Lobbying Steps Up in Intensity as MLPA Groups Offer Proposals

• Three Stakeholder Panels Provide Alternate Ways to Balance Fishing and Enviro Interests

BY SUZANNE GULDIMANN

The third phase of the South Coast Region’s Marine Life Protection Act Initiative is drawing to a close, as the three official stakeholder groups prepare to present their final proposals to the Science Advisory Team on Tuesday, Oct. 6, in Los Angeles. Changes have been made to the Malibu portion of all three plans following last month’s work group session, as each group attempts to meet the science guidelines while accommodating fishing and conservation interests.
Work Group 1, formally Topaz group, is continuing to propose a State Marine Reserve—the highest level of protection, which prohibits any “extractive,” or fishing activity—from the BKR [Big Kelp Reef] off Latigo to Westward Beach. The proposed boundary splits the BKR, a decision described in the report as a “compromise between fishing and conservation interests.”
Also part of WG1’s proposal is a State Marine Conservation Area extending west from Westward Beach along the waters off of Zuma, Broad Beach and Lechusa. This area would permit limited fishing, including the recreational take of pelagic fin fish, spearfishing for Pacific bonito, and white sea bass, and the commercial take of market squid using a dip net, and coastal pelagic finfish using a pelagic seine. The area would also permit the harpooning of swordfish.
A cultural SMCA proposed by the Wishtoyo Foundation for Nicholas Canyon Beach that would have permitted some commercial and recreational fishing uses is no longer part of the proposal mix. “After much discussion, tribal interests indicated they prefer SMRs, which do not allow for commercial fishing uses,” the report states. WG1 opted instead to add a new cultural SMP along the Gaviota coast.
The Malibu portion of WG3’s proposal is similar to that of WG1, but it extends the proposed SMR to the west, along Zuma Beach. The Lechusa SMCA would permit the same types of limited fishing activity as the WG1 proposal. All other fishing activities would be prohibited.
WG3 describes the area from Dume to Lechusa as having “the preferred size and coastline” that encompasses two ecotypes: a submarine canyon and “all available habitats.” The report adds that the proposed Lachusa SMCA “extends west just far enough to include a full persistent kelp bed replicate, rather than combining small patches of kelp.
“Point Dume will serve a large diving, snorkeling, kayaking, paddling and wildlife viewing community,” the WG3 report concludes.
WG2, previously External Proposal A, seen by many observers as the group most closely aligned with fishing interests, did not include any protection for the Point Dume area in Round 2. It has now incorporated a SMCA with fishing restrictions similar to those in the other two proposals from Westward Beach to Lechusa, and removed its proposed Big Sycamore Cyn. SMR.
The Science Advisory Team meets on Oct. 6, 9:30 a.m., at the Radisson Hotel at Los Angeles Airport, 6225 West Century Blvd., Los Angeles. The Blue Ribbon Task Force will meet Oct. 20-22 at the Hilton Long Beach & Executive Meeting Center, 701 West Ocean Blvd. Information is available at www. dfg.ca.gov/mlpa