Task Force Approves Recommendations to Complete California’s Open Coast Marine Protected A

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Oct. 28, 2010

CONTACT: Annie Reisewitz, MLPA Initiative, 858-228-0526

Task Force Approves Recommendations to Complete California’s Open Coast Marine Protected Areas

A unanimous recommendation forwards a community-based marine protected area proposal to the California Fish and Game Commission

Fortuna – The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) unanimously voted this week to forward a community-based marine protected area (MPA) proposal for the north coast. The MPA proposal, developed by the 33-member north coast regional stakeholder group (NCRSG), will be presented to the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) together with a modified enhanced compliance alternative MPA proposal and other recommendations on February 2, 2011 in Sacramento.

“The task force decision honors the hard work and compromises made by the regional stakeholder group,” said Cindy Gustafson, chair of the BRTF. “We also adopted an alternative proposal that does not alter the placement of MPAs developed by the stakeholders, but strengthens the level of ocean protection to be consistent with other regions in the state while considering the unique environmental conditions and important cultural and socioeconomic interests specific to the north coast.”

The MPA proposal and modified enhanced compliance alternative are based on the efforts of the NCRSG, a group composed of individuals representing a broad range of interest and in-depth knowledge about local resources. The NCRSG was tasked with evaluating existing MPAs and developing alternative MPA proposals in the north coast study region, from the California-Oregon border to Alder Creek near Point Arena in Mendocino County. Members of the NCRSG help ensure that multiple perspectives are heard in the MLPA Initiative’s MPA planning process. Maps and descriptions of the MPA proposal and modified enhanced compliance alternative will be posted to the MLPA website in the coming weeks.

In August the NCRSG forwarded a single MPA proposal for the north coast, identified as the Round 3 NCRSG MPA Proposal, to the BRTF. The Round 3 Proposal was developed after more than a year of formal meetings, numerous informal meetings, public input, and evaluations and analyses from a science advisory team, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and MLPA Initiative staff.

“I’m extremely proud of the stakeholder group for accomplishing their task with great integrity and consideration for the entire north coast region and all ocean users,” said Ken Wiseman, executive director of the MLPA Initiative. “The stakeholders did a tremendous job of working together as a community in this science-based public process.”

In addition to the NCRSG MPA proposal and modified enhanced compliance alternative MPA proposal, the BRTF adopted two additional recommendations related to traditional tribal uses in the north coast region and recognizing a tribal use category within MPAs, a recommendation for the state to seek co-management partnerships between sister agencies and California tribes and tribal communities, and a recommendation to retain existing MPAs at MacKerricher, Russian Gulch and Van Damme state parks.

Led by Chair Cindy Gustafson, the eight-member BRTF comprises public leaders with experience in addressing complex public policy issues. Appointed by the Secretary for Natural Resources, members of the BRTF were charged with overseeing the north coast study region planning process and providing its recommendations to the FGC.

Proposal 0, which is the existing MPAs in the study region, was also used as a baseline. The FGC and DFG will include Proposal 0 as the “no project” alternative during the state regulatory and environmental review processes. The commission’s process to adopt north coast MPAs is expected to take about one year and includes numerous opportunities for public input.

California has three types of MPAs – marine conservation areas, marine parks and marine reserves – that are utilized in the proposals as part of an ecosystem-based approach to protecting valuable marine life and critical habitats. In addition, several state marine recreational management areas (SMRMAs) are proposed along with the MPAs. Allowed activities vary greatly among the three types of MPAs and SMRMAs, ranging from limiting certain types of commercial and recreational activities to establishing no-take areas; public access is allowed in all four. The proposed MPAs and SMRMAs do not restrict public access or non-consumptive recreational enjoyment, such as boating, swimming, diving or kayaking.

In 1999 the state enacted the MLPA, which directs the state to reexamine and redesign California’s system of marine protected areas with the goal of increasing its coherence and effectiveness at protecting the state’s marine life and habitats, marine ecosystems and marine natural heritage, as well as to improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems.

Making recommendations for MPAs along the north coast, utilizing the best readily available science and the advice of stakeholders, is one of a number of steps being taken in California to implement the MLPA, which is part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Ocean Action Plan. To achieve this goal, the California Natural Resources Agency and DFG partnered with the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation to establish the MLPA Initiative, a public-private partnership designed to help the state implement the MLPA, guided by the advice of scientists, resource managers, experts, stakeholders and members of the public.

For more information about the MLPA Initiative, please visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa.

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