Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries
256 Figueroa Street #1, Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 373-5238
www.alliancefisheries.com

Remarks of Kathy Fosmark
MPA Meeting – December 13, 2007

  

The SAC is being asked to weigh in on the question – do we have enough
protection for ecosystem health?  This discussion is being steered by the Sanctuary towards additional MPAs as being the potential answer to the question. 

Fishermen are very interested in this question of how much protection is enough.  In the MLPA process, nobody ever asked that question.  It never came before the Blue Ribbon Task Force, it never came before the Fish and Game Commission to decide when the law was met and when enough protection was in place.  What it meant in the MLPA process was that any proposal that fishermen put on the table, no matter how comprehensive, and even if it met all the science guidelines, could be rejected as not providing “enough protection”.  There was no standard for this.  So, in the Sanctuary’s MPA process we are very concerned that there be a legitimate, science-based discussion about how much protection is in place, and how the protection address the legal requirements, and I stress all of the legal requirements, of the National Marine Sanctuary Act.  Only then can you get at answering the question as to whether more protection is needed. 

If more protection is needed, it also requires a discussion about what the right management tools are, and let me tell you, MPAs are not the only tool.  MPAs may not be the best tool to manage any potential problems.

We just did not feel like there was ever going to be a thorough analysis of this question in the Sanctuary’s MPA Workgroup, which is why we commissioned an independent study by some of the nations top marine scientists, and others, to examine the “do we have enough protection” question.

 

CONTINUED