March 3: Fish
& Game Commission Meeting: This is a rare opportunity
give the Fish & Game Commission feedback on the MPA alternatives that
they are now considering. Please contact Ray
for more information.
What: Coastkeeper and the Laguna Bluebelt Coalition present a free
screening of the documentary film The End of the Line. Debuting at the
2009 Sundance Film Festival and narrated by Ted Danson, the film has
local relevance to the creation of a State Marine Reserve in Laguna
Beach. The screening will be followed by a discussion of local actions
to affect this global problem. Light refreshments will be offered.
When: Sunday, February 28; doors open at 6pm, movie starts at 6:30pm
Where: Unitarian Universalist Church, 429 Cypress Dr. , Laguna Beach
, CA 92651
MLPA South Coast Update, February 2010: Now that the
environmental review process is underway, the Fish & Game Commission
seeks public input on the MPA Alternatives. This is our chance to let
the Commission know how much support their is for high levels of protection
across Orange County.
Take Action: Use this sample
support letter for strong protections in Laguna, and add
your own perspective.
Learn more: See what each of the proposals offers
for marine protection in your area.
December 9:
Fish & Game Commission/ Blue Ribbon Task Force - At
this joint meeting, the BRTF gave their recommendations for South Coast
MPAs to the Fish & Game Commission. The BRTF selected an "Integrated
Preferred Alternative" as the main alternative, and the proposals
from Regional Stakeholder Groups 1, 2, and 3 were also put forward for
CEQA Review.
The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) was signed
in 1999 and directs the state to reexamine and redesign California’s
system of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The MLPA is a visionary
state law that brings together scientists, fishermen, conservationists,
business owners, residents and Fish & Game officials to create a long-term
plan to restore and protect California's most unique and threatened marine
environments.
What are MPAs? MPAs are named
discrete geographic marine or estuarine areas designed to protect or conserve
marine life and habitat (Defined in Public Resources Code, Sections 36602
and 36710). Just as parks on land protect special lands and wildlife
from overdevelopment, MPAs and reserves preserve California's stunning
marine ecosystems for future generations to observe and enjoy.
Here's a list of MPA designations:
State Marine Reserve (SMR):
all extractive activities are prohibited.
State Marine Park (SMP):
all commercial extractive activities and potentially some recreational
activities are prohibited.
State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA):
some recreational and/or commercial extractive activities may be limited.
Why is this necessary?
The Legislature addresses the need to increase
the coherence of California's MPA systems in order to increase its effectiveness
at protecting the state’s marine life, habitat, and ecosystems.
Scientists have shown that marine protected areas help
restore depleted fish and wildlife populations. In fully protected
marine reserves, scientists have found that fish can grow more abundant,
bigger, more fertile and more resilient in protected areas.
Where is the Selection Process now?
A
regional approach is being used in the MLPA Initiative process, where
California's 1,100-mile coastline has been divided into five study regions.
In September of 2007, regulations for the first of the five study regions
were implemented for the Central
Coast (Pigeon Point in San Mateo County to Point Conception in Santa
Barbara County). On August 5, 2009, the Fish and Game Commission (Commission)
voted to adopt its preferred alternative proposal, also known as the Integrated
Preferred Alternative (IPA), for the MLPA North
Central Coast study region (Alder Creek, near Pt. Arena, to Pigeon
Point).
The south coast study region (Pt. Conception to the CA/Mexico border,
including offshore islands) is currently in full swing. This regional
process started in the summer of 2008 and is scheduled to continue through
2009. After the South Coast planning process is completed, the north
coast process will begin (Alder Creek north to the California border with
Oregon), followed by the San Francisco Bay process (from the Golden Gate
Bridge northeast to the Carquinez Bridge).
This
Initiative was founded on a process based on solid public leadership,
and seeks the advice of public policy advisors, scientists, stakeholders,
and the interested public. The success of the first phase of the MLPA
Initiative was, to a large extent, brought about by the active participation
of stakeholders and the general public through the regional stakeholder
group, workshops, public meetings, and providing input on documents and
MPA plans as they developed. The future phases of the MLPA Initiative
will again afford many opportunities for public involvement.
Stay informed!
For more information about the MLPA Initiative, please visit the initiative
website at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa.
Attend public meetings, or watch them (live or archived) on the Internet
