Marine Reserves Funding & Management - WARNING!

[Mark Mc]

OK all the good folks here who have been following this closely, already know that a huge issue is - where will the funding come from to actually do what would be required (research, enforcement, management, etc)?

Questions such as - would the legislature come up with funding? Would tainted private $ be accepted?

Well here is another twist on this theme......

A story is circulating that the governor's office is "considering" having ODFW manage the whole thing. So sign the law to put them in place, then throw them over the fence to ODFW. But not give ODFW enough extra $ to do the job.

So let's get this straight..... the ODFW Marine Resources Program is already doing a fantastic job considering their meager budget, and they may be required to take on this monumental task.

If this happens, I really feel for Patty, Eric, Don & the gang.......

[Salty Walty]

This has been discussed more than once and is a great concern of the MRP Staff. The key word would be that the Gov would identify funds for the MRs in the existing MRP Budget instead of dedicating new funds for the additional burden. This is a textbook example of the CA MLPA Process and we know how that worked out. Lets hope that the MRP is not forced to eat this stinkbait sandwich.

[Farfish]

Unfortunately it is entirely possible to put a marine reserve in place with no money to do any kind of monitoring or studies or anything. They can just close all the fisheries and supporters or Marine Reserves will call it a success because nobody is fishing.

[Mark Mc]

That is true on the face of it......however there is this little thing called "enforcement."

As we know, Oregon has this unusual arrangement in which the OSP are charged with marine enforcement. But they do most of their work at the dock, with some work in small boats very close to the docks / harbors.

However they are not very well set up to have a presence on the water doing enforcement, versus California (F & G) with their numerous ultra-modern large high-speed vessels.

The OSP, and the ODFW MRP, have enough challenges of their own in the "pre-reserves" world.

[stream]

Well how can we stop this? I can right letters talk to friends go to meetings talk till I am blue in the face but non of this seems to help now he plans to basically take money from ODFW that is running on now budget to speak of and more work for them with the same money they had to begin with sounds like we just do what they wont why try to fight this large company’s and large groups wont them so where do we stand? The only thing I think that will stop these is a large group of Oregonians to stand to gather and say stop but when will that happen who knows I just keep reading what people post and listen to what is going to happen anyway

[Mark Mc]

I hear ya!

Originally Posted by stream

One thing that you can do.....is to get to know your state representative (for your district). Send the emails; make the phone calls. Since it is the legislature who decides what gets funding, that is one topic you should talk to your rep about.... how important it is for the State to come up with the funding, since it is the governor who is driving this.

Otherise it is an "unfunded mandate."

Just like the "no child left behind" mandate that the federal government threw over the fence to the states. Only this would be the state gining itself "the business."

Therefore, if the state doesn't think this is a high enough priority to get funded (compared with all our other issues.....schools, health insurance, fixing roads & bridges, etc)......it shouldn't be mandated.