Saltwater anglers have been hammered with a series of regulatory changes by the state and federal governments over the past decade, including increasingly restrictive rockfish bag limits, depth restrictions and area closures. Most recently, the California Department of Fish and Game announced the implementation of the first no-fishing zones along the Central Coast under the Marine Life Protection Act (MPLA).

Jim Martin, conservation director of Pure Fishing, said the MLPA is “rolling over anglers like a freight train” and urged the 500 anglers gathered at the Coastside Fall Dinner Auction in San Mateo on Thursday, October 18, to fight back.

“You have to ask yourself if you are as mad as hell or just concerned,” quipped Martin. “Have you written a letter, attended a hearing or written a check? If you haven’t, you’re just concerned – you’re not mad as hell.”

Martin emphasized the significant, leading role nationwide that the MPLA process in California plays in the national push by agencies and organizations to create marine reserves. “I personally believe that California is ground zero for marine reserves and what is adopted here will spread elsewhere,” he said. “This freight train is driven by big money and political power.”

After 38 years of experience as a biologist and then the director of Fisheries for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Martin emphasized there are three ways of moving government policy on fish and wildlife issues:

First, you need good, solid science.

Second, you need to get across the right message to the public and show that fishermen are the real conservationists. “Busy people care about fish and wildlife and the ocean – and you have to get the message across that anglers care about their ocean and their resources,” he stated.

Third, you have to develop grassroots “horsepower” to make an impression upon those in power in Sacramento, Washington and elsewhere.

The Recreational Fishing Coalition, including Coastside Fishing Club, Sportfishing Association of California, American Sportfishing Association, Southern California Marine Association and United Anglers of Southern California, is incorporating this three -pronged strategy in their battle to stop the freight train of marine reserves from rolling over anglers, according to Martin.

“Our vision starts with science,” he said. “We know the whole world is not collapsing off the California coast. We know that that you don’t have to shut down the whole fishery by implementing marine reserves to preserve our marine fishery. We have scientists working on this issue.”

To get the right message out, the coalition has hired a public relations expert, Dan Kramer, noted Martin.

And to develop grassroots support, Coastside and other groups are being engaged in the political process.

“Last year when you Coastside members flooded the Department of Commerce with emails and letters over the proposed closure of salmon season, you moved the political needle in another direction when a lot of people had already accepted the closure as inevitable,” said Martin, who praised Bob Franko, Coastside founder, Chris Hall, president and Darrell Ticehurst, former PFMC member, for their leadership roles.

Dan Kramer followed Martin with an explanation of the first step of the messaging process – the conducting of a public opinion research survey. The results of this research suggest that the public and angler communities are aligned in their belief that the health of California’s ocean environment can and should be protected without unnecessary closures of California coastal waters to recreational fishing.

“The survey reveals that the public and recreational anglers both believe that ocean protection is important,” said Kramer.

The survey also disclosed that the public also supports the MLPA process. However, public support for the MLPA’s ban on recreational fishing in designated areas along the coast declines significantly if alternative fishing conservation measures are available, such as limiting the months of fishing or the number of fish caught.

Just 37% of the adult public favors banning recreational fishing in these areas, while 54% are opposed in this context. Registered voters are somewhat more opposed than the general public, opposing the ban by a 58% to 33% margin. “The public doesn’t support closures – and this cuts across partisan and ethnic lines,” said Kramer.

The survey results are posted at www.keepamericafishing.org/fieldsurvey.asp for public review.

After Kramer’s address, Ticehurst and Franko gave Dan Wolford, who was recently appointed to the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the “Bob Franko Award” for his many efforts on behalf of California fisheries.

“I’m unbelievably honored to receive this award,” said Wolford. “I will work like hell to make it happen.”

Bob Franko reflected upon the MLPA process. “There will be some closures,“ Franko said. “We will have to come up with a conservation message, but we have to draw the lines; there are proposals including one to shut down the Farallon Islands. All of you can’t be there in the trenches all of the time, but once or twice a year, you need to step up. When the call comes, I expect you to show up and meet me there.”

Greg Hurner, interim director of the DFG, then spoke after flying all of the way from settlement negotiations between federal and state agencies, Indian tribes and fishermen on the Klamath River.

“After the Central Coast MPLA process was over, we told Coastside leaders that we needed you in the discussion about the North Central MLPA process,” said Hurner. “You have stepped up to the plate so beyond what Ryan Broddrick’s and my expectations were. I support you and Bob Franko and I’m glad the club is behind us in this effort.”

He added, “We hope to have an announcement soon about the negotiations to get the dams removed from the Klamath.”

Jim Lecky, the assistant regional administrator for protected resources of the southwest region of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Tom Raftican, president of United Anglers of Southern California, also briefly spoke at the event.