You Are Not A Democratic Body - Welcome To California Corporate State Waters

You Are Not A Democratic Body -
Welcome To California Corporate State Waters

MPA by design, class conscious concepts of science as policy, world bank world view of control to save us from ourselves, but for who? Do folks remember that when the MLPAi, Marine Life Protection Act Initiative came to the North Coast officially in July 2009 -

1) There was no local coastal waters science, not even of the relevant harvested species
2) There were no nearshore data of habitat types or species assemblages
3) There was no historical record of positive gain/input by MPAs to the ecosystem on the West Coast of the USA. Statistics must be analyzed to realize their full meanings...
4) There was/is no problem on the North Coast that could be proven to benefit by MPAs
5) Point Arena had been severed from Mendocino County in the North Central Coast MLPA process in a sneak attack and now faces 20 square miles (total) of closures within 7 miles on either side of the harbor, including loss of Tribal access to Ocean food gathering
6) Large industrial scale use-models of harvest effort (methods, gear types, species & biomass) and resultant ecosystem impacts from Southern California were applied to policy rationale and advisory directives on the North Coast
7) Every California North Coast City and County Government and Harbor District wrote official letters of condemnation of both the process and the need for MPAs on the North Coast
8) The MLPA Initiative process had given no consideration to Tribal gathering and cultural or aboriginal rights, or government to government relations prior to the outcry on the North Coast
9) Continually, the statistics of depleted fisheries of the world (the further away the more applicable) were/are used to prove the merits of local Marine Protected Areas

NOTHING HAS CHANGED, get that!
NOTHING HAS CHANGED

Biodiversity Hotspots, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Nature Conservancy, the NRDC, MAXXAM, ENRON, Governor Gray Davis, Barry Munitz, Dr. John Mick Seidl -

A lineage of conspiracy,
manipulation to capitulation - control,
and now fishery fascism disguised as an open and transparent process,

a public private partnership of billion dollar foundations and a government of select officials truncating the democratic process. Replications of quasi governmental agencies seem to multiply as fast as scientific papers and form continuous images of alarmist scenarios and crises with reams of memes of confusion, blame shifting the threat, charting and plotting model outputs of single species input scenarios (genetic variables & management/regulation outside of MPAs) toward a projected pristine period some 30-50 years from now when a model steady state is achieved but there is no current baseline, and minimization of economic impacts to local communities - was moved from a Goal and Objective of MPA design to a mere discussion level consideration by the representative Regional Stakeholders Group, but then time ran out.

So what's wrong with Fishery Fascism and Public Private Partnerships?
1) You have to file a lawsuit to prove that the democratic process of a request under the Public Records Act is applicable, and then go back and request the data
2) It requires a huge investment in digital technology to participate in this digital democracy
3) The learning curve takes you around the bend, in time, but the process will have long since left you behind
4) In 3 regions to the south the public was told various meeting are not covered by the Bagley-Keene open meeting rules, of course when the process got to Mendocino County, it met such resistance to the processed business-as-usual 3rd party facilitators and cogent MLPA staff teamwork rituals of divide and conquer that now, new attention has been garnered in the halls of the Legislature and heretofore uninformed public arenas.

Yet scientists continue to come to the North Coast without a shred of actual evidence that there even is a problem in these coastal waters. OST and COMPASS continue to send scientists who come unprepared to answers intelligent questions from Northern California Coast residents and Sustainable Ocean Food Providers so we can be educated. But not one has even brought pictures or studies from within the environment of the North Coast Open Coastal Waters.

Not one. And at the science presentations, attendees are told how the presenters don't want to make it too complicated but they can't even cite their sources (periodicals), most if not all this so-called science is petri-dish laboratory generations of data from extremes averaged to a centerline of despair and compliance to modeled solutions.

The North Coast California Large Marine Ecosystem and the California Current faces a blue-green mythology of overfished stocks still in decline under the shadow of outlawed gear types and global wild-caught protein resource collapse, is just that - myths of the machine of BigGreen. Paid North Coast enviros, grant writers, and Protectionist Agendas of Conservation First - Community and Neighbors Last, mistakenly try to garner support for more protection, even though they are continually beaten in their logic and data sources, and don't even know the difference between which species will benefit and which species were once overfished (a decade ago), or how much regulation there is on the North Coast.

They also neglect to take into consideration the wealth, or rather the abundance of data by NMFS, NOAA, and high profile world class scientists (once involved in the California MLPA process and who now counter it) that there is no problem on the North Coast and that most stocks are nearly rebuilt or doing well, and all without the need for more regulations and closures.

MPAs will do nothing for Salmon, but they are always tossed into the conversation. When finally understood, just what species may benefit by even the most staunch proponents of the most stringent closures, we hear that we can learn to "protect it better" or that "the Headlands and the tidepools have been loved to death".

From NMFS: status of the stocks
http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/news.htm

"Our Living Oceans (Resources) 6th edition March 22, 2010
http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/olo6th-edition.htm

Of particular interest to local North Coast residents involved with the MLPA and the status of "species likely to benefit" from MPAs: Unit 15: Pacific Coast Groundfisheries
http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/olo6thedition/26--Unit%2015.pdf

Best available science shows that rockfish & other groundfish are rapidly recovering, and increasing in biomass, as a result of existing fishery management measures. Underline: Fish stocks are NOT "in decline"; Overfishing is NOT occurring in our region or anywhere on the west coast of the USA.
From Jim Martin, Mendocino County MLPA Outreach Coordinator

As the North Coast enters Round 3 of negotiations, the communities have remained strong and cohesive - presenting 4 similar arrays and resisting attempts to give up any more when the reasons are so ludicrous. It is the science that has the largest gaps, not the distance between closures as proposed in the early community process, worked out over 3 months, and determined to be all the fishing areas we could give up and survive economically. And we met the original guidelines in law.

But, BigGreen reps, the Ocean Aquarium lawyer, the multi-million dollar Global Marina Man, the Waterfront Real Estate agenda, and the Oiligarchy Heiress on the BRTF want more MPAs - so many that it would be extreme and over the top, and then want us to trust them to cull it back.

Recent Highlights from the Court of the Crimson King:

"I disagree with your decision to not allow unobtrusive coverage of RSG work sessions, based on unsubstantiated fears," said David Gurney, independent journalist. "On the contrary, legitimate recording and press coverage does the opposite of the fears you mention, of ideas taken out of context or incorrectly attributed - because such context and attributions become a matter of record. These violations of the Bagley-Keene Act and the 1st Amendment are illegal."
David Gurney MLPA Officials Violate Bagley-Keene Act, First Amendment by Dan Bacher

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/05/13/18647885.php

Footage from the original Fort Bragg meeting at which David Gurney broke the silence of the open meeting policy of the MLPA, April 21st 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWuCHrsmXcc

Just moments earlier that day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEyz8WOlgi8&feature=related

If anyone questions the effort of the North Coast residents, local governments, community organizations and their concerns to engage a process as a united voice and be heard, there are a number of occasions that support a need for a truth inquiry.

A recent attempt by North Coast Regional Stakeholders to remain united and hammer out an agreement where MPA closures can be placed with 'minimal economic impacts' was subsequently filmed. A common comment heard was that, wow, some people are a lot nicer when there is a camera on them... keep the camera on him/her.

Since September 2009 we have been told that the Blue Ribbon Task Force would like to see "One array" from the RSG. In Fort Bragg in march North Coast residents were told again:

http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/one_array.mp3
367kb 1min 33secs

More recently we were told that it's not time for "one array". A "Straw Vote" was taken on May 19th, 2010. MLPAi staff counted 16 votes in favor of one group, just less than half - after Jim Burns, the Noyo River Fort Bragg Harbormaster resigned from the RSG (because of the layers of politics driving the decision process). Two cameras recorded 20 votes minimum.

But the RSG learned that day that they are not a democratic body. View the two YouTube movies below; 8 minute and 10 minute. The 30 minute DVD has great audio outakes and discussion. Email AHRA and ask for a copy, they are free. Visit http://www.albionharbor.org

8min Straw Vote Democracy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD9ProCW3k4

10min Straw Vote Democracy; plus Fort Bragg City Council member on record 05 19 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b62xQ1N608

In conclusion - Mendocino County and the Town of Point Arena have spoken:
We say no more MPAs between Point Arena and the Ten Mile River (north of Fort Bragg)


On 03252010 this was declared in front of the RSG and MLPAi Team staff by Point Arena City official proclamation. Listen to audio 1 MB 4min 25secs
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/rsg/arena.mp3


On May 3rd, 2010 the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Farce heard comments from the North Coast:


Fort Bragg Public Comment 05032010
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/01_fortbragg.mp3
4.8 MB 20 mins

Fort Bragg Public Comment 05032010
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/02_fortbragg.mp3
5.8 MB 20 mins

Crescent City Public Comment 05032010
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/03_crescentcity.mp3
13.5 MB 1 hour

Hey BRTF, just tell them to get on with it, give it up
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/kg.mp3
428kb 1min 47secs

More coercive language from the Ocean CONservancy
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/samantha.mp3
554kb 2mins 22secs

A local Fort Bragg business employing about 50 people in Noyo Harbor
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/autumn.mp3
502kb 2mins 8secs

What is Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) – Adaptive Management is the buzzword
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/lekadaptiveman.mp3
2.94MB 12mins 52secs

BRTF member Gregory Schem suggests a bookends approach
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/bookends_ipa.mp3
1.7MB 7mins 20secs

The bookends approach garners much discussion among the BRTF
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/bookends_discussion.mp3
5.4MB 23mins 26secs
There is an exception, a political one, a community one; all we need to do is unite
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/bookends_exception.mp3
8.37MB 36mins 36secs

Jim Burns Fort Bragg Noyo Harbor Master resigns from RSG
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/Paul Hanson_JimBurns resigns.mp3
216kb 1min

Crescent fisherman Kenyon Helsel – Why 2 reserves in Del Norte?
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/kenyon.mp3
1.34MB 5mins 51secs

The BioEconomic models dillute the NC Study Region's negative economic impacts
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/sansano.mp3
492kb 2mins

Fort Bragg is gonna disappear
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/jeremelo.mp3
701kb 3mins

Adaptive Management Trumps Enlightened Management Jim Bassler and Tom Trumper
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/round2/jimandtom.mp3
800 kb 3 mins


Validation of LEK is essential.

*The External Array process promised us nearshore data layers. At one point we were told "we will never have nearshore data" by I Team staff. All the efforts of the North Coast Communities were put into the Arrays B, F, G, and H as LEK communicated and fine tuned in the presence of those communities and (authors and groups) taking responsibility for submitting a proposal.

Knowing that the effectiveness and contribution of MPAs to the ecosystem is determined by fishery management outside of MPAs this leads on to the next validation point. The math doesn't add up.

Tomas DiFiore
Albion Harbor Regional Alliance