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

September 5, 2005

Ralph Rubio, President
AMBAG
P O Box 809
Marina, CA 93933-0809

Dear President Rubio and Board Members,

We’re writing on behalf of the Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries (ACSF). Our organization was formed to specifically represent fishing interests in the region which extends from Port San Luis to the south, north to Pillar Point Harbor. This area largely coincides with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and represents most of the people who fish within the Sanctuary. Specifically, our Board of Directors is made up of the leaders of the fishing communities in each of these port areas, plus a harbor community representative. You should have full confidence, therefore, that the comments of the ACSF represent the interests of fishing within this region.

We are writing to request that you and the AMBAG Board of Directors support the recommended language provided by AMBAG Director Downey, that the Sanctuary Program keep the promise made to the fishing community that it would not seek to regulate fishing, nor actually create new fishing regulations. We feel that the record of this promise is clear, and there’s no doubt but that the spirit in which this promise was extended was one which was made in exchange for the support of the fishing community for the designation of the Monterey Bay Region as a National Marine Sanctuary. There should also be no doubt but that without our support, the Sanctuary would have never come into existence. Indeed, we believe there are members sitting on the current AMBAG Board of Directors who will personally recall these facts to be true.

The fishing community remains committed to working constructively with the Sanctuary Program, should any problems arise that need resolution. By this cooperation, we mean that we will work to devise a solution and a mutual recommendation that can be made to the proper fishery management agencies for their public review process, scientific evaluation, and ultimate adoption through their authority. We do not support the Sanctuary changing it’s Designation Document to allow it to have the authority to directly create fishery regulations, even if the State Department of Fish and Game or the Pacific Fisheries Management Council object.

We would also note that since this promise was made, there are far fewer fishermen on the Bay, and far more areas closed to fishing, and other regulations in effect, than there were when the Sanctuary was created in 1992 and it was determined that Sanctuary regulation of fishing was unneeded.

We hope that the AMBAG Board of Directors will send a clear message to the Sanctuary Program that it is important that this promise be kept. Indeed, this promise is so well known in the community that should the Sanctuary break this promise, we believe that it will cause a lack of trust in the Sanctuary. For many reasons, we want the Sanctuary Program to succeed in its role of conserving the marine resources of this region.

To close, we would like to draw your attention to the list of supporting organizations and associations which have, without exception, gone on record as wanting the Sanctuary to keep the promise made to us.

Thank you for considering these thoughts.

Sincerely, Kathy Fosmark, Co-Chair, ACSF, Frank Emerson, Co-Chair, ACSF

Supporting Associations & Organizations
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association
Port San Luis Commercial Fishermen’s Association
Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Association
Monterey Commercial Fishermen’s Association, Fishermen’s Association of Moss Landing
Santa Cruz Commercial Fishermen’s Marketing Association
Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Marketing Association
Fishermen’s Alliance, Western Fishboat Owners Association
Ventura County Commercial Fishermen’s Association
Federation of Independent Seafood Harvesters, Golden Gate Fishermen's Association
Port San Luis Harbor District, City of Morro Bay Harbor
City of Monterey Harbor, Moss Landing Harbor District
Santa Cruz Port District, Pillar Pt. Harbor, San Mateo County Harbor District