S. Calif. Marine Protection areas

T

thataway

Active member
In the current issue of "Power and Motoryacht". There is an article where folks in a 20 foot boat were fishing on the mainland side of Catalina, and were tailed by one of the fish and game boats, for 10 miles. When the 20 boot boat just passed Long Point, they were stopped and boarded by officers in an RIB. They had crossed into a Calif. Marine Protection zone. No fish on board, and legal licenses. The two fishermen were each given a ticket, and threatened with Confiscation of their fishing gear even though they had the proper licenses.

The fine print on the tickets was that they had to be paid in person at the local courthouse (in this case Avalon) within 60 days, or face an additional fine of $1000! Since these boaters were from out of the area, they had to hire an attorney and pay his fare to Avalon to represent them. They got the tickets reduced from $25 to $10 each--but the attorney's fee and fares were over $800!

Here is a 124 page document which shows all of the details of the zones:

There are several other sites with more details: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservatio ... California

And

http://www.cityofavalon.com/filestorage ... d_MPAs.pdf Map and details of Catalina

The entire state protection areas: here

Just a heads up--I had discussed this with my son, who keeps his boat at Dana Point, had just bought his fishing licenses for the year, and was not aware of these zones.
 
We have alerted boaters for the past few years that it is illegal to take anything from the Pt. Vicente MPA. They usually move on. Most claim to not know the rules in spite of the fact that they are publicized in the places where fishing licenses are sold as well as the many fishing magazines, websites and radio shows. I keep handouts with maps and a list of the rules in English and Spanish on our boat and give them to the fishermen who say they didn't know.

Obviously, some people do poach and feign ignorance. A couple have even become belligerent and refused to pull in their lines. I have photographed them as well as their boat, CF number and everyone onboard and given the photos to Fish & Wildlife. A warden told me that they need the photos to prosecute those whom have been caught at least twice.

I haven't seen the article, but I assume they were trolling, which would indeed be illegal within the MPAs. All of the MPAs as well as rules, regulations and seasons are available of the DFW website, http://www.wildlife.ca.gov
 
Hi Phil,
Yes, they were trolling up the side of the Island. I know this area very well, since I not only sailed there for over 50 years, but worked at the summer camp just East of Long Point, for two summers, many years ago.

The folks in the article said there was no information where they bought their licenses, and my son tells me that there was no information at the place where he bought his license at Dana Point.

Apparently the some of the zones were new 2016? I believe that the Pt. Vincente area is older?

I think one of the nebulous is how far seaward, or what the exact boundaries of the MPA are.

You are doing a real service by telling folks about the MPA.

I have seen S. Calif. go from a very bountiful area in the 1940's with both shell fish, fin fish, lobster, to an area with very poor resources from overfishing/over takes. Many factors, including environmental and pollution thru the years.
 
I am still astonished at the comeback of life at Pt. Vicente in the short five years as a protected area. Several species of rockfish that had disappeared have returned and the reef ecosystem is close to where it was 25 years ago. Naturally it will take a couple of decades for generations of marine life to thrive enough to produce large numbers again, but it looks much better than the urchin barren it had become.

When I dive the reefs just outside the MPA it is clear that the spillover effect has not yet occurred. Currently there is a line of lobster traps extending from shallow water out about a mile just outside the western boundary of the Pt. Vicente MPA.
 
You need to know where you are and what the regulations are. Some MPAs are total closure, while some are open to taking pelagic fish only.
Most current charts clearly show the MPA areas.
 
C-Hawk":2kdk5bme said:
You need to know where you are and what the regulations are. Some MPAs are total closure, while some are open to taking pelagic fish only.
Most current charts clearly show the MPA areas.
Click to expand...

Roger,
Thanks--it looks as if Michael Peters, editor of "Sightlines" of Power and MotorYacht not only didn't do his homework, but published some erroneous information! Mr Peters is a Naval Architect and Principle of Michael Peters Yacht Design, and regular columnist.

Here are the words from the article
"These newly established MPAs were less than 3 months old, and were not marked on the shore, or on any charts, nor were they posted where you bought your fishing license, and being an out of state Ignoramus was no excuse."
Click to expand...

He further stated:
"There are a lot of angry fishermen out there over these MPAs. ...I just don't like it when Officer Obie locks me up with a bunch of mother rapers and father rapers for the simple crime of fishing with my grandkids."
Click to expand...

The part I left out had to do with Presidential Politics.. I suspect that there is other erroneous information in his article.

I checked both my Navionics and Garmin Apps, and these areas MPAs appear to be very clearly marked around Catalina Island--and in tune with the Cal. Fish and Game web site information.. I have not checked my chart plotters, but suspect that they also show the MPAs.

I was aware of the areas around the marine lab in Little Fisherman. I was also aware of the protected areas around Sant Cruz and San Miguel. I have not fished off Catalina in many years--and had recently given most of my deep sea fishing tackle to my son who has expressed an interest in fishing. (Including some lures which have been used by our family since at least the 1930's).

I letter to the Editor of Power and MotorYacht is already on its way! I also take exception to Mr. Peters' assertion that the MPA are ill advised. I have seen first hand, probably as well as any, what has happened to the Channel Islands since the 1940's. I can assure you that there were very few others free diving on these areas in the mid 1940's, as I was.
 
One thing I always do when buying a fishing license--even near home--is to get a copy of the most recent regulations. I keep a copy on our boats, as well as a fish identification book/guide.
 
We moved to Nevada, no way to stay legal with all the laws in California. You just cannot believe all the regulations at every level. It is not just guns and fishing, it goes deeper to a mindset that is hard to understand and I am a native and lived there almost 70 years. Not easy to move at my age but thee finally got my attention. Bob Jarrard
 
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