Press Releases

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - December 12, 2006 - The tides of public policy have shifted once again to focus on what has been reported to be the root cause of the declining health of the oceans, overfishing. However, the California Fisheries Coalition (CFC) has testified in countless instances how other factors, including global warming, pollution, and coastal development have a large impact on the health of the oceans. Despite continued assertions that overfishing is still taking place, the CFC has been working to demonstrate to the public and community leaders that overfishing is no longer taking place in California. The success of existing fishing regulations, good science, countless hours of public testimony and concerns regarding the influence of private funders and state politics on policy development have fallen on deaf ears.

During their meeting in Sacramento this Thursday, December 14, the California Fish and Game Commission will be receiving a report on socioeconomic impacts and hearing testimony on "lessons learned" during the Central Coast process for the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative. The CFC continues to call for the best available science, as well as taking into consideration the ecosystem benefits of existing fishery regulations as recommended by the Honorable Clark Kelso in his legal analysis of the MLPA Initiative process.

In a letter sent to Phil Isenberg, Chairman of the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force, the CFC explained their concerns or "lessons learned" about the process to develop a system of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on California's Central Coast. In the letter, the CFC pointed out that in rushing to make news and deliver a draft policy favorable for the November elections, the State did not sufficiently evaluate the best available science or socio-economic information available to them. In addition, the CFC stated that the MLPA Initiative process has been focused solely on fishing, not comprehensive resource management, a process that has been driven by private funding and influence, fueled by power politics, not science.+

In the November 2006 edition of American Fisheries Society magazine, Dr. Ray Hilborn, University of Washington Fisheries Science professor and CFC peer reviewer, responded to the tidal wave of resentment toward the fishing industry. In the essay titled Faith-based Fisheries, Hilborn likened the recent federal court ruling against intelligent design to the MLPA Initiative process. Hilborn stated "The court's ruling is a triumph for the scientific method and a setback for those with a political agenda masquerading as science." He continued to explain, "critical peer review has been replaced by faith-based support for ideas and too many scientists have become advocates," concluding "an advocate knows the answer and looks for evidence to support it; a scientist asks nature how much support there is for  competing hypotheses."

During the process of completing a draft environmental report on the MLPA Initiative, Harty Conflict Resolution and Mediation was commissioned to complete an independent socio-economic impact report. This report, which will be presented to the Commission on Thursday, lists multiple, possibly fatal impacts on small coastal communities and fishing operations and recommends that the Commission work more closely with coastal communities and fisherman to evaluate potential impacts and alternatives. Leaders of coastal communities, such as Morro Bay, have garnered national attention as the proposed system of MPAs would devastate small coastal towns dependent on fishing and tourism. In testimony to the Commission in August, Morro Bay Mayor Janice Peters cautioned the Commission against proceeding without properly evaluating impacts on coastal communities. She stated, "We will be able to measure the socio-economic effects of the no-fish zones more quickly than the environmental effects. But when those effects are negative, it will be too late to save our fishing industry, no matter how many fish there may be in the future, because the supporting infrastructure... boats, marine suppliers, fuel docks, ice machines, as well as the fishermen themselves...will be gone."

Chief among the CFC's concerns are the impacts of the private funds used to fuel the process from the selection of consultants, staff and Blue Ribbon Task Force members to the lack of legal accountability of the process. According to CFC manager Vern Goehring, "The Blue Ribbon Task Force was hand-picked with no public scrutiny, took no oath of office to commit to due diligence and has no responsibility to uphold the laws regarding which they made life and death decisions." Because task force members serve a limited function, Goehring adds, "They don't even have to live with the consequences of their decision." Instead, the CFC recommends actively engaging all stakeholders to achieve support of MLPA recommendations, funneling all private funds to the Department of Fish and Game with no controls set by the funders, screening all advisors for conflicts of interest and assigning an independent arbiter in state government (outside of staff) to the MLPA Initiative process.

The CFC is requesting that in light of the flaws found in the Central Coast MLPA Initiative process, the Fish and Game Commission acknowledge their "lessons learned" and choose to implement a more balanced set of MPAs. The CFC believes and supports the full implementation of a MLPA that is intended to protect all aspects of the marine environment, improve knowledge and understanding of marine ecosystems, and maintain representative and unique habitats in an undisturbed an unpolluted state.

Organizational Contact:Vern Goehring
Manager, California Fishereis Coalition
Tel: (916) 444-8194
Cell: (916) 761-4895
Email: vern@cal.net

###

About the California Fisheries Coalition
Established in 2004, the statewide California Fisheries Coalition (CFC)  was formed with a single purpose - to provide a mechanism for recreational and commercial fishing groups to work together in a proactive manner on the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative to ensure a credible, fair and science-based outcome. CFC consists of 23 ocean-dependent recreational and commercial fishing associations, seafood processors, abalone growers and kelp harvesters, contributing $5.5 billion annually to California's economy. Coalition membership encompasses more than 14,000 commercial fishermen, in excess of 4,000 fishing vessels, several million recreational anglers and more than 200 seafood companies. Approximately 172,000 people are employed by CFC partner businesses.

For more information and copies of the peer review reports,
visit www.cafisheriescoalition.org or call (916) 444 - 8194.