State doubles size of region's marine reserves

By Mike LeeDecember 15, 2010Underwater state parks will nearly double in size across Southern California under a lightning-rod planapproved Wednesday by California’s Fish and Game Commission to boost ocean health.The strategy is less aggressive than what many conservationists wanted, but they praised it as agood start toward recovering numerous species, from lobster to sheephead. The biggest impacts will befelt by fishermen who said they will be squeezed into less-fertile waters, creating economic lossesand crowding.Read the rest of the story here.

Commission approves series of marine protected areas off California coast

By Joshua Molina CorrespondentDecember 15, 2010Wearing droopy gray sweatpants and with a chewed up toothpick dangling from his mouth, 63-year-old Ace Carter sat on a folding chair in front of the Hotel Mar Monte proudly waving a protest sign — “Stop the enviro Nazis!”A third-generation fisherman and licensed private detective, Carter arrived in front of the Santa Barbara hotel at 7 a.m. Wednesday to protest the California Fish and Game Commission’s vote on marine protected areas.“There are plenty of fish,” Carter said. “This whole thing is a sham. It’s a done deal.”About eight hours later, Carter’s fears came true.In a historic vote, the Fish and Game Commission voted 3-2 to approve a series of marine protected areas — essentially underwater parks designed to protect fish and block out fishermen.The ocean, advocates say, has become polluted and the sheer numbers of fish have diminished because of overfishing. Critics of the plan say that the health of the ocean is fine and that creating protected areas only harms people who make a living off the sea.The commission’s approval of the Integrated Preferred Alternative paves the way for the creation of more than four dozen marine protected areas over more than 300 miles, from Point Conception to Mexico along the Southern California coastline.Read more here.

State adopts network of protected marine areas

By Tony Barboza, Los Angeles TimesDecember 16, 2010Reporting from Santa Barbara - More than 350 square miles of ocean from Point Conception to the U.S.-Mexico border — about 15% of the Southern California coast — will be protected under a network of marine reserves narrowly approved by state wildlife officials.The 3-2 vote Wednesday by the California Fish and Game Commission bans or restricts fishingin 49 protected marine areas designed to replenish depleted fish populations and protect marine life.Read the rest of the story here.

Why do we keep hearing global fisheries are collapsing?

Some marine scientists say many of the world's fish stocks are nearing collapse...but the data suggest otherwise. So why is the media still reporting that we're on the verge of a fisheries apocalypse?Peter Kareiva, Cool Green Science Blog, provides insight into this question, along with an article published in Science Chronicles by world-renown scientist Ray Hilborn.Hilborn, an aquatic and fishery sciences professor at the University of Washington, writes in his article:"If you have paid any attention to the conservation literature or science journalism over the last five years, you likely have gotten the impression that our oceans are so poorly managed that they soon will be empty of fish — unless governments order drastic curtailment of current fishing practices, including the establishment of huge no-take zones across great swaths of the oceans."To be fair, there are some places where such severe declines may be true. A more balanced diagnosis, however, tells a different story — one that still requires changes in some fishing practices, but that is far from alarmist. But this balanced diagnosis is being almost wholly ignored in favor of an apocalyptic rhetoric that obscures the true issues fisheries face as well as the correct cures for those problems."Read both reports here.

Dr. Doyle Hanan Talking Sardine Research on KNX-AM Los Angeles

Dr. Doyle Hanan was interviewed today on KNX-AM 1070 (Los Angeles) about the sardine research project. You can listen here.

Sardine count on Central Coast: Science, business mix

Money on the line for county fishermen in aerial photo project By MIKE HORNICK, The CalifornianOctober 2, 2010Moss Landing-based fisherman Andy Russo is a skipper, not a scientist. But he'd swap a line and net for a test tube and white lab coat if it put more sardines in his next catch.It just might.Russo is helping scientists with a project that could help his bottom line.Since August, the California Wetfish Producers Association, a nonprofit industry group, has been flying aerial photography missions on the Pacific coast from Canada to Mexico, capturing images of massive sardine schools below the water's surface. Russo and other fishermen take occasional hauls from the schools to establish density and weight.Read the rest of the story from the Salinas Californian here.

Pilot Jeff Laboff Talking Sardine Research on KTVA Ventura

Pilot Jeff Laboff was recently interviewed on KTVA-AM 1520 (Ventura) about the sardine research project.  You can listen here.

Berkeley Chef Loves Sardines from Monterey Bay

Chef Alice WatersFounder-owner of Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, CA:"As fishing worldwide has become more industrialized, it is very important to buy from local sustainable fisheries. I happen to love the sardines that come from Monterey Bay."At Chez Panisse, we like to fillet them, cure them lightly with salt, and marinate them with garlic, lemon, herbs, and good olive oil. They are delicious served slightly warmed on garlicky grilled toast."See more at Sunset magazine here.