Mr. Rogers Is Way Out Of His Neighborhood On The North Coast

Please Mr Governor Brown remove Richard Rogers from the State Fish and Game Commission

Northern California fisheries, communities, and tribes, soon face a process decision regarding North Coast Marine Protected Areas and the 'One Unified Array' at The Fish and Game Commission Hearings in Sacramento.

The two day hearings are currently scheduled for Feb. 2-3 2011.

They will not be simply a vote 'yea or nay' on the One Unified Array painstakingly proposed by local North Coast communities.

A year and a half ago, August 5th 2009, in order to ban California Indians, and Seaweed Harvesters from traditional access in Sonoma and Mendocino County, the revolving door between the BRTF and the Fish & Game Commission led to the appointment of Don Benninghoven to the Commission, replacing Cindy Gustafson, expedited in time for a 3-2 vote (along with Richard Rogers and Mike Sutton). View the Woodland, CA decision hearing at:
http://www.cal-span.org/cgi-bin/media.pl?folder=CFG

The hearing was polarized from the outset. All the enviros masts were flying their flags high thinking it was the right thing to do - ban Tribes and subsistence harvesters... so green.

These audio segments are symbolic and helped to ignite a reality check on the North Coast that rippled up and down the coast and which has never let up. Tribal rights will have to take precedent. The North Coast is entirely different than the rest of the state.

Listen to (Sonoma County) Kashia Tribal Chairman Lester Pinola's comments on the MLPA-I at the Commission Hearing 080509, the tribe faced loss of traditional access and areas due to closures under the Big Green supported BRTF proposed Integrated Preferred Alternative, and the subsequent vote of the Commission. (less than 2 min 400kb Mp3 32kps)
Open The Coast

And the response by Richard Rogers and Mike Sutton that closed Stewards Point and Point Arena Sea Lion Cove: (2mins 460kb Mp3 32kps)
Our Job


Please Mr Governor Brown replace Richard Rogers with a commissioner who understands his or her responsibility to both conserve California’s natural resources and will take into account the impact of regulations on California’s economy.


August 2009
California Fisheries Coalition archives tell the story:
http://californiafisheriescoalition.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html

On July 9, 2009
A letter was presented to the Commission from the State's wardens:
http://californiafisheriescoalition.blogspot.com/2009/07/california-fish-and-game-wardens.html

From: Todd Tognazzini,
President California Fish and Game Wardens' Association

To: Ms. Cindy Gustafson, President California Fish and Game Commission

“We understand the need for the Commission to move forward with mandates but must request that you delay or suspend any and all mandates that place additional responsibilities on wardens until such time that furlough and staffing issues are addressed. A prime example of this is the ongoing work by the Commission related to the Marine Life Protection Act and the designation of protected areas along our coastline. Insofar as legally possible, please delay any further designations of such areas. “

One month later, Fish & Game Commissioners Dan Richards and Jim Kellogg did not get a chance to vote for “2XA" the North Central Coast fishing communities choice (080509). The two commissioners put forward a motion to suspend the implementation of the regulations until funding is available and studies are completed in the existing reserves in south-central California. This motion failed 3-2.

Commissioner Richard Rogers then made a motion to approve the "Preferred Alternative" which passed with Don Benninghoven and Mike Sutton voting "Yea" (and Kellogg and Richards voting "Absolutely Not").

On Thursday morning, immediately after the August 5th hearing, Secretary for Natural Resources Mike Chrisman selected Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the CEO for the Western States Petroleum Association to chair the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Farce for the remainder of the MLPA South Project.

August 1, 2009 (Friday) 4 days previous to the 080509 hearing, HEADLINES were that the California Fish and Game Commission President Cindy Gustafson had resigned:
Ed Zieralski Union-Tribune Staff Writer
http://californiafisheriescoalition.blogspot.com/2009/08/fish-and-game-commission-president.html

Cindy Gustafson not only was president of the state Fish and Game Commission, but she also was considered a swing vote on a five-member panel that faced some critical votes regarding California's resources and had once before asked “are we just a rubber stamp for the BRTF”.

Cindy Gustafson returned to chair the North Coast Blue Ribbon Task Force, a position she fulfilled with true compassion and concern with a calmness and respect that was only what got everyone through some overwhelming moments.

A good accounting and historical perspective of the MLPA-I process resides across several web-sites. Most are fisheries related, and provide localized view of current resource protections, MLPA-I impacts, the lies and runaway train momentum of the “process”. Northern California has been all rough seas so far. Having heard extensive testimony, outrage, and being the 4th region to be processed through area closures, the North Coast has not been not an easy catch.

Point Arena has fought hard to survive the MLPA both in the North Central Coast Process and the North Coast MLPAi.

Fisherman to Mike Chrisman: Shame On You
http://mlpanorth.blogspot.com/2009/06/fisherman-to-chrisman-shame-on-you.html

Another question remains after a year and a half on the North Coast. It's answer is really prettty simple – Tribal Soveriegnty Precedes The MLPAi. It is a bogus law which never considered Tribal soveriegnty except to dismantle that Tribal identity.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/06/18665873.php

"It is a bogus law, and you all have worked so hard. It's not your fault it is a bad law". Eloquently spoken by Wyot Tribal member Cheryl Siner before she ended the meeting with a closing blessing in a song. (31 mins 7MB Mp3 32kps)
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/endMotions_PublicComment_Oct26th.mp3

In defense of the North Coast One Unified Array, fragile as it is, I want to give credit where do. This 20 minute excerpt is the summary discusion and final vote in December 2010, by the BRTF. It's really worth a listen.
Download or listen: (20 mins 7MB Mp3 32kps)
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/12092010_brtf.mp3

Blue Ribbon Task Force member and Senior Law Lecturer at Stanford, Meg Caldwell, did a research of Findings for the administrative record which is sent along to the Fish & Game Commission.

Caldwell's Findings detailed: The BRTF has the discretion to recognize regional differences and now, in support of the significance of the cross interest support for the proposal, the "conservation value that the proposal does actually achieve, and the unique characteristics of the North Coast". (16 mins 4MB Mp3 32kps)
http://www.albionharbor.org/audiotakes/motionapproved.mp3

What People Can Do

Click here to send a message to Governor Brown urging him not to reappoint Rogers to the California Fish and Game Commission. Given his staunch support of a program that fails to address the real problems affecting California’s coastal waters, such as habitat loss and pollution, Rogers has failed to fulfill his responsibilities to California’s citizens and its natural resources. The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans believes that Governor Brown should replace Rogers with a commissioner who understands his or her responsibility to both conserve California’s natural resources and take into account the impact of regulations on California’s economy.

For more information, go to: http://www.keepamericafishing.org

Tomas DiFiore
AHRA