United Anglers of Southern California

 

United Anglers of Southern California announced today that Dan Wolford, science director for Coastside Fishing Club will be the main speaker at UASC's Fundraising banquet June 2, 2013, 6 pm at the Newport Beach Golf Club. Topics include a positive message about barotrauma, and what fishermen need to know about sustainable fisheries, the future of the MLPA, Southern California closures, and most importantly what each of us can do that will make a difference.

 

Wolford is also the chairman of the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Wolford has been a recreational fisherman all his life, first in Oregon and for the past 30 years in California. Since retiring in 2001 as an aerospace systems engineering manager, he has been a volunteer advocate for recreational fishermen in support of science-based fisheries management. Serving as the science director for the Coastside Fishing Club he has actively supported research on rockfish barotrauma survivability, advocated for release strategies to improve survivability of regulatory discards, developed recreational groundfish catch estimation methodologies, and supported salmon net pen acclimation projects. 

 

He has worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and and the Fish and Game Commission to create recreational seasons and regulations for salmon, sturgeon, and striped bass.  Wolford has served on the PFMC’s Salmon Advisory Subpanel and the ad hoc Salmon Amendment Team, and has worked with members of the Groundfish Management Team and Groundfish Advisory Subpanel. Wolford has also volunteered as a member of the steering committee for the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO). 

 

Today UASC is asking you to pick up the phone and purchase your ticket or table at our upcoming fundraiser and awards dinner June 2, 2013, at 6 pm at Newport Beach Golf Course. Thanks to our many industry leading supporters large and small, there will be a drawing for number of top of the line raffle prizes, and a silent auction. If you can’t attend your support is still needed in the form of an annual or lifetime membership, endowment, service commitment or monetary donation to UASC. 

 

UASC is expanding the scope of our organization’s request for donations and membership beyond just the community of recreational anglers to include our non-fishing friends, family and other outdoor organizations and businesses who understand that those of us that fish recreationally are passionate about being involved in the care and management of our outdoor resources. Collectively, those of us who support recreational fishing have a voice through our actions; we choose to be involved with the responsible stewardship of our outdoor resources rather than sitting quietly while the actions of anti-fishing extremists seek to exclude access to all.

 

Every membership, financial contribution or endowment is of great importance – the more support and more members UASC has the stronger our voice becomes. Start this season out right by supporting United Anglers of Southern California. We’re working hard to ensure healthy oceans and robust fisheries are available for future generations.

 

•We’re also the only organization fighting for your family’s right to fish in Southern California.

•We need your financial support because recreational fishing is under attack on many fronts, from destructive commercial fishing to the inappropriate implementation of California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). 

•The fight has only begun, as anti-angling forces will continue to attempt to close off recreational fishing access to the public.

•UASC is leading the fight for recreational fishing.

 

You can ensure that YOUR VOICE is heard on these and other critical issues. Renew your UASC membership and purchase your ticket or table to the June 2 Fundraising and Awards Dinner today.

Note: To purchase an individual ticket(s) or table(s) in advance of the Fundraising and Awards Dinner, please contact Robin Osborn at the UASC office at (562) 494-9900.

 

California's Fourth District Court of Appeal this week ruled against the Coastside Fishing Club in its effort to overturn California's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) implementation plan that establishes an onerous network of no-fishing zones along the coast of our state. 

 

Coastside, our sister organization to the north, argued that the California Fish and Game Commission failed to comply with statutory requirements in creating these vast no-fishing zones. Unfortunately, the appeals court is unconvinced of the necessity of these rulemaking safeguards and so has allowed the current regulations to stand, no matter how flawed the adoption process.

 

Speaking as board members of United Anglers of Southern California and saltwater anglers ourselves, this is deeply disappointing, but not unexpected, news. This seemingly predetermined conclusion has been in from the very beginning of the MLPA’s implementation—a process funded and directed behind the scenes by anti-fishing extremists who have co-opted several environmental organizations. UASC firmly holds that funding of public processes by special interests is fundamentally inappropriate—tantamount to allowing the fox to guard the hen house. 

 

In the ruling this week, Associate Justice Terry O’Rourke of the San Diego-based Fourth District Court of Appeal wrote, “Considering the enormous investment of time and effort by so many that went into their creation, we are loathe to hold the North Central Coast regulations invalid and undo the arduous process that resulted in their adoption absent a compelling reason to do so.”

 

To UASC, O’Rourke’s opinion sounds like a justification; a lazy excuse rather than a legal ruling. Coastside Fishing Club has not yet decided whether to appeal to the state Supreme Court.

 

Like Coastside, UASC recognizes that the threats to the ocean are not coming from recreational hook-and-line fishermen, but we have been easy targets.

 

Speaking for UASC, we will continue to muster all available resources to sustain the battle against unjustified and unlawful fishing closures. A small number of influential and well financed anti-fishing extremists have steered environmental organizations in a way that hijacks the MLPA process. Unless we continue to fight, Californians that are passionate about our freedoms will not have a voice, and we all risk losing our generational heritage of recreational fishing rights.

 

We encourage all anglers to unite with us in this fight by joining UASC at our upcoming fundraising dinner June 2nd at 6 pm at Newport Beach Golf Course. It’s vital to get involved: please consider donating time, money and committing to “carry our message” to friends and family members who may not fish, but care about the future of marine recreation in our state. We are the organization fighting for your right to fish. If we don’t stand together now, who will?

Sincerely,
Board of Directors
United Anglers of Southern California
A 501c (3) non-profit organization
1933 Temple Ave.
Signal Hill, CA 90755
(562) 494-9900www.UnitedAnglers.com