Help Save Your Fishing Access

[black magic]

This Op-Ed piece appeared in today's Oregonian. We are asking as many people as possible to write letters to the editor of the Oregonian expressing the fisheries side of this issue. If you need information for the content of your letter just do an IFISH search using the words marine reserves, MR, or OPAC. This should supply you with plenty to work with. The more letters sent the greater the chance of being published. This is very important, please do it.

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/or...howtosend.html

John Holloway
RFA/Oregon Anglers

CREATING MARINE RESERVES

Friday, August 29, 2008 The Oregonian

A s marine biologists who spend our lives working in the world's oceans, we see an urgent need to protect our common resources. A system of marine reserves is an effective way to create healthy marine ecosystems and provide economic and social benefits for all.
In Oregon, our coastal communities are harmed by dwindling fish catches and marine habitat loss. But our ocean and our local fishing industry can recover if we intervene through the strategic use of marine reserves.
Marine reserves are not just about fish, nor are they just another fishery policy. They are the best way to sustain our coastal waters for the long term. This is because reserves take into account the whole ecosystem -- plankton, kelp, fish, birds, mammals and humans -- and the interactions among them. Marine reserves also provide the places where vital processes needed to sustain the web of life can happen. Failure to protect such places can result in species and ecosystem collapses, for which humans pay a bitter economic and social cost.
A large and growing body of peer-reviewed science consistently finds that many types of fish living within marine reserves grow larger and are more abundant and fertile. In the Edmonds reserve in Puget Sound, copper rockfish numbers are 15 times greater than at nearby fished sites. The reserve has enhanced the abundance of other sea life, attracting divers and tourists from all over the region and resulting in an ecological and economic benefit. In Hawaii a system of marine reserves designed by the local community replenished depleted reef fish by more than 50 percent and helped improve the dive tourism industry.
Throughout history, Oregon's fisheries managers have tried hard to keep ahead of their decline, but fishermen have struggled with stock collapses, closures and an uncertain future. There is little evidence that current management practices such as catch limits, shorter fishing seasons and gear changes alone can recover stocks and create the ecosystem stability that both fish and fishermen need to survive. And little evidence supports the idea that this type of species-based management will hold up against future ecosystem changes.
But studies of marine reserves in California found that kelp forests within reserves were the only ones to hold steady through 20 years of climate shifts. Those in nonreserve areas frequently collapsed. These findings indicate that marine reserves may provide more resilience, the ability to bounce back against such serious threats as climate change.
Fisheries policies are necessary but not sufficient to maintain our oceans. Enhancing efforts to manage fisheries would mean creating marine reserves that are "savings accounts" of marine life, areas where intact ecosystems are healthy, abundant and unthreatened. In New Zealand, fishermen benefited from a new marine reserve when depleted lobster populations began to rebound almost immediately. Today, lobstermen strategically set pots outside the boundary of the reserve and haul commercially viable catches. They have now become some of the reserve's staunchest defenders.
Oregon's network of marine reserves will work only with community support. We are the ones who hold the key to the recovery of our seas. The state is asking the public to nominate special ocean areas to protect. This is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. The science is clear. It's up to Oregonians and our leaders to apply this knowledge to create an Oregon coastal legacy for ourselves, our children and for generations to come.
Deborah Brosnan is president and founder of the Sustainable Ecosystems Institute in Portland. Brian Tissot is an associate professor of earth and environmental science at Washington State University in Vancouver.

[FinFansea]

The Rock Pile is a marine reserve of sorts. Has the population of Yelloweye and Canary rockfish rebounded because of it?

[black magic]

The rockpile closure is not a marine reserve. It is an MPA as is the entire EEZ.
Canary and yelloweye are rebounding. They are both shelf dominant species. MR's in state waters will do nothing to hasten rebuilding.

[FinFansea]

I’m aware that it’s not a reserve in its entirety, but in sorts it is. I guess my point is that placing MR’s in strategic locations isn’t going to flip a switch and BOOM all problems are solved. Wow, fish everywhere! And no I don’t have a solution. I see these just placing more limits on the recreational fisherman.

Sure they might have helped small areas of Hawaii and Australia bringing tourists that travel to specifically to dive and take pictures of reef fish. I don’t see that happening here in Oregon.

[CATCH AND EAT]

John you might include a link to respond to the Oregonian here.

My letter is in process.

[Silver Eagle]

Put the Link up......Ray

[Salty Walty]

Submit opinion link;

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/or...toopinion.html

Letters to the editor;

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/or...howtosend.html

[CATCH AND EAT]

letter sent!

[skein]

Once again they have pre-empted us. They post their side of the story, complete with sign-offs from the scientific community, and then we respond like a bunch of hillbilly's; sputter...sputter...yeah but...sputter.

We're fishermen, and although we care deeply about the health of the ocean, our main desire is just to fish. They also have a goal and a plan, and aren't detoured by nice days and boiling tuna. So far theirs is working.

As Kipling once said, "We moved as the spirit listed, They never altered their pace..."

I don't offer a solution, but I know when something isn't working.

Skein

[black magic]

Don't be discouraged people. We are making a huge difference. Quitting is not an option for many of us.

As a Doctor friend once told a patient who asked for a prescription for Valium because she couldn't cope. "There are two things you can take for this problem. You can take Valium or you can take action. For which would you like a prescription?".

[black magic]

Letter Sent.

Fishing is Not a Hate Crime

I wish to respond to guest viewpoint entitled “Creating Marine Reserves” by Deborah Brosnan and Brian Tissot, Oregonian August 29, 2008

We can only hope that denial of citizen access to sustainably managed resources never occurs in our ocean. Oregon’s ocean is relatively pristine and untouched when compared to other areas of the world. The only thing here that needs protection is public access to Oregon’s healthy seafood.

The current proposal for no-take marine reserves affects many Oregonians. It will diminish the supply of locally wild caught seafood. To fulfill demand more imported fish will be required. Much of this fish will be from poorly managed areas of the world. Some will be tainted with unknown contaminants. It will reduce the amount of recreational opportunity available to all. All of Oregon’s seafood is being sustainably harvested as required by law. Oregon’s precautionary fishery management is a world model of success.

This action has nothing to do with conservation of marine resources. It has everything to do with competing philosophies regarding the best public use of Oregon’s ocean. Much of the funding for this agenda is being provided by out of state wealthy special interests.

We need to preserve right of entry to our already well protected ocean. We must not allow an extreme agenda to deny citizens’ access to healthy seafood and recreation.

John Holloway
State Chairman
Recreational Fishing Alliance
Secretary
Oregon Anglers
6823 SW Burlingame Ave
Portland, OR 97219
503-452-7919

[FinFansea]

Originally Posted by black magic

Letter Sent.

Fishing is Not a Hate Crime

I wish to respond to guest viewpoint entitled “Creating Marine Reserves” by Deborah Brosnan and Brian Tissot, Oregonian August 29, 2008

We can only hope that denial of citizen access to sustainably managed resources never occurs in our ocean. Oregon’s ocean is relatively pristine and untouched when compared to other areas of the world. The only thing here that needs protection is public access to Oregon’s healthy seafood.

The current proposal for no-take marine reserves affects many Oregonians. It will diminish the supply of locally wild caught seafood. To fulfill demand more imported fish will be required. Much of this fish will be from poorly managed areas of the world. Some will be tainted with unknown contaminants. It will reduce the amount of recreational opportunity available to all. All of Oregon’s seafood is being sustainably harvested as required by law. Oregon’s precautionary fishery management is a world model of success.

This action has nothing to do with conservation of marine resources. It has everything to do with competing philosophies regarding the best public use of Oregon’s ocean. Much of the funding for this agenda is being provided by out of state wealthy special interests.

We need to preserve right of entry to our already well protected ocean. We must not allow an extreme agenda to deny citizens’ access to healthy seafood and recreation.

John Holloway
State Chairman
Recreational Fishing Alliance
Secretary
Oregon Anglers
6823 SW Burlingame Ave
Portland, OR 97219
503-452-7919

Tell Denny I said hi the next time you see him.
-Dave Noffsinger

[black magic]

Will do, Dave

[Mypursuit]

Sent

[skein]

Okay, I don't advocate giving up, but ....

Case in point:

My neice is a senior (this year) at Eastern in La Grande. She came to visit me and was totally convinced Oregon's nearshore was almost a 'dead zone' and that we would be lucky to save ANY of the species there, much less most of them. We needed to act NOW! (By the way, she is a 4.0 student that will probably do her senior year in Europe)

By the time she left, she understood that the real support should go to the marine biologists who were actually making a difference (Patty Burke and Crew), and that many, many of the stocks were either healthy or rebounding nicely.

Unfortunately, I was unable to reach the other 700 or so of her peers that still believe the way she did when she came to visit. They had seen the film and listened to the infomercial. I doubt they will read our rebuttal letters to the editor.

Skein

[black magic]

Jim,
You could ask to go to her school and give a presentation about the Oregon coast. It would cost much less than the average tuna trip and could be done during the off season. Key West Dean even has pro fisheries brochures he might give you.

[skein]

You could ask to go to her school and give a presentation about the Oregon coast.

And my credentials are....?

I will ask her school if I can show the counter-point video that is being produced, and if they permit me I will pass out brochures while I'm there.

Skein

[black magic]

Jim,
Your credentials are substantial. You are a veteran ocean user with many hours of "seat time" actually in the ocean. You know more than most people including many holding Phd credentials about what is reality concerning ocean health. Fishery scientists must use fishermen such as yourself to help ground truth their theories.

[Nordic Sun]

Originally Posted by skein

And my credentials are....?

Jim..........you are an educated, educator, and certified! This has been your calling for all your adult life. Who better to enter a classroom.

Go Jim...........Go Jim..............Go Jim!
Bob

[HOGGEMIN]

Jim you would do all of us proud in going to schools and presenting a true conservationist side of the fishing story. I will head up a fund campaign to help with your expenses for your fuel and motel. You have a great ability to speak in a way to present us as Conservationist, not Bubba's