NRDC, Sierra Club Propose to Close Coast From Mendocino to Caspar

Mendocino to Caspar looks like about 4-5 miles on the map. Do they have any other proposed marine reserves? When will they come out with a full map proposal?
Could they do something like have the reserves apply mainly to abalone and the other sharply reduced species which are likely to benefit from spatial management?

You forgot to mention that scientists say protected areas are like fish factories. They let the big productive ones live to churn out more babies, and the babies of those big fish survive better because they have extra protein supplies. And underwater parks don't just have more critters; they have a better chance of functioning like a healthy ocean should. In protected areas near Australia, the big fish species have increased ten-fold over 16 years, and some species that people thought were long gone showed up again. Imagine how cool that would be. Protected areas are part of what it takes to keep the oceans healthy, and an important part. So I say more power to you, Mr. Lemos. Sounds like you have your head screwed on right, whatever hat you wear. I'm glad you're there defending our oceans.

Didn't forget anything. Those subjects are all covered in over 120 pages of writings (of mine) all footnoted or data sourced on the web with active links, to all forms of media and associated science, cultural studies, linguistics, fisheries biology, terrestrial landscape ecosystem dynamics, conservation biology, interviews.

Scientists say a lot of things. And why is it that the "overfished ocean" stories and localized post-MPA implementation successes in other parts of the world are always used to buoy page agenda preservation needs of our coastline. Localize our food resources and informational sources, management options and more.

Rubber army blues and emotional political context aside, the abalone resource on the North Coast is abundant, not overfished. Poaching is another matter and should be addressed as such. The resource itself is extremely healthy.

Every recreational diver gives up an amount every year to compensate and keep the resource healthy. Poaching is a real concern to all.

And the real point in my article is process. This whole process is reeling of truncated opportunities of input. Totally contrary to stated goals and objectives of the MLPAi. Anyone involved intimately over the last few years knows the way the NRDC and BIG Green have operated in this (their) process. Interesting to note how similar the influence of BIG Green on the internal dynamics of the process (behind the curtain behind the scenes) is to the MLPA Initiative 'open and transparent' process as laid out for us to follow every step of the way.

In the MLPAi public participation and 'participatory analysis' are all forms of indentured labor, by the time it is used (against us). To hand us a document like the North Coast Profile Draft and expect that we will make corrections when it is woefully inadequate (and of course we will, it's our fisheries, our coastline that are at stake) and bottleneck the peer review of the SAT to the MPF, and at the same time put tight deadlines on "proposal" and hand us more document on Lessons Learned, and the MLMA, OST - when all BIG Green members with staff and offices have to do is draw a few lines on maps (maybe politically scaled and may actually have biological significance) - I think stretches anyone's ability to keep up.

So when we are there, and we're told "discussion is not an agenda item" by one of our own, one has to ask why? What don't they want known? When we are heard, adjustments are forthcoming for all sides. That's progress, not process.

Hats are cheap, as fewer and fewer seafood gatherers and workers showed up at meetings because of a preservationist argumentative presence within the larger group, (and as fishery seasons opened up), it seemed the conservative preservationists wore more fishery user group hats to keep the perception of group dynamics stable.

Tomas DiFiore

Tomas

It's sad to hear that NRDC, the green fist of corporate globalization, has hired a local collaborator to promote the agenda of the oil companies and Wall Street. Shame on those who would sell their souls for some oil company money! Thanks for exposing Lemos and his cronies for being the frauds that they are!