Brown appoints Chuck Bonham as new DFG Director

August 26, 2011

by Dan Bacher

Governor Jerry Brown has appointed Charlton “Chuck” Bonham, 43, of Albany, as director of the California Department of Fish and GameBonham has served in multiple positions at Trout Unlimited, a national trout advocacy organization, since 2000, including California director and senior attorney, according to a August 26 news release from Governor Jerry Brown’s Office.He was an instructor and trip leader for the Nantahala Outdoor Center from 1994 to 1997 and was a small business development agent for the United States Peace Corp in Senegal, West Africa from 1991 to 1993.Bonham was not available for comment at press time, but representatives of recreational and commercial fishing groups praised his appointment by Brown.“I think he’s a good choice,” said Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA). “I hope that he’s able to resolve the funding issues that plague the Department of Fish and Game. How can you run a department when there is no money for research and enforcement?Read the rest of the story here.

Department of Commerce submits plan to comply with Obama regulatory review

The Department of Commerce has submitted its plan to comply with President Obama’s Executive Order 13563, "Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review".   The General Counsel of the Department of Commerce, Cameron Kerry, will be responsible for overseeing execution of the retrospective analysis laid out in the Plan.According to the plan:Many of NOAA’s statutory mandates emphasize the need to base decisions on best scientific information available and require periodic review of regulatory actions. In addition, many of NOAA’s activities require analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Council on Environmental Quality has indicated that environmental impact statements that are more than 5 years old should be carefully reexamined to determine if supplementary analyses are required per 40 C.F.R. § 1502.9 of the CEQ regulations. Seehttp://ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/regs/40/40p3.htm (explaining need for supplements to old EIS at question # 32 of “NEPA’s Forty Most Asked Questions”).NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) intends to reinforce the existing culture of retrospective analysis through increased outreach to the Regional Fishery Management Councils that develop fishery management plans pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Councils’ fishery management planning process entails significant public participation and opportunities for soliciting thoughts on needed modifications to or repeal of regulatory actions. NMFS has begun, and will continue, to coordinate with the councils, emphasizing the need for scrutiny of proposed and existing regulations consistent with Executive Order 13563, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other relevant laws, and the need to make fisheries management regulations simpler and easier to follow. NMFS intends to encourage such scrutiny of regulatory actions through its meetings with the Council Coordination Committee and during meetings of the councils and their subcommittees.As part of the agency’s Catch Share Policy, NOAA has provided further guidance to the Councils regarding periodic review of all limited access privilege programs pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1853a(c)(1)(G). Specifically, the agency directs that Councils should periodically review all catch share and non-catch share programs to ensure that management goals are specified, measurable, tracked, and used to gauge whether a program is meeting its goals and objectives. The policy reinforces NOAA’s commitment to working with Councils, stakeholders, the Department of Commerce, the Office of Management and Budget, and Congress in improving and monitoring useful and relevant performance metrics for all U.S. fishery management policies, not just catch share programs. Additional plan sections referenceing NMFS include:NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Regional Fishery Management Councils established under the Magnuson-Stevens Act have ongoing engagement with constituents and other members of the public on fishery management actions. NMFS and the Councils receive continual feedback on concerns regarding regulations, guidance documents, information collections, and other agency activities. Since publication of the notice, NMFS has used outreach and communication opportunities, as they have arisen, to alert members of the public to the notice and to encourage people to provide feedback.The vast majority of NOAA’s significant regulations involve marine fishery and protected resources issues. These regulations are subject to change frequently as a result of new information and also pursuant to statutory requirements.NOAA is currently undertaking the following actions to review its rulemaking, in many cases to streamline and reduce requirements:Read the rest on SavingSeaFood.com or the complete document here.

Ironic: Jerry Brown Has a Jobs Plan...Meanwhile AB 1299 Will Kill 3,000 Jobs

Truth is stranger than fiction -- while Gov. Jerry Brown is developing a plan to add jobs,  the Legislature is contemplating a bill -- AB 1299 -- that would kill at least 3,000 jobs.  Hard working fishermen and blue-collar processing crew jobs, which represent the backbone of California's  fishing economy.

FRESNO -- Gov. Jerry Brown said today that he and legislative leaders are considering a series of measures to address California's persistent unemployment, suggesting he has a jobs plan but declining to discuss it in detail before talking with lawmakers Thursday morning."We have a series of things that we're doing," the Democratic governor said between meetings in Fresno. "Some are bills, and some are actions, and some are proposals."Brown said in his gubernatorial campaign last year that growth in renewable energy could create at least 500,000 jobs, and he has increasingly talked about clean energy since passage of the state budget. Earlier today, Brown appointed former bank executive Michael Rossi to be his top jobs adviser.Brown said in a lengthy speech to civic leaders this afternoon that Rossi's appointment is to ensure the state is responsive to business.With California's unemployment rate around 12 percent, politicians are lining up with jobs plans.Read the rest at the Sacramento Bee.

Scientist calls to end rule of NOAA

By Richard GainesStaff Writer

Influential marine scientist Brian Rothschild has charged NOAA with adopting an "unnecessarily hard-line," wrong, wasteful and job-destroying interpretation of Congress' intent for managing America's fisheries.Finding no accountability, "no master plan" or will to align policy more closely with what was intended and no hope for redress from the judiciary, Rothschild — who is based at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and is one of New England's most respected fishing advocates — proposed that Congress create an ad hoc commission to restructure fisheries management in the Northeast.Rothschild issued his blunt judgments about the performance of the government and the courts in the aftermath of a June ruling by a federal judge in Boston that upheld the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's catch share policy management system, which data shows is bringing about a consolidation of the industry and forcing out small, independent boats and businesses.Rothschild's full commentary is reprinted in full on Page 8 of today's Times; it was also published in the Wednesday Standard-Times of New Bedford, which is adjacent to Rothschild's Dartmouth base.A venerable waterman, scientist and linchpin between the Massachusetts fishing industry, academia and the political system, Rothschild's words are read carefully across the country.Rothschild, who turns 77 Sunday, was NOAA's senior scientist during the 1970s, when the Magnuson-Stevens Act was rolled out. He was also the much-preferred choice of the industry and many members of Congress to head the National Marine Fisheries Service, but Jane Lubchenco, President Obama's choice to lead NOAA in 2009, instead went for Maryland state wildlife official Eric Schwaab, never explaining her strange choice.In his op-ed column, Rothschild absolved Judge Rya Zobel of much responsibility for affirming the government's groundfishery policies, writing that she was "working within the bounds of standards established in administrative law."Rothschild wrote that the two cases handled by Zobel, brought by the cities of Gloucester and New Bedford and fishermen from every Atlantic coast state from Maine through North Carolina, showed that the judicial system does not always have the wherewithal to align the "executive's implementation of laws with congressional intent."Certainly, Rothschild wrote, Congress did not intend NOAA to create a system that wastes 100,000 tons of fish a year worth $300 million at the dock, or $1.2 billion to the economy, while eliminating "hundreds if not thousands of jobs." And it did not intend to disregard the economic and social impacts, unfairly reward some groups at the expense of others and "ignore valid scientific findings and suppress discussion regarding the magnitude of fish stocks."Congressman John Tierney and Barney Frank, both Democrats, and Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican, agreed with Rothschild's view of NOAA, as did the consumer group, Food & Water Watch, which added that "Congress needs to step in and put an end to the agency's abuse of any discretion that it has ..."NOAA did not respond to a request for comment."NOAA continues to send a clear message that it is unwilling to make the system fair for our fishermen," Tierney said in a prepared statement to the Times. "I agree with Mr. Rothschild, that 'protecting fishing jobs is a priority' and that Congress must take every available action to ensure that our fishing communities are not driven out of business by NOAA's inflexible interpretation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act."I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to protect our local fishing economy and push for a change in leadership at NOAA," added Tierney, whose district includes Gloucester, all of Cape Ann and much of the North Shore.In a telephone interview, Frank, who represents New Bedford and seeks Rothschild's counsel on fisheries issues, said he believes Congress was moving closer to a bipartisan consensus to rein in NOAA by the limiting statutory changes to the Atlantic and Gulf regions, where grievances are greatest.Read the rest here.

Rare sighting of sperm whale made off Palos Verdes Peninsula

Rare sighting of sperm whale made off Palos Verdes Peninsula

With perhaps hundreds of blue whales scattered throughout Southern California waters, it would seem disappointing to embark on a whale-watching excursion and not see one of the majestic leviathans.But Natalie Booth-Massey and others aboard the Voyager on Monday were hardly disappointed because they witnessed a far more unusual sight: that of a sperm whale, which came into view shortly after they had seen a minke whale breach 11 times.Booth-Massey on Monday evening posted photos on herFacebook page, along with the exclamation, "I am still on a whale high. I am barely able to talk I am so giddy!"Sperm whales, which are toothed whales that prey almost exclusively on squid, are rarely seen off Southern California. However, the whale spotted Monday off the Palos Verdes Peninsula is believed to be the same whale that has been seen multiple times in the same general area since it was first photo-documented aboard the Voyager in 1996.Presumably, this whale, estimated to measure 45-55 feet, is foraging in the depths of Redondo Canyon, which is said to be teeming with market-sized squid. Many of the whale sightings were in August and September, so it will not be surprising if this whale is encountered again this summer.Read the rest on Pete Thomas' blog.

Cooking Channel: Fresh Local Sardines at San Diego Restaurant, July 26 at 7:30 pm

Sea Rocket Bistro Blasts Off into Cooking Channel Stratosphere

Fresh local sardines will be the subject of an episode of Hook, Line and Dinner, Tuesday, July 26 at 7:30 pm. By Brandon Hernández | Posted July 25, 2011A San Diego eatery is going to be featured on a food-related TV program and, for once, it's not Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. That non triple-D eatery is North Park's Sea Rocket Bistro, which has gained a good deal of attention of late after bidding its former chef adieu earlier this year to bring on new exec chef and partner Chad White.But it's not a back-of-house shake-up that got the attention of the Cooking Channel. Fresh local sardines will be the subject of an episode of the programHook, Line and Dinner that will air this Tuesday, July 26 at 7:30 pm. Sea Rocket offers three sardine preparations - grilled whole as part of a salad with asparagus, watercress, a pickled ranch egg and Sauce Vierge; served with with mustard aioli and pickled veg; and stuffed into street tacos during happy hour.Read the rest of the story here.

Fishing town struggling in aftermath of tsunami

July 22, 2011 | Matt DrangeIt's been four months since tsunami waves generated by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the coast of Japan ravaged the harbor in Northern California's Crescent City, destroying pilings and sinking 16 boats after ripping them from their docks.But the diminutive harbor is still a long way from functional, crippling to a local economy dependent on the fishing industry. Tsunami victims, meanwhile, are finding little help in disaster relief, much of it in the form of reimbursements and loans they can’t afford.Excluding the inmates who reside in Pelican Bay State Prison, Crescent City is home to about 4,200 people. The town already took a significant hit when most of the lumber mills and fish processing facilities were shuttered in the last decade, forcing hundreds to leave in search of jobs. Once home to eight lumber mills and three fish processing plants, Crescent City is down to just one of each.“In a small community, when you lose 100 jobs, it's a big impact. Maybe five years ago, in the good ol' days, if you will, it wouldn't have been so bad,” said Bill Renfroe, executive director of Crescent City's Tri-Agency Economic Development Authority. “But today, with everybody struggling, it's a serious impact.”Tsunami surges deposited more than 78,000 cubic yards of sediment in the inner boat basin, making it as shallow as 4 feet in some areas and effectively shutting out boats longer than 15 feet. The harbor is the largest dungeness crab exporter on the West Coast. At one time, it had more than 100 fishing vessels; now there are only a handful.Read the rest here.

Fishing banned from most of Laguna Beach this fall

Most of Laguna's shoreline will be closed to anglers starting this fall.The city's  Fish and Game Commission announced that implementation of the Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs, in Southern California will begin Oct. 1 under regulations adopted in December that ban fishing from certain coastal areas."Commercial lobster fishermen will lose 30% to 40% of their income with the 7-mile closure of Laguna's coastline," Councilman Kelly Boyd told the Coastline Pilot. "As for recreational fishing, sea mammals eat way more than a fisherman catches, and under the restrictions, a man can't even take his grandson grunion hunting."Laguna already has no-take areas, such as Treasure Island and Main Beach tide pools. The ban is expected to start on opening day of the recreational lobster season. Under the regulations, Laguna has three MPAs, said Marine Safety Chief Kevin Snow, who attended a two-hour meeting Tuesday morning with commission representatives.Read the rest on the LA Times blog here.