Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries
P O Box 1309, Carmel Valley, CA 93924 (831) 659-2838

March 6, 2001

Vicki Nichols
Save Our Shores
2222 E. Cliff Dr. #5A
Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Dear Vicki:
At our February 28th meeting, the Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries heard from Santa Cruz area representatives Mike Stiller and Tom Canale. Mike and Tom shared with the Alliance your offer to advocate to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary the idea that the fishing seat on the Advisory Council be supported by a FISHERIES WORKING GROUP. This would be similar to the Conservation and Science seats being supported by their own working groups. While we believe that such a FISHERIES WORKING GROUP would have a benefit for our industry if the Sanctuary or its Advisory Council were actively involved in fishery management issues, we do not see the Sanctuary playing this role.

As you know, in our February 2nd letter to the Sanctuary Superintendent and the Advisory Council, we suggested that a way for the Sanctuary to have input into fishery management questions was to participate in our study process of a few critical issues. The Alliance has now formally adopted two study issues. The first is to study all aspects of no-take zones, as they might be placed offshore of Central California. The second adopted study topic will be to try to narrow the gap between what scientists predict through fish stock modeling and what fisherman observe in their work lives. Additional study topics may well be forthcoming from our next meeting. We do want to provide assurances that our Alliance, in studying these questions, intends on fully involving the public, including the Sanctuary Advisory Council and its working groups, in our deliberations and recommendations. The decision not advocate for a FISHERIES WORKING GROUP, as part of the Sanctuary Advisory Council is not cast in stone forever. Should there be such a time when the Sanctuary has a lawful and accepted role in fishery management, then such a working group would be entirely appropriate.

Thank you again for your offer to assist our industry.

Sincerely,

Mike Ricketts, Kathy Fosmark
Co-Chair, ACSF

C: Stephanie Harlan, Chair MBNM SAC
Bill Douros, Superintendent, MBNMS