United Anglers of Southern California

American Sportfishing Association Policy Alert

Support Marine Protected Area Proposal 2XA - Write the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Blue Ribbon Task Force

For more information, contact Gordon Robertson, vice president and Government Affairs lead, 703.519.9691, x237, or Patty Doerr, Ocean Resource Policy director, x244.

How You Can Help

Please send a letter to the Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF), asking the BRTF members to endorse Proposal 2XA and forward the proposal to the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC). Proposal 2XA balances the requirements of California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) with the needs of public user groups, especially recreational anglers. We need your help to ensure this proposal is advanced to the FGC as the preferred marine protected area (MPA) alternative for the North Central Coast. For more detailed information on the MLPA, visit the California page of KeepAmericaFishing.org.

For clarification – the MLPA requires that California establish MPAs. ASA and its colleagues in the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO) are working within the process to ensure that the needs of public user groups, especially recreational anglers, are included in the final plan for the North Central Coast.

The Situation and ASA’s Position

The American Sportfishing Association and its colleagues in the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans are supporting Proposal 2XA as the preferred network of MPAs in the North Central Coast phase of California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) implementation. The MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force meets on April 22 and 23, 2008 to vote on which proposal to forward to the California Fish and Game Commission as the “preferred alternative.”

The Marine Resources Protection Plan, which the PSO originally proposed in October 2007, is the foundation of Proposal 2XA. The proposal strategically establishes MPAs to achieve broad-based conservation of marine resources while minimizing unnecessary closures to recreational fishing, thus ensuring that sustainable recreational activities will be available to the public now and into the future.

Proposal 2XA is designed to enhance local fisheries populations, most specifically groundfish (rockfish) and roundfish (lingcod, cabezone, greenling), the very species that will benefit the most from MPAs. Marine reserves, areas closed to recreational fishing, are included in the proposal to fulfill the broader ecosystem goals of the MLPA, and are placed in areas where they will have the least impact on recreational anglers. These reserves are supplemented with marine conservation areas and marine parks that allow for fishing activities on species and stocks that do not benefit from MPAs.

March 25, 2008 (SANTA MARIA, CALIF.) – Less than three weeks after  the stinging closure of Lake Casitas to private trailered boats, United Anglers of Southern California (UASC) President Tom Raftican had a positive report in the battle against lake closures — it was announced today that Cachuma Lake will remain open to bass boats and other private trailered vessels.

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted to endorse a wide array of measures that will allow the lake to remain open to boaters while addressing the important ecological issue of Quagga mussel infiltration.  “We testified on behalf of our 40,000 members, as well as for a wide collation of stakeholders for whom boating access to this important Southern Californian recreational resource is critical,” said Raftican.  “We demonstrated that there are reasonable solutions to this problem which don’t require throwing up roadblocks to natural resources for a large segment of the public. Unlike earlier this month, it was satisfying to know that our message was heard, and that we were able to work together on a realistic and aggressive plan of action,” added Raftican.

Keeping the lake open to trailered boats required immediate adoption of new inspection, treatment and quarantine procedures, which will go into effect March 28 with the opening of the new Cachuma Lake launch ramp.  Highlights of these new pre-launch protocols include a multi-stage inspection and treatment process that all visiting boaters are required to complete.  All boats and trailers must be clean and dry upon entry to Cachuma Lake, with all drain plugs removed.  Following visual inspection (and in some cases, quarantine periods), all boats and trailers will be treated with a hot water pressure wash.

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UASC ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST ANNUAL TEXAS HOLD ‘EM
POKER TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER APRIL 12th

Thousands of Dollars in Cash and Prizes Up for Grabs,
Including $2,500 Cash for First Place and a 5-Day Costa Rica Fishing Adventure

See our flyer for the Poker Tournament:
Front Page�  Back Page

United Anglers of Southern California (UASC) has announced its first ever Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament, Saturday April 12th at the Normandie Casino in Gardena. This fun event will allow fishermen and card “sharks” from across Southern California to match their poker playing skills as they compete for thousands of dollars in cash and prizes. Proceeds from the event will go to support the ongoing conservation and recreational fishing activities of UASC, including the hard work ahead to positively influence impending MLPA implementation in Southern California waters.

Cash payouts for this first-of-its-kind event (based on a full field of 150 players) include a whopping $2,500 for the tournament’s top finisher.�  Second Place will earn $1,000, Third Place will take home $800, Fourth Place will grab $500 and the Fifth Place finisher will hook up with $400.�  There will also be additional cash and prize payouts for the Sixth through 20th Place finishers.

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JOIN UASC NOW!

SIGN UP AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, GET FREE HALL SHOW ADMISSION AND A ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO TRAILER BOATS AND PACIFIC COAST SPORTFISHING

For years, United Anglers of Southern California has focused on signing up and renewing members on-site at the Fred Hall Fishing Tackle & Boat Shows in Long Beach and Del Mar, with the added incentive of free admission to the show. For 2008, we’re doing something a little different and a lot better.

Anglers have the opportunity to join UASC or renew their current membership at their own convenience through the mail or by phone. Then all they have to do is bring their new membership card to the Fred Hall Show to receive their free admission ticket and special entry in to the show. This allows fishermen to avoid waiting in line and eliminates having to fill out forms when you’re anxious to get inside and enjoy the show. Applications need to be completed and returned by March 1 in order to take advantage of the Fred Hall Show entry in Long Beach, or before March 21 for the Del Mar show. You’ll receive your membership card in the mail — then bring it to our booth outside the Fred Hall Show to claim your free show pass along with other goodies. You must bring your new membership card, please!

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UNITED ANGLERS' UPCOMING EVENTS FOR 2008

SAVE THESE DATES …

FredHall Show in Long Beach
March 5th to 9th

FredHall Show in Del Mar
March 26th to 30th
(bring your membership card with you to pick up free pass to show if you have already renewed early by mail)


1st Annual Poker Tournament
When: Saturday, April 12th, 2008, sign-in at 11:00
Cost: $150 to buy in
Where: Normandie Casino, 1045 W Rosecrans Ave, Gardena CA 90247 

United Anglers of S.C. 17th Annual Awards Dinner
When:  Sunday, May 18th, Doors open at 3:30.
Cost:  $85.00
Where:  Harborside Pavilion, 400 Main St, Balboa CA (Formerly the Balboa Pavilion)
Who:  Fisherfolk who want to pass on the sport they love to future generations
  
If you cannot attend, please buy raffle tickets, (Raffle tickets are 5 for $20, 15 for $40, 40 for $100) and support United Anglers of Southern California!
Volunteers are needed at these events and others!!!

 Contact UASC at: (949) 863-9447 for more information UASC, 17391 Murphy Ave. #A, Irvine, CA 92614-5919.
 www.unitedanglers.com