Fishing this time of year is more about where the fish are biting and what's hitting than ocean politics.
But if you fish ocean waters off Southern California or use bait caught by Everingham Brothers Bait Co., two open house workshop meetings this week are important, must-attend affairs.
The meetings will offer Southern California anglers two chances to learn more about the upcoming Marine Life Protection Act Initiative's South Coast project. Both meetings are the same, so you only need to attend one.
The first is tomorrow night from 5:30 to 8:30 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 6450 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad. The second is Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express at 3900 Old Town Ave., San Diego.
Passed in 1999, the Marine Life Protection Act stumbled for years because of lack of funding and organization. Environmental groups raised millions of dollars and resuscitated the measure after it looked as though the protectionist legislation signed by later-to-be-recalled Gov. Gray Davis might die.
Thus far off California, environmental groups have convinced the Fish and Game Commission to close 175 square miles of state waters around the Channel Islands in 2002, costing an estimated $100 million annual loss to the local economy there. Another 146 square miles of federal waters were added to the Channel Islands closure, making it a total of 321 square miles closed to fishing.
In 2007, the MLPA resulted in the closure of 85 square miles off the Central Coast; at least 40 percent of those waters were in the best sportfishing areas.
Now MLPA advocates hope to close at least 20 percent of California's coast waters to fishing. Insiders say the process could put the La Jolla and Point Loma kelp beds off limits to fishing.
So, what can anglers do?
Between now and then, groups will be formed to oversee the process, and anglers may get involved in one of those, the South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group. Nominations are being taken through July 18 for appointments to the stakeholder group, open to sport fishermen, spear fishermen, free and Scuba divers, kayakers, surfers, environmentalists and anyone who enjoys ocean recreation and wants to add input concerning potential closures. You may nominate yourself or someone you know who is willing to put the needed time and effort to see this process through.
The South Coast Study Region extends from Point Conception (Santa Barbara County) to the California-Mexico Border (San Diego County) and includes offshore islands.
For more information about the MLPA Initiative, call (916) 654-1885 or go to www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa.
Ed Zieralski: (619) 293-1225; ed.zieralski@uniontrib.com
