Some believe that it was a dark day for fishing in the state, and for some, unfortunately, it was, those closest to this more-than-yearlong process saw what the Blue Ribbon Task Force voted on yesterday as a livable compromise in the shady political process of trying to carry out the Marine Life Protection Act of 1999. Tommy Gomes of Catalina Offshore Products and Uni Goop, said that fishermen are survivors, and they will survive this.
The preferred alternative list of fishing closures voted on by the Blue Ribbon Task Force now moves to the Fish & Game Commission for approval. Point Loma was spared from closure, for the most part, but off-limits to most fishing will be a 7-square-mile area off La Jolla, an area off Encinitas and another off Imperial Beach to the Mexico border.
It is informed that fishermen did win concessions, though, with fishing for coastal pelagic finfish allowed in waters 50 meters or deeper off La Jolla and spear fishermen permitted to fish for white seabass in the closure off Encinitas. Dave Rudie, owner of Catalina Offshore Products, saw his urchin fishery remain intact and without significant closures, but lobstermen lost key grounds off Encinitas.
Bob Fletcher, a stakeholder and past president of the Sportfishing Association of California, pushed for La Jolla to remain free of closures. He said that La Jolla is the most heavily utilized fishing area by all users. Any time you take away an area like that, you’re pouring those people into another area and causing problems for that area.
