New Policy Could DOUBLE California’s Fishing Closures
In 2020, the California fishing community was successful in helping to stop a poorly conceived bill in the state legislature, known as AB 3030, that could have led to massive areas of the ocean being locked up from fishing.
However, those concerns have now shifted to an executive order from Gov. Newsom, and your comments are needed now!
In response to the executive order, the California Natural Resources Agency released a draft strategy to conserve 30 percent of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030, also known as “30 by 30.” While a laudable goal, the state is very narrowly defining what counts as "conserved."
In fact, the draft strategy claims that marine protected areas (MPAs), which ban or significantly restrict sportfishing, are the only management approach that conserve marine biodiversity. Because 16 percent of state marine waters are currently part of the MPA network, this means the state would need to nearly DOUBLE the amount of no fishing zones in order to meet the 30 by 30 goal!
Please send a letter urging the state to recognize that recreational fishing should not be arbitrarily restricted to achieve conservation.
Join many in the industry in fighting this. Coastal Conservation Association of California
Comments are due TOMORROW, so act now!
https://www.votervoice.net/CCA.../campaigns/91792/respond...
