Historic Fish and Game Hearing Dec 15th. Attend the Adoption hearing!

The time has finally come.  After two years of painstaking planning and public participation, the Fish and Game Commission will hold an historic MLPA hearing.  This hearing, also known as "the adoption hearing" will solidify the future of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in southern California.

This is your last chance to attend and speak in support of MPAs.

Please attend!  If you would like more information about the hearing and/or need help with specific talking points about the IPA map, please contact Stefanie at: Ssekich@surfrider.org

Fish and Game Commission
December 15, Wednesday
9am

Hotel Mar Monte
1111 East Cabrillo Blvd
Santa Barbara, CA

If you cannot attend, please take a moment to send a letter to the Commission asking them to support the IPA. Click here! 

Southern California One Step Away from a Network of Marine Protected Areas.

Last week, over 700 surfers, students, divers, business owners, and elected officials turned out in record numbers to the Fish and Game Commission hearing.   This hearing was the last Fish and Game meeting before the Commission officially adopts a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in December.  Here’s a great article about the meeting.  

Just a handful of Surfrider representatives (Bill Hickman, Joe Geever and Julia Chunn) amongst the hundreds of people who attended  the meeting. 

At the hearing, Surfrider representatives and local volunteers spoke in favor of implementing a strong network of MPAs and adopting the Integrated Preferred Alterative map (which the Commission has chosen to go forward under the State environmental review process; via the California Environmental Quality Act).   After 2 years of planning, thousands of letters, and hundreds of hours of public meetings, the Fish and Game Commission will finally implement a network of MPAs at the Dec 15^th meeting.  Don’t miss your opportunity to attend the last hearing and speak in favor of Marine Protected Areas, AND witness the Commission make its historic decision.  

If you are interested in attending this hearing (in Santa Barbara, please contact Stefanie at: Ssekich@surfrider.org).  

Time and Date Set for Important MLPA Meeting. Please Attend!

October 20th is the date for one of the most (if not THE most) important meetings for the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) in the south coast region!

We need supporters of the final map (the Integrated Preferred Alternative (IPA)) to attend the hearing and show your support.  

The meeting begins at 10am and they will take ‘public comment’ shortly after.  You will more than likely have one-two minutes to share your support for the IPA.  If you would like to attend and speak in support of the IPA, and need help with talking points, please contact Stefanie at:  Ssekich@surfrider.org  

If you haven’t already, please take 30 seconds to fill out our action alert asking the Fish and Game Commission to adopt the IPA here.   

Fish & Game Commission Meeting

Date:                     October 20th, 2010
Arrival Time:      9:45am
Start Time:          10:00am
Location:             Four Points by Sheraton
                                8110 Aero Drive, San Diego 92123 map

Actual Agenda: Click here 
 

MLPA South Coast Updates

Mark your calendars!  The Fish and Game Commission will be holding the final 'discussion hearing' about the MLPA process in San Diego on Oct 20-21 (we are still not sure what day they will specifically discuss the south coast MLPA, but mark your calendars, regardless). The final 'adoption hearing' will be in Santa Barbara (Dec 15-16).  

In other Commission news... this week, the Commission held an "emergency meeting" to discuss delaying the final environmental review process--which would have been a set back for the implementation date.  Fortunately the Commission voted to only postpone comments for the Draft Environmental Impact (DEIR) by 15 days instead of 45; so the hearings in San Diego and Santa Barbra are still on track.

In the next few days Surfrider will be re-launching our Action Alert asking the Commission to adopt the IPA (the final map that is before them).  Surfrider spent the past 2 years meeting with a diverse community of people invested in the MLPA process and we believe the IPA map meets MLPA guidelines; contains viewpoints from conversationalists and fishermen alike; and in the end, the IPA will produce productive Marine Protected Areas in the future (which is vitally important to both the Surfrider Foundation and the Fish and Game Commission).

If you have questions about the upcoming hearings and would like to testify in support of the IPA, please contact Stefanie at:  Ssekich@surfrider.org

MLPA Update and a Way to Send some Valentines Love

Just a quick reminder that the next Fish and Game Commission meeting is March 3 in Ontario/Upland.  Go here to see the location once they post it.  This is one of the last meetings that will be held in southern California (the majority of the meetings will be in Sacramento).  So be sure you get there!

We know you MLPA gurus want to attend and testify in support of the IPA-- and we encourage you to do so!!

We also wanted to share something that we ran across lately.... considering Surfrider is full of surfers we were autormatically attracted to a new facebook page talking about how Swamis is up for protection (i.e under the MLPA).  And we couldn't resist passing along the Love Letter they are giving Swamis for valentines day!

This is just another creative way to support the IPA by writing a letter to the Fish and Game about protecting Swamis.  

 Hand shaped, hand-painted bamboo board by Holeman Surf Designs   
I bet Swamis likes Bamboo!  

Fish and Game Commission Update

Last week the Fish and Game Commission listened to testimony from hundreds of people regarding the final maps.   While there was no regulatory vote, the Commission did vote to start the environmental review process and identified the IPA as the "proposed project".

Below is a recent update from the MLPA Executive Director with a great explanation of what has happened thus far, and what is coming up.

Thanks for following Surfrider's work on the MLPA.  We know that it has been a contentious process--but Surfrider has never been afraid on taking on hard projects.  We only hope we can balance the needs of our members, and make new friends along the way.   Like GreenFish. 

Blue Ribbon Task Force

During its eleventh meeting on October 20-22 and November 10, the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) reviewed the "Round 3" MLPA South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group (SCRSG) marine protected area proposals and considered what to include in a preferred alternative to be recommended to the California Fish and Game Commission. The BRTF received analyses and evaluations of the Round 3 proposals from the MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team (SAT), California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) and MLPA Initiative staff. The SCRSG also provided the BRTF with background and process information regarding the development of Round 3 MPA proposals; the SCRSG also recommended changes to the proposals based on Round 3 results. More than 1,200 members of the public participated in two public comment periods, resulting in more than seven hours of verbal comment and hundreds of written comment.

After two days of discussion and deliberations, a subset of MPAs from the three SCRSG MPA proposals were tentatively identified by the BRTF for inclusion in a preferred alternative. In addition, the BRTF identified alternative options for four general geographies: Point Dume (three options), Palos Verdes (two options), Orange County (two options) and San Diego (four options). The BRTF recessed on October 22, requesting separate analysis on the alternative options under discussion. In addition, the BRTF indicated that all three revised SCRSG proposals would be forwarded to the commission.

On November 10, the BRTF reconvened to further discuss the different options. After several hours of deliberation and consideration of staff analyses, the task force unanimously adopted a preferred alternative that integrates elements from the three SCRSG MPA proposals, referred to as the MLPA South Coast Integrated Preferred Alternative MPA Proposal, or the IPA. The BRTF voted to recommend the IPA to the commission as the preferred alternative, and to also forward for consideration the three revised Round 3 SCRSG MPA proposals.

California Fish and Game Commission

At its joint meeting with the BRTF on December 9, the commission identified the IPA as the proposed project and guided staff to include revised SCRSG MPA proposals 1, 2, and 3 as alternatives, with the possibility of adding feasibility options developed by DFG. The commission made it clear that this vote was “guidance to staff” and not a regulatory vote. The commission also made it clear it was not selecting a “preferred” project at that time, but needed to designate a “proposed” project to allow staff to initiate the regulatory process under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). As required by the California Administrative Procedure Act, the commission will hold at least two hearings to receive public comment on the proposed MPA regulations in the south coast to help inform a final decision; these hearings are anticipated to take place in the spring of 2010, where members of the public will have an opportunity to provide comments. There will also be an opportunity to comment on the draft environmental impact report developed under CEQA that is expected to be released for public review in 2010. Information about the commission meeting schedule and how to provide public comment can be found on the commission website at www.fgc.ca.gov.

Last Chance to Speak Up on South Coast Marine Protected Areas--Attend Commission Hearing on Dec 9 in LA

The 'end of the line' for South Coast Marine Protected Areas has arrived!  Dec 9th marks the final meeting in a 'yearlong process', and we need you to attend.  As you know, the Blue Ribbon Task Force unanimously voted to forward a final map to the Fish and Game Commission. The map, called the Integrated Preferred Alternative (IPA), is a hybrid map representing diverse Stakeholder views.

The MLPA, as a law, was designed and written to ensure diverse views were incorporated into the final map. Surfrider fully supports the IPA because we believe it contains a balance of conservation and fishing interests--and perspectives from all ocean users. The Commission will base its decision on public support--and that’s why they need to hear from you on Dec 9th! 

Please attend the hearing and express that you are concerned about preserving ocean resources and that you support a 'balanced' proposal that provides strong protection while incorporating diverse stakeholder perspectives.

If you would like help with talking points for the Dec 9^th meeting, please contact Stefanie at:  Ssekich@surfrider.org   To stay updated about Surfrider MLPA efforts and to send an action alert to the Commission here: http://mlpasurfrider.blogspot.com/

Dec 9th  Meeting Information:

Radisson Hotel--LAX 
ABC Ballroom 


6225 W. Century Blvd. 


Los Angeles, CA

**PUBLIC SPEAKER CARDS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT 9:00 AM AND MUST BE TURNED IN TO COMMISSION STAFF BY 10:10 AM FOR CONSIDERATION.  PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL  BE HEARD FROM APPROXIMATELY 10:15 AM -12:30 PM TODAY.  THE TIME ALLOTTED  PER INDIVIDUAL WILL BE DETERMINED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF SPEAKER CARDS RECEIVED, AND ANNOUNCED AT THE START OF THE MEETING.**

Please take the time to fill out this action alert that will be sent to the Commission. http://action.surfrider.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=428

Thanks and hope to see you at the Dec 9th hearing!