Plan Adopted For So Cal Marine Life Protection Act

The California Fish and Game Commission voted Wednesday to adopt a network of marine protected areas, or MPA's, from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border. Areas off San Diego County's coast will now be part of a statewide system of underwater parks. Eric Brickenstein, spokesperson for San Diego Coastkeeper explains the changes.

Transcript

THE CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME COMMISSION VOTED WEDNESDAY TO ADOPT A NETWORK OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS OR MTAS FROM SANTA BARBARA TO THE MEXICAN BORDER. AREAS OFF SAN DIEGO COUNTY'S COAST WILL BE PART OF A STATE-WIDE SYSTEM OF UNDERWATER PARKS. JOINING ME NOW TO EXPLAIN THE CHANGES IS ERIC, SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SAN DIEGO COAST KEEPERS. WELCOME.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

HOW HAVE THE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY CHANGED AS A RESULT OF THAT VOTE?

THE TWO MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE AT SOUTH LA JOLLA AND SWAMI. WE HAVE A FULLY PROTECTED MARINE RESERVE IN SOUTH LA JOLLA AND A STATE MARINE CONSERVATION AREA AT THE REEF.

WHAT HAPPENS TO AN AREA DESIGNATED MARINE PROTECTION AREA.

THAT VARIES SLIGHTLY DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION. A RED AREA, ON THE MAP WE ARE SHOWING, REPRESENTS NO-TAKE ZONE. IT IS A FULLY PROTECTED RESERVE. NOTHING IN AND NOTHING OUT.

I CAN NOT FISH THERE?

NO.

I CAN'T SWIM THERE?

1. YOU CAN SWIM THERE. NONCONSUMPTIVE USE WILL NOT BE LIMITED. ANYTHING NOT EXFACTING A RESOURCE FROM THE AREA. ALL SNORKLING, SCUBA DIVING, SURFING AND TIDE POOLING WILL BE ALLOWED.

WHAT WILL PEOPLE --CAN THEY BOAT IN THOSE AREAS?

YES.

OKAY. SO JUST DON'T TAKE THINGS OUT?

EXACTLY. DON'T TAKE THINGS OUT.

HOW ARE THESE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS EXPECTED TO HELP MARINE LIFE IN THE AREAS?

IN A VARIETY OF WAYSMENT THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS TO SET ASIDE SMALL AREAS TO ALLOW FISH TO GROW LARGER. LARGER FISH WILL REPRODUCE MORE. IDEALLY AND PRESUMABLY THERE IS WHAT'S CALLED A SPILL-OVER EFFECT. DENSITY LEVELS ARE SATURATE THE PROTECTED AREAS AND SPILL OVER TO WATERS THAT WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR FISHING.

WHAT SPECIES OF FISH ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

PRIMARILY SPECIES IN NEED OF REHABILITATION. CALIFORNIA SPINEY LOBSTER, SHEEPS HEAD, ROCK FISH, EXCETERA.

YUM.

WE WANT TO KEEP THEM AROUND.

HOW WILL THE BOUNDARIES OF THE EPA'S BE IDENTIFIED BY PEOPLE OUT ON THE WATER?

ALL OF THE GPS COORDINATES WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE FISH AND GAME WEBSITE. AGAIN, DON'T QUOTE ME ON IT, BUT I PRESUME FISH AND GAME WILL NOTIFY LICENSED FISHERMANS OF THE NEW BOUNDARIES. THE MAP HAS BEEN DRAWN SO THAT THE BOUNDARIES ARE EASY IDENTIFIABLE FROM SHORE AND LINE UP BE LONGITUDE AND LATITUDE COORDINATES.

THIS PROCESS WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WAS COLLABORATIVE. I MEAN IT BROUGHT IN PEOPLE FROM THE FISHING INDUSTRY. AND PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSERVATIONIST AND SCIENTIST. WHAT COMPROMISES WERE ACTUALLY MADE?

A LOT. AS WITH ANY PROCESS WHERE VARIOUS COMPETING INTEREST GROUPS COME TOGETHER. I THINK WHAT'S UNIQUE AND SPECIAL ABOUT THIS PROCESS IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES THERE IS THIS ASSUMPTION THAT IT IS A ZERO GAME BETWEEN CONSUMPTION AND CONSERVATION. THEY PROVIDED US WITH A UNIQUE WAY TO BEEN FIT ALL INTEREST GROUPS AND ALL USERS. THAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THE LEGISLATION.

WHEN DOES THIS ALL GO INTO EFFECT? HOW WOULD I, SAY IF I WERE A FISHER, HOW WOULD I BE NOTIFIED?

I BELIEVE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME. IF YOU ARE A LICENSED FISHER PERSON.

IT WILL GO INTO EFFECT WHEN?

GOVERNOR INTENDS TO SIGN THE LEGISLATION BEFORE HE LEAVES OFFICE.

THE CURRENT GOVERNOR?

THAT'S CORRECT.

HE LEAVES OFFICE JANUARY 3rd.

IMPLEMENTATION IS IMMINENT.

INTERESTING. SO IT IS GOING TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW IMMEDIATELY.

PRESUMABLY. WE SURE HOPE SOME THE COMMISSION ADOPTED IT. IT IS ON ITS WAY TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

ANY PLANS TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IT?

YES. LOOK --LIKE WE DID IN THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT LA JOLLA IS WE HAVE A LOT OF BASELINE DATA. THAT WILL ENABLE US TO GET A GOOD STARTING POINT. WE'LL EVALUATE AFTER FIVE YEARS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. TAKE CARE.