We Want to Keep California Fishing!
The California Sportfishing Advocacy Campaign
is currently focusing on a major effort in California that could have a
significant impact on recreational fishing in California state waters.
Under the California Marine Life Protection
Act, California is in the process of designating marine protected areas,
some of which will restrict access to recreational fishing.
The goal of California's sportfishing advocates
and anglers is to protect the marine environment while minimizing unwarranted
closures California’s coastal waters to recreational fishing.
The purpose of pursuing this goal is to:
- Maintain and improve the conservation
of California marine fisheries and associated marine resources
so as to improve the overall health of the ocean;
- Assure that the process for future closures
or designations under California's Marine Life Protection Act relies
on biological and economic information in a balanced fashion; and
- Increase sportfishing opportunities in California
from their current economic and participation levels.
With $336 million in state and local taxes earned from sportfishing, California is third behind Florida and Minnesota. At $2.7 billion, sportfishing retail sales are equivalent to the value of the state's grape harvest. This is not insignificant.
Deliberation and consensus are the keys to ensuring
that conservation and protection of our ocean resources occurs now and
in the future while still allowing for continued recreational fishing.
We have just one chance to get it right. A decision by the California Fish
and Game Commission to implement MPAs – especially no-take areas – without
careful consideration and due process could have disastrous consequences
for regional economies, recreational anglers and boaters.
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