Next: Monterey Bay National Marine Up: Alacosta Blurb Maintaining an Previous: Snail mail Blurb can
norcadiver@sonic.net
posted an item on
changing abalone diving regulations to the ba_diving mailing list.
One of the items would change the way that Alacosta
dives. An excerpt from Rocky's email is included below:
In 1993 (?), the Fish and Game Commission shutdown the southern California pink, white, green, and black abalone fisheries. Three years later, they were besieged over the red abalone fishery which they eventually shutdown on an emergency basis. The Fish and Game Commission is now somewhat gun shy when it comes to California's abalone. Not surprisingly, they want to make certain a similar situation doesn't develop in northern California. Not yet having completely grasped the spectacular difference in densities between northern and southern California abalone fisheries, the Fish and Game Commission wants to take a conservative approach in managing northern California's abalone fishery. On the one hand, I see this as a heartening indication of the positive shift in resource management we're seeing in California. On the other hand, it's a concern to see the Commission spending time and energy on one of the healthiest fisheries managed by the state at a time when so many other fisheries are in serious trouble. But I digress... In response to a [Fish and Game] Commission request, the DFG [Department of Fish and Game] is preparing a slate of options for consideration by the Commission. How this works is that DFG writes up a report listing a number of management options along with an explanation of each option and a list of pros and cons. The DFG also identifies which option the department prefers. The Commission will take the report under advisement and seek public input. Because 1999 is a year when all recreational fishing regulations come under consideration for modification starting in 2000, public input on abalone regulations may or may not be a unique agenda item at one or more of the Commission's 1999 hearings. Which is to say that parties interested in this issue will have to keep their ears to the ground. DFG is currently working on a slate of options and I would be very interested in your input on these. Please understand that we're not talking about regulations that are or will go into effect; this is simply an investigation of what options exist to address the current list of concerns among the resource managers. That list includes serious concern about the level of sport-to-commercial poaching that is going on where poachers are making a living by getting their four abalone per day, each and every day that ocean conditions allow. With that in mind, the management options I've heard about include:
Again, let me emphasize, these are options and they are only under consideration. Based on my own cursory evaluation, all of these options are well intentioned though a few of them are downright boneheaded. Your constructive input would be quite helpful in fleshing out the impacts of these various options. At the same time, please let's not go off half-cocked; there will be a time and place for direct public input into the process.
FWIW, the only suggestions getting broad support by the resource managers in the field are items 1 and 2 above. It's also been pointed out that Recreational Stamp monies are only now coming fully online and it won't be until next year that the scientific data will be brought current enough for use in making management changes based on science. The Fish and Game Commission has indicated they could delay consideration of the more Draconian abalone regulations until that data is available.
A summary of the June 21, 1999, meeting of the Recreational Abalone Advisory Committee (RAAC) is available. In brief, the following items were approved unanimously by the committee:
blurb@alacosta.org