The California Fish & Game Commission, in a joint meeting with the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF), approved the "Integrated Preferred Alternative" for the regulations on marine protected areas in the north-central coast region at their meeting in Sacramento on June 11. The next opportunity for public comment will be the August meeting of the California Fish & Game Commission in Carpinteria (near Santa Barbara). We urge as many people as possible show up and give public testimony in favor of 2 XA and oppose closures at Sea Lion Cove, Saunders Reef and Salt Point State Park.

Most of the proposed marine protected areas were designed by the fishermen, but in the far northern section ??? Sonoma and Mendocino counties ??? the BRTF erred by not considering the cumulative impacts from the loss of so many public-access points.

At Point Arena, there is a proposed state marine conservation area (SCMA) at Sea Lion Cove. They propose to close the area to abalone diving and seaweed harvest ??? prohibiting take on all invertebrates and algae. The RFA does not support the proposed "Sea Lion Cove" conservation area. It would provide "the illusion of protection" while creating negative impacts on the fishery. For the same reasons, we do not support the proposed "Saunders Reef" conservation area proposed in the preferred alternative.

RFA-CA supports a change to the southern boundary of the Stewart Point Marine Reserve. We propose to move the south boundary to 37.5 degrees north. This small change would make a big improvement to the preferred alternative.

Without these changes, the proposed MPA network in the northern part of the region poses a significant threat to the abalone fishery. The so-called "preferred alternative" will result in serialized depletion of the resource in the coves remaining open to public access.

To view the proposed regulations and alternative MPA maps, visit: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/ncc_recommendations

The RFA will be submitting comments through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process. (Deadline for public comment for scoping on the environmental impacts of the proposed regulations: July 8th. To comment on the environmental aspects of the proposed regulations, write to: mlpacomments@dfg,ca.gov.

The Fish & Game Commission will meet in August to take public testimony on the MLPA for the north-central coast region, between pigeon Point and Point Arena. If you support continued fishing and abalone diving at Salt Point and Point Arena, show up and make your voice heard: August 7-8, 2008 Thursday, 10:00 a.m.; Friday, 8:30 am; City of Carpinteria, 5775 Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria. Written comments can be addressed to: Richard Rogers, President, California Fish & Game Commission; 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento CA 95814-2090.