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SECRETARY OF RESOURCES CHRISMAN ANNOUNCES MLPA

IS COMING TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Announcement a “Call to Action” for All Recreational Fishermen,

Says UASC President Tom Raftican

Sacramento, Calif. (December 7, 2007) — California’s Secretary of Resources Mike Chrisman announced yesterday that the next phase of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) implementation process will take place in Southern California.  Chrisman made this announcement before a California Fish and Game Commission meeting in the state’s capitol.

“We’ve worked closely alongside Coastside Fishing Club and our other Partnership for Sustainable Oceans coalition members as the MLPA implementation process has moved forward off the North Central Coast.   We will continue to stay engaged in that process and support the efforts of our angling family to the north.   At the same time, we’ve known that the process would eventually move to Southern California,” said Tom Raftican, President of United Anglers of Southern California (UASC), a non-profit organization representing thousands of sport fishermen.  Raftican attended the meeting representing UASC’s MLPA team, which includes attorney April Wakeman and fisheries specialist Bob Osborn. “Now that this decision is official, we all must rise to the occasion.  I believe anglers will make the difference in this situation and help us direct the process towards an outcome that achieves the MLPA’s conservation goals while maintaining great fishing opportunities for Southern Californians,” Raftican added. “We’ve been strategizing and working for many months in anticipation of this announcement,” said UASC fisheries expert Bob Osborn, who has attended all of the meetings for the north central region in preparation.

This process began with the formation of a formidable coalition, including UASC and Coastside Fishing Club along with the Alexandria, Virginia-based American Sportfishing Association (ASA), Chicago-based National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA), Northern California Kayak Anglers, Sportfishing Association of California (SAC) and Southern California Marine Association (SCMA).   Together, these groups have rallied the support of angling and associated industries and developed a blueprint for great recreational fishing.  An important ongoing initiative in this effort is a new brochure (both printed and online at www.unitedanglers.com) that helps anglers graphically indicate where they fish off our coast.  These brochures can be found at landings and tackle stores across the Southland, and Osborn strongly encourages anglers to fill them out, including the Southern California coastal fishing maps.   “Having a better understanding of where you fish will help us protect what’s important and work with decision makers from a position of knowledge,” he added.

“We want the same thing the majority of Californians want — a plan that protects marine resources and recognizes the high conservation values and light environmental footprint of recreational fishing,” said Raftican.   This refers to a recent statewide survey conducted by the independent Field Research Group that polled attitudes of Californians (anglers and non-anglers alike) towards the MLPA and fishing.  The survey indicated that most Californians, while concerned about the health of marine environment, consider factors like pollution and destructive commercial fishing to be the primary causes of the problems we face.  It also showed that the majority of Californians support recreational fishing.

On a related note, Tom Raftican, in addition to Joel Greenberg of the RFA, Harold Davis of Davis Boats, Dr. James Liu of United Pier and Shore Anglers and Roger Thomas of the Golden Gate Fisherman’s Association, will be representing recreational anglers on the recently announced Statewide Interest Group (SIG).  The SIG was formed to ensure open communications between the MLPA decision makers and leading stakeholder organizations.

For more information, contact UASC headquarters at 17391 Murphy Avenue, Suite A, Irvine, CA 92614.   Telephone: (949) 863-9447.  Or visit online at www.unitedanglers.com.

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