa Rosa Island
Goleta Slough State Marine Park
Gull Island State Marine Reserve, Santa  Cruz Island
Harris Point State Marine Reserve, San Miguel Island
Judith Rock State Marine Reserve, San Miguel Island
Painted Cave State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Cruz Island
Refugio State Marine Conservation Area
Richardson Rock State Marine Reserve, San Miguel Island
San Miguel Island Special Closure
Santa Barbara Island State Marine Reserve 
Scorpion State Marine Reserve, Santa Cruz Island
Skunk Point State Marine Reserve, Santa Rosa Island
South Point State Marine Reserve, Santa Rosa Island
Vandenberg State Marine Reserve

Make Your Voice Heard on Regulations That Propose to Close Southern California's Marine Waters to Fishing

This May Be Your Last Chance to Comment on MLPA Regulations Before They Are Finalized

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process, which propose to unnecessarily close much of the state's best coastal waters to sportfishing, is near completion in southern California, but anglers and boaters still have an opportunity to provide input before these regulations are finalized. On October 3, the California Fish and Game Commission opened a 15-day public comment period for revised proposed regulations for the South Coast marine protected areas developed under the MLPA process. Revisions were made because the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL), which must first review and approve the regulations before they go into effect, rejected the regulatory package previously provided by the commission.

The re-noticed regulatory package attempts to clarify and revise several aspects of the commission's decision making per the OAL's request, and makes changes to some of the proposed marine protected area (MPA) boundaries and what activities will be allowed in them. The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans, which represents the interests of California's recreational anglers and boaters in the MLPA process, urges all anglers to provide their thoughts and concerns about the regulations prior to the October 18, deadline. Comments will also be accepted at the October 19 Fish and Game Commission meeting in Monterey, Calif. It is important that anglers respond to the revised MPA regulations since they may significantly affect their ability to access the most productive ocean areas!

Act Now

Enter your zip code below to send a letter to the Fish and Game Commission expressing your concerns with the revised regulations, and the MLPA in general, before the October 18 deadline. Thank you for doing your part to keep California fishing!

Click here to send a letter

Fish and Game Commission Votes on New Effective Date for South Coast MPAs

Media Contact:
Jordan Traverso, DFG Communications, (916) 654-9937
The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) today selected Jan. 1, 2012 as the effective date for implementation of the marine protected areas (MPAs) in Southern California. The revised effective date is for the South Coast Study Region, which spans from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County to the U.S./Mexico border.
On Dec. 15, 2010 the Commission adopted regulations to create a suite of MPAs in this study region. Developed pursuant the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), this network of 49 MPAs and three special closures covers approximately 354 square miles of state waters and represents approximately 15 percent of the region.
The Office of Administrative Law (OAL) requested clarification and further information, thus disapproving the original regulatory package. This ineffectuated the Commission’s previously selected implementation date of Oct. 1. All of the information requested by OAL is expected to be provided in time for the Commission to put the potential re-adoption of the regulatory package on its October agenda.
If re-adopted, the new effective date of Jan. 1, 2012, selected today, allows time for OAL to review and approve the re-submitted regulations, finalizing the lawmaking process. It also allows the Commission and Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to better inform affected ocean users of the new regulations.
For more information on the south coast MPAs or MLPA, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/southcoast.asp.

Notice of Written Comments are due

During the regulatory process to amend Section 632, Title 14, California Code of Regulations, regarding south coast marine protected areas, changes were made to the originally proposed regulatory language.

Because these regulations are different from, yet sufficiently related to, the originally proposed regulations, the Administrative Procedure Act requires that we make the changes available to you for a 15-day written comment period (October 3, 2011- October 18, 2011).  Comments will also be accepted at the October 19, 2011 hearing in Monterey.

The continuation notice, including an updated informative digest, and the modified proposed regulatory language are posted at http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2010/#632sc. 

This is also to provide you with a notice of availability of a document added to the rulemaking file.  The November 3, 2010 Amended Initial Statement of Reason identified Attachment 17: California Department of Fish and Game Memo to the Commission regarding outstanding issues identified in the proposed Initial Statement of Reasons to Amend Section 632 Title 14, CCR (October 11, 2010) as a document supporting the proposed regulations.  This document is available for public inspection between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, at 1416 Ninth Street, Room 1320, Sacramento, CA, and on the Commission's website at http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2010/#632sc. 

Written comments must be received in the Commission office by 5:00 pm on October 18, 2011.  Interested persons may attend the October 19, 2011 hearing in Monterey and offer testimony.

Fish and Game Commission Re-Notices Proposed South Coast MPA Regulations

Sacramento, CA – October 5, 2011 – On October 3, the California Fish and Game Commission opened a 15-day public comment period for revised proposed regulations for the South Coast marine protected areas developed under the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process. Revisions were made because the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL), which must first review and approve the regulations before they go into effect, rejected the regulatory package previously provided by the commission.
The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans, which represents the interests of California's recreational anglers and boaters in the MLPA process, is currently reviewing the revised regulations and will provide suggested issues to consider when commenting on the regulations prior to the October 18, deadline. Comments will also be accepted at the October 19 Fish and Game Commission meeting in Monterey, Calif. It is important that anglers respond to the revised MPA regulations since they may significantly affect their ability to access the most productive ocean areas.
During its September meeting, the commission outlined a proposed timeline to re-notice and finalize the South Coast MLPA regulations, resubmit them to OAL, and seek an anticipated effective date of January 1, 2012. This projected effective date is not only dependent on OAL approval, but also may be affected by the outcome of a pending lawsuit filed by members of the PSO.
The lawsuit seeks to set aside the MLPA regulations for the North Central and South Coast study regions, citing a lack of statutory authority for the Fish and Game Commission to adopt the regulations, and, in the case of the South Coast regulations, numerous violations of the California Environmental Quality Act in the commission's environmental review of the regulations. A hearing on the North Central Coast portion of the case, originally set for September 26, will now take place on October 6, in San Diego.

Ask Governor Brown to Remove Richard Rogers

Ask Governor Brown to Remove Richard Rogers
from the California Fish and Game Commission
Rogers' voting record shows he is no friend to California's sportfishing community or the state's economy

Background

At a time when California faces record unemployment levels, Governor Brown can take one simple action to remove a major impediment to the state's economy – remove Richard Rogers from the Fish and Game Commission.

Even though his term expired on January 15, 2011, Rogers continues to sit on the Commission because the Governor has yet to appoint a replacement. Since his 2005 appointment, Rogers has been one of the most vocal supporters of the anti-job and anti-fishing­ Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative. We urge Governor Brown to take action and name a new commissioner to take Rogers' seat.

The MLPA is a controversial program that threatens sportfishing in California, and the businesses and 20,000 jobs that depend on it, by unnecessarily closing large areas of the ocean to recreational fishing. The MLPA is costing California jobs and harming communities and businesses, while ignoring the real problems affecting California's coastal waters, such as coastal development, habitat loss and pollution.

On December 15, 2010, Rogers was one of three commissioners who voted in favor of a wide-ranging array of marine protected areas, essentially no-fishing zones, along the southern California coast. Other MLPA regulations – which Rogers also supported – are already in place and have cost jobs and fishing opportunity in California's Central and North Central Coast regions. Because of the flawed nature of the MLPA process, these regulations are currently being challenged in the courts.

The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans believes that Governor Brown should replace Rogers with a commissioner who understands his or her responsibility to conserve California's natural resources, understands the role of anglers in conservation and takes into account the impact of regulations on California's citizens, its economy and jobs for working families.

What You Can Do?

Click here to ask Governor Brown to remove Richard Rogers from the California Fish and Game Commission. Send your message today!

Keep America Fishing

Summer is Here

I hope you had a wonderful 4^th of July holiday and are enjoying the summer weather. With warmer weather and longer days, summer provides more opportunities to fish than any other time of year. Every fishing trip shared with friends and family is a chance to pass on a time honored tradition. Read More...

Policy

Recreational Fish Hatcheries on the Chopping Block

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) is responsible for stocking many of our nation's waters with the fish that anglers enjoy pursuing. In response to recent cuts in the federal budget, the FWS has proposed an $11 million reduction in NFHS funding, with $6 million coming from the account for operating mitigation hatcheries. If approved, this large reduction will result in the closure of nine hatcheries, seven of which are located in the southeastern U.S., greatly reducing angling opportunity in the region. Send a message to your Members of Congress urging them to take the necessary actions to restore the NFHS budget and keep our nation's hatcheries operating (This will be linked to the alert once it is up).

National Fish Habitat Conservation Act Introduced

On June 15, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) introduced the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (NFHCA), S. 1201, into the Senate with the support of eight other Senators. The NFHCA will authorize the most comprehensive effort ever attempted to improve fish habitat. By restoring fish habitat and boosting fish populations, S. 1201 will improve recreational fishing opportunities across the country, helping to ensure that individuals and their families and friends can get outside and enjoy our nation's aquatic resources. Keep an eye out for an opportunity to support the NFHCA through KeepAmericaFishing coming soon.

Legislation to Stop Unwarranted Fisheries Closures

The Fisheries Science Improvement Act (H.R. 2304) will help ensure that science is the primary driver of federal fisheries management decisions. This legislation will guide federal fisheries management towards a more science-based approach and prevent NOAA Fisheries from setting arbitrary and overly-restrictive catch levels on numerous important recreational fisheries. Send a message to your House of Representatives members today in support of H.R. 2304 and help ensure that catch limits are set based on data, not on guesstimates.

New Legislation Opens More Lands to Fishing

Lack of access is the primary reason that keeps anglers from enjoying a day on the water. Fortunately, legislation was recently introduced in Congress that will increase access to angling, hunting and recreational shooting opportunities on federal lands through projects such as easements and access roads. Show your support for the Making Public Lands Public Access Act, send a message to your U.S. Senators and help open hundreds of thousands of acres of federal land to the sports that you love.

Proposed Mine Threatens Wild Salmon and Trout

Photo by Brian O'Keefe

Alaska's Bristol Bay, home to the largest salmon run and several other important recreational fisheries, is under threat by a 20 square mile proposed mining complex. Pebble Mine could produce up to ten billion tons of toxic waste that will devastate the fishery and the Bay if the inevitable spill or earthquake should occur. Send a message to the Environmental Protection Agency and your Members of Congress today urging them to protect Alaska's sport fisheries and the people that depend on Bristol Bay for their livelihoods.

Floridians Defeat Cuts to Fisheries Conservation

Thanks to KeepAmericaFishing™ angler advocates, legislation that would have cut millions of dollars from fisheries conservation in Florida is no longer being considered. This misguided legislation would have dismantled the "user-pay, user-benefit" fisheries management system that is indisputably the best fisheries management program in the world and had a devastating effect on fisheries management and conservation. S.B. 744 became ineligible for further action when Florida's legislative session closed on May 6. Thank you to all anglers that took action against this bill.

Anglers' Voices Heard on Oregon Legislation

Anglers in Oregon helped stop a bill in the State Legislature that aimed to remove fishery conservation measures from non-native fish species, including many of Oregon's most popular sportfish. H.B. 2008 would have greatly reduced the state's recreational fishing opportunities by removing management measures from sportfish such as brown trout and largemouth bass. Due to overwhelming angler response, the Oregon legislature is no longer considering this misguided legislation. This is a huge victory for the angling community and it is thanks to angler activists like you.

Help Fight Unwarranted Bans on Lead Fishing Tackle

Last November, anglers like you helped defeat an attempt to ban lead fishing tackle nationwide, but the fight is not over yet. KeepAmericaFishing™ is asking anglers to rally behind legislation that will definitively protect our right to sustainably fish on our nation's waterways. Please contact your Members of Congress today urging them to co-sponsor the Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Sports Protection Act.

California's Salmon are Running Out of Water and Time

Competing uses for water in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed are putting the great salmon runs of California's Central Valley in danger of disappearing. Despite the extreme environmental consequences of over-pumping, private agricultural interests are attempting to control even more of the public's water. As a result, the region's salmon fishing seasons were completely shut down in 2008 and 2009 and severely curtailed in 2010. Send a message today to help protect California's renowned salmon runs.

Fish with Your Kids

Get your kids out there! Fishing with kids is a great way to connect with them and to experience the outdoors together. TakeMeFishing.org has an entire section dedicated to helping you share the love of fishing with the little anglers in your life. From safety tips to vacation planning, you can find it here. Read More...

Make It Easy to Plan Your Next Boating Trip

As anglers, we love to socialize – whether at the dock, on the water or online. Now, thanks to Discover Boating, boat owners can invite friends, family and other nautical novices aboard for boating trips using the new Welcome to the Water excursion planner at Facebook.com/DiscoverBoating.

Choose from more than 35,000 places to get on the water and customize the invitation to the type of boating trip, what each guest can bring and more. You can even share photos and videos from your trips.

As added incentive, "captains" will be ranked by the number of people they invite and will be eligible to win weekly nautical prizes, including Sperry Topsiders, $100 Visa gift cards, NorChill coolers, customized shirts with your boat's name from BoatNameGear.com and one-year BoatU.S. memberships. Learn more...

Seven for Kevin

Source: Seven for Kevin by Deb Johnson of B.A.S.S.

Congratulations to Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., for winning the 2011 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) award. This award marks his seventh best-angler title and he's now the first angler to hold four consecutive AOY titles. Read More...

Fishing Fun Facts

Did you know...

• More Americans fish than play basketball (24.0 million) and football (8.9 million) combined?
• If fishing were ranked as a corporation in the Fortune 500, it would outrank Sears, Pepsi, Apple and Intel?
• The number of jobs supported by anglers could employ all attendees of the last seven Super Bowls – twice?

Read More...

Legislation Introduced to Stop Unwarranted Fisheries Closures

The Fisheries Science Improvement Act will help ensure science is the primary driver of federal fisheries management decisions

The Fisheries Science Improvement Act (H.R. 2304), introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) on June 23, 2011, with the support of a bi-partisan group of 18 other Members of Congress, seeks to ensure that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) is required to set catch limits based on data, not on guesstimates.
This legislation will guide federal fisheries management towards a more science-based approach and prevent NOAA Fisheries from setting arbitrary and overly-restrictive catch levels on numerous important recreational fisheries.
H.R. 2304 provides a timely path for NOAA Fisheries to manage all of America's marine fish stocks based on sound scientific data. View the Fishery Science Improvement Act Fact Sheet.

The Situation

As amended in 2006, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires Regional Fishery Management Councils to put in place annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for every fishery by December 31, 2011. The requirements were intended to end overfishing by 2011 but were predicated on two critical assumptions:

• NOAA Fisheries would make decisions based on up-to-date and accurate stock assessments
• NOAA Fisheries would improve catch data to better anticipate potential problems in a given fishery.

Neither of these obligations has been met.
Scientific management should be the cornerstone of fisheries management at NOAA. However, the agency has felt compelled by statutory deadlines to make major fishery management decisions using inadequate data and incomplete analysis. NOAA Fisheries is simply making guesses in many cases when setting catch limits and in determining other management parameters, and guesswork should have no place in federal fisheries management.

How You Can Help

Please enter your zip code below to send a message to your Congress member in support of the Fishery Science Improvement Act.

IGo to Keep America Fishing to send a support letter - Click Here

On The Lighter Side - Tree Huggers

Splinters in the Crotch  
A woman from Los Angeles, CA who was a tree hugger, a Democrat and an anti-hunter, purchased a piece of timberland near Colville, WA. 
  
There was a large tree on one of the highest points in the tract.  She wanted a good view of the natural splendor of her land so she started to climb the big  tree. As she neared the top, she encountered a spotted owl that attacked her. In her haste to escape, the woman slid down the tree to the ground and got many splinters in her crotch. In considerable pain, she hurried to Mt. Carmel ER to see a doctor. She told him she was an environmentalist, a democrat and an anti-hunter and how she came to get all the splinters.
  
The doctor listened to her story with great patience and then told her to go wait in the examining room and he would see if he could help her. She waited three hours before the doctor reappeared.

 

The angry woman demanded, "What took you so long?" 

 He smiled and told her, "Well, I had to get permits from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management before I could remove old-growth timber from a recreational area. I'm sorry, but they turned me down."
 GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Yes you can laugh..:-)