On Bill Clinton's last day in office, he issued an Executive Order to fund and create marine reserves. The Channel Islands reserves were the first fruits of that, and the extremist movement for no-take marine reserves gained momentum.

Clinton issued another on that day that is less well-known, but which is about to be implemented: he declared the entire coast - out 12 miles - as the "California Coastal National Monument," and gave power over all reefs,rocks, and small islands above the mean tide line to the Bureau of Land management (BLM), a federal agency.

Now the BLM has released its draft management plan for the rocks and reefs off California's coast. The Preferred Alternative, Plan A, which the document implies is a "done deal," has some very scary stuff in it and poses a real threat to low-impact recreational fishing opportunities, especially
shore angling, diving and kayak fishing.

Plan A seeks to "preserve" all high tide exposed reefs, rocks, and small islands along the 840-mile California coastline and offshore to 12 miles,and protect birds, mammals, and "intertidal species" by banning all but "low impact and non-invasive recreation near these designated structures." 
Get this: not only fishing, but kayaking, boating, scuba diving, and snorkeling is to be banned. The Plan will support recreational opportunities that "appreciate from afar" these public resources.

I'm sure you can think of boilers, rocks and reefs everywhere that will be off limits to fishing. The Recreational Fishing Alliance is opposing this plan, but we need your help. Read the document for yourselves at the site below, and write a comment to them that you support sportfishing. You can obtain a printed copy or a copy on CD by contacting: 
California Coastal National Monument 
299 Foam Street
Monterey, CA 93940
or call (831)-372-6115. 

You can also submit your public comment to the same address; it can be as simple as a postcard saying, "I support the Recreational Fishing Alliance comments on
the BLM's 'Monuments' Plan." Or just send an email to cacnm@ca.blm.gov!
Public comments will be accepted no later than December 16, 2004. The Draft
RMP/Draft EIS can be viewed on-line at:
www.ca.blm.gov/pa/coastal_monument/draft_rmp_eis.html

The RFA is sending out postcards for our membership and allies to send in to the BLM. How far will opponents of recreational fishing take this plan, should it be approved? Here's what they've told the BLM:

Richard Charter and Rod Fujita of Environmental Defense (Fund), in written testimony, urged BLM to "establish buffers and exclusion areas for kayakers, personal water craft."

Kaitlin Gaffney of the Ocean Conservancy's Monterey Bay office, also chair of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary's "Conservation Working Group," in written testimony, urged BLM to "Control over-fishing,recreational encroachment."

The Recreational Fishing Alliance encourages anglers and divers to attend one of the public hearings on this issue, and control the overarching encroachments of these fun folks. Here's the list of dates & times:

Monterey Bay
Thursday, October 14
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
The California State University
8272 Moss Landing Road
Moss Landing, CA

Point Arena
Tuesday, October 19
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Point Arena City Hall
451 School Street
Point Arena, CA

Elk
Wednesday, October 20
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Greenwood Community Center
6155 South Highway One
Elk, CA

Trinidad
Thursday, October 21
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Trinidad City Hall
409 Trinity Street
Trinidad, CA

San Diego
Wednesday, October 27
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sumner Auditorium
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San 
Diego
8625 Discovery Way
La Jolla, CA

Long Beach
Thursday, October 28
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Aquarium of the Pacific (Tentative)
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA

San Francisco
Thursday, November 4
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Ft. Mason Officer's Club
Golden Gate NRA
Franklin Street Gate
San Francisco, CA

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The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is a national, grassroots political action organization representing individual sport fishermen and the sport fishing industry. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs and ensure the long-term sustainability of U.S. saltwater fisheries. For more 
information,
call 1-888-JOIN-RFA, or visit www.joinrfa.org.