United Anglers of Southern California

United Anglers of Southern California Responds to Yesterday’s Ruling to Expand No-Take Reserves, Prepares for Battle Over Southern California Waters

Irvine, Calif. (August 16, 2006) – The California Fish and Game Commission handed down its ruling yesterday banning or severely restricting all fishing in a network of reserves collectively encompassing 18 percent — or roughly 200 square miles — of Central California’s coastal waters.   It wasn’t the worst possible outcome for recreational anglers (other larger reserve packages were on the table), but it sent an ominous wake-up call to Southern California anglers awaiting their turn next year.

“This proves that you can have all the science, logic and economic factors on your side—and all this evidence can still be ignored by a panel of in-house academics with a pre-set agenda,” responded Tom Raftican, President of United Anglers of Southern California.  UASC is a grass-roots non-profit organization representing the interests of nearly 50,000 Southern California recreational fishermen.


“We testified along with other organizations before the Commission earlier in the month, and it became very clear what that agenda was.  Despite credible testimony from some of the nation’s leading marine scientists and fisheries managers, the Commission’s attitude was, to paraphrase, ‘we have so much invested in planning new no-take marine reserves that we’re not going to change it now’,” said Raftican.

“The Commission didn’t follow the law as laid out by the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA),” said UASC Fisheries Specialist Bob Osborn.  “They didn’t protect ‘representative’ marine habitats like they were supposed to.  Instead, they based their decisions on politics and emotion, rather than science.  Much of these new closures focus on rocky headlands, not because they’re important to resource management but because they’re ‘spectacular’ to look at, and therefore, they must need protecting.   This is misguided and not supported by science, yet it will have a huge impact on the sport boat operators who depend on these rocky areas to catch a few fish for their customers.  The Commission took a wide swipe at sustainable fishing yesterday, while ignoring non-sustainable, destructive commercial fishing practices that have brought us to this place.”

The real issue moving forward from today’s disappointment, says Osborn, is defending recreational fishing opportunities off Southern California.  “Possibly as soon as January, the Fish and Game Commission’s Blue Ribbon Task Force will turn its attentions to expanding no-take reserves off the coast of Southern California.  In light of the Commission’s pre-disposition for marching towards closures, we need to rally our forces and strengthen our position to minimize the impact on recreational angling,” Osborn said.

UASC’s official position on no-take marine reserves was summed up in a recent newspaper editorial by Raftican: In light of California’s existing statewide fisheries regulations —stronger than those on the heavily protected George’s Bank in New England — California waters already constitute a massive Marine Protected Area and need to be recognized as such.  In light of these existing protections, only minimal (if any) additional no-take reserves are required to meet the goals of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).

“Southern California recreational anglers already contend with strict bag limits, size limits, species closures, seasonal closures and a network of no-take reserves,” said Osborn.  “These regulations are working, and Southern California’s resident fish populations have seen strong improvements since they received protections from destructive commercial fishing gear.  We will do everything we can to convince the Commission that recreational fishing with high conservation values goes hand-in-hand with the goals for of the MLPA.”

In some cases, UASC is seeking to strengthen some of the proven recreational fisheries management techniques that have contributed to better fishing.  For example, at the latest Fish and Game Commission meeting UASC proposed a slot limit on calico bass (between 12 and 18 inches) and lowering the daily bag limit from 10 to five fish.  UASC also recommended lowering the daily take on threshers and makos from two to one and establishing a state limit on albacore and bluefin tuna of 10 per day.

According to Osborn, splits in the recreational fishing community between party boaters, private boaters, kayakers, spearfishermen and others weakened the battle against expanded closures.  “We need to close ranks and we need to make the Commission focus on scientific evidence and applied fisheries management.   Their equation of protection equals no fishing is wrong—and obviously, very bad for us,” he added.

For more information about marine no-take reserves and other important recreational fishing issues, visit www.unitedanglers.com or contact organization headquarters at (949) 863-9447.