UPDATE - New Location for Upcoming MLPA Scoping Meeting

UPDATE - New Location for Upcoming MLPA Scoping Meeting

Attend the meeting and make sure the interests of recreational anglers are heard!   When:            Friday, July 23, 2010 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.   Where:          Hyatt Regency Long Beach 200 South Pine Avenue Long Beach, CA 90802   IMPORTANT! The meeting location for the July 23, 2010 scoping meeting for the South Coast phase of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) has been changed. Originally set to be held at the Port of Long Beach Administration Building, the meeting has been relocated to the Hyatt Regency Long Beach.   The purpose of the meeting is to receive input from interested agencies and the public on issues related to the potential environmental effects of the MPA proposals being considered for the South Coast region.   Please attend the public meeting on July 23 to ensure that anglers have a strong presence! The public will have an opportunity to comment at the meeting. Let the department know how important recreational fishing is to you and your family, and that additional marine reserves do not always mean more - or better - conservation! If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, written comments may be e-mailed to tnapoli@dfg.ca.gov.   Visit www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/meetings_sc.asp#presentations for more information on the July 23 meeting.

MLPA - Public Meeting - Monitoring Plan

Invitation to Attend Public Workshop on Development

of a South Coast Marine Protected Areas Monitoring Plan

The California Marine Protected Areas Monitoring Enterprise (MPA Monitoring Enterprise), in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), invites you to attend a public workshop to inform the development of an MPA monitoring plan for the South Coast region (Point Conception to the California/Mexico border).

These workshops will:  

• Describe the role and function of the MPA Monitoring Enterprise;
• Provide an overview of the anticipated process and timeline to develop the South Coast MPA Monitoring Plan;
• Present information about the MPA monitoring framework and approach developed to meet MLPA requirements; and
• Offer an opportunity for participants to provide input on MPA monitoring perspectives and priorities.

This workshop will take place in three locations in the south coast region (all times are approximately 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM). All workshops will have the same format and agenda, which will be posted on the MPA Monitoring Enterprise website and distributed to participants who RSVP (see below) prior to the events:

Monday, July 19:  Santa Barbara
Fess Parker’s Doubletree
633 East Cabrillo Boulevard
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
(805) 564-4333

Tuesday, July 20:  Santa Monica
Marriott-Le Merigot Beach Hotel
1740 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90401-3214
(800) 785-8708

Monday, July 26:  Carlsbad
Hilton Garden Inn
6450 Carlsbad Boulevard
Carlsbad, CA 92011
(760) 476-0800

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by Wednesday, July 14 to Christine Lim (clim@kearnswest.com or 415-391-7900) with the date/location you will attend. Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP.

Please feel free to forward this email to other members of the public who would be interested in attending.  Additionally, the MPA Monitoring Enterprise has started a listserv for announcements and updates. If you’d like to subscribe to receive email updates and information, please click here.

Please contact Christine Lim (see email address above) with any questions. For more information about the MPA Monitoring Enterprise, please visit http://calost.org/monitoring_ent.html. 

Thank you in advance,

MPA Monitoring Enterprise

 MPA Monitoring Enterprise

California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) requires monitoring to: ensure the MPAs meet MLPA goals; facilitate adaptive management of MPAs; and improve understanding of marine systems. The MPA Monitoring Enterprise was developed under the auspices of the California Ocean Science Trust to work in partnership with the Department of Fish and Game and others to lead development of monitoring that meets these requirements. The MPA Monitoring Enterprise does not have a role in MPA planning or adoption. 

More South Coast Meeting to be held

Sacramento, CA -- June 29, 2010 - In response to requests made by the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO), United Anglers of Southern California (UASC) and the city of Redondo Beach, the California Fish and Game Commission has agreed to schedule one scoping meeting for the South Coast phase of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) at a time, date and place to be announced. The decision was announced during the June 23-24, Commission meeting held in Folsom, California.

 

Scoping meetings provide the public, stakeholder organizations, governmental agencies and other interested parties the chance to weigh in on issues related to the potential environmental effects of marine protected area proposals being considered by the Commission.

 

The PSO, UASC, and the city of Redondo Beach each submitted letters requesting scoping meetings after learning that the Fish and Game Commission initially intended to bypass the scoping meeting process for the South Coast Region.

 

"While we're pleased that the Commission has acknowledged the need for the scoping meeting process in the South Coast, a single meeting for the region is not nearly adequate for such an important issue," commented Steven Fukuto, president of UASC and a PSO member. "This is yet another example of the MLPA process being rushed to implementation without buy-in and input from the very people it will impact."

 

"Multiple scoping meetings were held for both the Central and North Central Coasts, and I see no reason why the South Coast should receive less," said Paul Lebowitz, director of the Kayak Fishing Association of California and PSO member. "Giving South Coast residents only one opportunity to voice their concerns regarding the MPAs about to be imposed on them is not enough. Given the complexity, magnitude and scope of what is being proposed, the decisions made now will have consequences for generations."

 

"Anglers need to make their voices heard and tell the Commission that they demand to be treated fairly in the South Coast," said Fukuto. "I call upon anglers throughout Southern California to go to www.KeepAmericaFishing.org and send an e-mail to the Commission urging them to hold a series of scoping meetings in the South Coast. One is just not enough."

 

Lebowitz concluded, "It is incumbent upon the commission to correct this oversight by scheduling a series of scoping meetings to help facilitate the most informed and enlightened MLPA outcome possible. The recreational angling community in Southern California deserves no less."

Send a letter to Fish & Game on Scoping Meeting

http://capwiz.com/keepamericafishing/issues/alert/?alertid=15177801

Urge the California Fish and Game Commission to Hold Scoping Meetings for the South Coast Phase of the MLPA The Commission plans to railroad the process and bypass these important meetings   Background In order to gather information essential to the development of Environmental Impact Reports for the implementation of marine protected areas (MPAs) along the Central and North Central Coasts, the California Fish and Game Commission held a series of scoping meetings under the state's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). The purpose of the scoping meetings was to solicit input from other agencies, the public, stakeholder organizations and other interested parties on issues related to the potential environmental effects of the MPA proposals being considered.   This is not the case with the South Coast. In an attempt to meet rushed and arbitrary deadlines, the Fish and Game Commission is not planning to schedule these important and necessary meetings for the South Coast. Given the complexity and heightened controversy surrounding the South Coast process, public scoping meetings are essential to ensure that all the potential impacts of MPAs along the South Coast are heard.   What You Can Do Click here to send a letter to the Fish and Game Commission urging them to hold scoping meetings on the South Coast MPA Project Environmental Impact Report. Without stakeholder input, the Commission will continue to unnecessarily accelerate the process and ignore the need for further input. Send your letter today!   Thank you for doing your part to Keep America Fishing!

Letter to stop Ca. Fish & Game - Opposing Don Benninghoven

Here is a quick and easy link to send a letter on Keep America Fishing.org

keepamericafishing- Oppsing Don Benninghoven

MLPA - Public Meeting - Great Kid

Please contact your representative and appose this MLPA board.

One Cool Tuna..

Tuna Fishing - Saving Fishing

Pole & line Tuna Fishing from Jonathan Clay on Vimeo.