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Partnership for Sustainable Oceans Announces Support for Conservation Based Proposal to Protect California’s Coastline

PSO Supports Proposal 2-XA Which Creates a Preferred Network of Marine Protected Areas in the North Central Phase of MLPA Process

Sacramento, CA (4/9/08)—Conserving marine resources while minimizing unnecessary closures to recreational fishing, ensuring that sustainable recreational activities will be available to the public now and into the future, is the ultimate goal of California’s leading marine conservation partnership. The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO) today announced its support for a North Central Coast marine protected area proposal that holds conservation as its highest priority while maintaining quality recreational opportunity and protecting the economic output of ocean related recreation within the area’s coastal communities.

The conservation-based Proposal 2-XA is the Partnership’s preferred Marine Life Protection Act alternative for the North Central Coast now before the Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF). The PSO hails the proposal as a model for the future success of the MLPA process and encourages all California anglers and boaters to support Proposal 2-XA.

"The Partnership has been actively and constructively involved with the development of Proposal 2-XA. The principal goal of our continued involvement is to ensure the protection of California's ocean health while preventing unnecessary closures to recreational fishing and boating. Proposal 2-XA balances the requirements of the MLPA with the needs of public user groups while meeting the conservation requirements of the MLPA guidelines,” said PSO member representative Bob Franko, Chairman of Coastside Fishing Club in Pacifica, California.

California anglers are encouraged to contact BRTF members and/or attend one or both days of the BRTF meetings on April 22 and 23 in San Rafael, Calif. when BRTF members will vote on three alternative proposals and forward one to the California Fish and Game Commission as the “preferred alternative.”

Proposal 2-XA: The Conservation Alternative
An important component of the overall design is the establishment of a well-defined network of State Marine Reserves, strategically located in core areas of the North Central Coast Study Region. Adjacent State Marine Conservation Areas (SCMA) are incorporated to buffer and create a proper reserve network. SMCAs allow for fishing of certain species, such as Chinook salmon and Dungeness crab, while providing additional protection to marine ecosystems.

While ecosystem conservation is the top priority of Proposal 2-XA, its contributors carefully deliberated the potentially serious socioeconomic consequences associated with fishery closures when developing the proposal. To that end, the design of Proposal 2-XA strikes a balance between the conservation benefit and socioeconomic impact across numerous fisheries, both commercial and recreational.

For frequent updates about the Partnership's advocacy on behalf of recreational fishermen within the MLPA process, download a copy of Proposal 2-XA and obtain contact information to write, email or fax the BRTF members with your point of view, please visit www.keepamericafishing.org/.

Contacts
Daniel Kramer or Susan Bitar, coalition spokespersons, 916-941-6102.

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The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO) includes the American Sportfishing Association, Berkley Conservation Institute, Coastside Fishing Club, Contributing Members of the Avalon Tuna Club, International Game Fish Association, Kayak Fishing Association of California, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Nor-Cal Kayak Anglers, Shimano Sport Fisheries Initiative, Southern California Marine Association, the Sportfishing Association of California, United Anglers of Southern California and the Watermen’s Alliance .