Tuesday, October 21, 2008

OPAC


There is a proposal to establish marine reserves off the Coast of
Oregon. The Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) has been
legislatively mandated to advise the governor regarding marine
reserves. OPAC will be meeting in Florence, Oregon on October 23 and
24, 2008 to consider 20 proposed sites and to make recommendations to
the governor as to which should become marine reserves.


Marine reserves, as I understand, them prohibit all public human
activies and even entry. No commercial or sports fishing, or any
‘extractive’ activity would be allowed. In fact they areas would be
completely off-limits, forever, except for scientific research. Three
marine reserve sites are being proposed in waters off Clatsop County
that are linked with marine protected areas, from Tillamook Head south
to Cape Falcon in Tillamook County. In effect, if these three areas
are adopted, they would close important ocean waters to charter boat
operator, crabbers and commercial fishermen alike. The Board of County
Commissions has taken a stand against establishing additional no
fishing area without releasing areas already off limits. The impact
and cost to our communities would be too high.


For more information go to the Oregon Marine Reserves site:
www.oregonmarinereserves.net



The following are excerpts from this web site:

How were sites proposed?

Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Council Marine Reserves Process
PROPOSAL FORM FOR SITES FOR FURTHER EVALUATION Please submit one

proposal per site. Complete and submit the two sections of this
proposal form. Attach your answers from section 2 to this form,
including a map showing the proposed boundaries of the site. Proposals
can be submitted to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife up
until September 30, 2008. Where to submit your proposal: By
mail: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife OPAC Marine Reserves
Process 2040 SE Marine Science Dr. Newport, OR 97365 By email:
Odfw.MarineReserves@state.or.us (please include “Submit Proposal” in
the email subject line) SECTION 1: CONTACT INFORMATION PLEASE
FILL IN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: Please type, or print legibly to
ensure we are able to contact you with any questions. Attach this
sheet as the first page of your proposal. 1. A Name for Your
Proposed Site: Tillamook Head Marine Reserve 2. Name of Principal
Contact: Mike Manzulli & Nadia Gardner 3. Affiliation/Organization:
Coastal landowners and residents 4. Daytime Phone: (503)
440‐7862 5.
Email: manzulli@hotmail.com 6. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1281
Cannon Beach, OR 97110 7. Additional Information: PROPOSAL
FORM FOR SITES FOR FURTHER EVALUATION


What information has be submitted?

Where are these sites located?

Since 1999 3 large areas of our local ocean have been closed to our
drag fishermen. First, the state of Washington closed all it’s state
waters, out to three miles. Then in 2001 a lawsuit brought against
the National Marine Fisheries Service by Oceana, the Natural Resource
Defense Council, and the pacific Marine Conservation Council was ruled
in favor of the environmentalist. The result closed a swath of water
from Canada to Mexico between 50 and 250 fathoms to drag fishermen
called the Rockfish Conservation Area. This area alone represented
75% of the traditional fishing grounds of our local drag fishermen.
Off cannon Beach this area is over 30 miles wide. Then in 2005 the
last large area closure was made when Oceana threatened another
lawsuit. This area closure is called the Essential Fish Habitat and
closes the ocean from the 700 fathom line as far out as any bottom
fishing vessel can fish.


Drag fishermen have modified their fishing techniques to provide net
designed that do not drag across the ocean floor and thus are
environmentally friendly. The new nets have “excluders” that greatly
reduce if not eliminate Rockfish species and retain the targeted Sole.
The vessels now have location and observation methods that are being
overseen by governing bodies. All commercial vessels are required to
have monitoring systems( black boxes that operate 24 hours a day 7
days a week / all 365 days), and human observers. Despite these
improvement no water have been reopened to our fishermen.


The local fishing fleet has been reduced to half as a direct result of
these three large area closures. If the state waters are also closed
fishermen will be put out of business and processors severely harmed.
These state water closures include sports fishermen as well as
commercial. Our local economy would be delt a huge blow and our
communities would face further devastation.


The County Board of Commissioners is requesting the state review these
initial federal water closure and consider the impact upon our local
economy and communities. If state waters are to be closed can federal
waters be re-opened? To date the Oregon governing bodies has not even
attempted to negotiate with the Federal authorities.


If you have an opinion please sent it to Terry Thompson, the Lincoln
County Commissioner and representative for Lincoln, Tillamook and
Clatsop Counties on OPAC before October 23- 24 meeting.
tthompson@co.lincoln.or.us



Attached are map showing the waters already closed to fishing.



Map of the Rockfish Conservation Area Closure :






The following map shows the Essential Fish Habitat Closure:







4 comments:

Unknown said...

Ms. Roberts:

Marine reserves in Oregon's territorial sea will not prohibit entry or activities that do not remove or disturb marine life or resources.

This is clearly explained in the website "www.oregonmarinereserves.net" that you refer readers to in your blog.

-Mike Manzulli

Patricia Roberts said...

Dear Mike

Thank you for your comment. However, I believe you are confusing marine protected areas
with marine reserves. Marine protected ares which are being proposed in conjunction with
the marine reserves, are open to boaters and even line trolling. Marine reserves are
completely closed to all but the scientists doing research.

Please read carefully and let me know if you find anything to the contrary.

Patricia Roberts

Unknown said...

Ms. Roberts:

I am not confusing Marine Reserves with MPAs. OPAC is currently using this definition of a Marine Reserve:

“An area within Oregon's state territorial sea or adjacent rocky intertidal area that is protected from all extractive activities, including the removal or disturbance of living and non-living marine resources, except as necessary for monitoring or research to evaluate reserve condition, effectiveness, or impact of stressors."

Please note the word "extractive" before activities prohibited. This means no fishing or other activity that harms marine life/resources. Activities that do not harm marine life will be allowed. If you look at:

http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/OPAC/docs/resources
/OPAC_Mar_Res_Pol_Rec_Final.pdf

On page 3 #5 under guidelines, "Marine Reserves are not intended to prevent marine transit, safe harbor, and beach access."

Hope this helps you better understand the nature of Marine Reserves.

-Mike

Patricia Roberts said...

Dear Mike

I understand well enough that the intent of marine reserves is to " protect"
these areas form all human access. As I said before, yes, there will be no extractive
activities such as fishing or crabbing within marine reserves except for scientific
research. The difference between not "intending to prevent transit, safe harbor and
beach access" and free and open waters is where we differ in our understanding. My
understanding is coming from fishermen who have attended every OPAC meeting for the past
two years. I will defer to their understanding and first hand experience in this matter.
If you wish to talk to one such fisherman e-mail Bernard Bjork drabfishing@earthlink.net
. I believe you will find the conversation interesting and informative.

Thank you for your comment and continued dialogue, but I stand by my statement that
marine reserves are off limits. There can be no wind or wave generation devices within
their boundaries and no human access.

Patricia