Two If By Sea
The main thing is, it’s coming. And you can’t run away from it. Well, you can, but it won’t help anyone. Even Steve Fosmark, who lived through the process down in Monterey and came out of it pretty bitter — he lost some crab and swordfish grounds, and watched some prawn fishermen go out of business — says North Coast folks better speak up. Fosmark was en route to Oregon to go tuna fishing last Friday and stopped in Humboldt Bay to catch some anchovies for bait. He also stopped in at the big sale at Englund Marine.
“One of the things about our area, we didn’t have a lot of participation,” he said. “I recommend these guys here make ’em listen.
If you want to get involved, the next North Coast Local Interest MPA Workgroup meeting is Monday, June 29, at 3 p.m. at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center in Eureka.
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent on the cover
May 17
Ring of Fire
Sun and moon will perform a rare pas de deux in Humboldt skies on Sunday
May 10
District Soup
Racing for the top county seat in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts
May 3
A Place in the Woods
As park closure deadline nears, a scramble to save what we can
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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FIVE Comments
Comment / By joshua kinch / June 25, 2009, 12:08 p.m.
Excellent article. The history of fishermen is to overfish. It is a historical fact. The fishery is weak, and hurting. All involved should gladly step back and involve in healing. This includes Native Americans. No bitching. No sniveling. Fish first. It is time.
Comment / By George N. Ponnay III / June 25, 2009, 4:54 p.m.
The article is indeed well written. If you did actually read the piece, you would note that the history of fishing is NOT to overfish and that these people depend on healthy fish stocks in order to continue to make their living.
If the fishery is indeed weak, where is the scientific data to prove it? That’s the point of the current hitch with the entire MPA process.
The MPAs are law. I can accept that. However, their implementation without sound scientific foundation serves neither the fish nor people who’s livelihood depends on them.
Comment / By sd / June 26, 2009, 8:20 p.m.
The fishermen are not the only people to blame for the decline in fish numbers. What will we do with the waters once the fish numbers come back, will it always be government no-go zone!
Comment / By RT / July 1, 2009, 1:05 p.m.
Sorry George, I’d have to agree with Joshua - most fisheries have traditionally been managed in ways that encourage overfishing and as stocks decrease the main response is to fish it harder with more efficient capture methods. Certain fisheries like halibut in Alaska are limited-entry fisheries and are managed conservatively and each permit holder has a vested interest in the long-term health of the fishery.
I do agree that the science is lacking in regards to our local rock-fish stocks and with the current state budget woes, the MPA’s up here will be based on the “best available” information, which is unfortunate. Also with the budget woes how will the closed areas be enforced? How will monitoring occur to document the effectiveness (or lack of) of the closed areas?
My biggest concerns is where the real $ is coming from to drive this process, which is non-profits that appear to have an anti-fishing agenda already set. There have already been conflict-of-interest charges filed against participants in some of the recently established MPA’s.
The best course of action if you fish, ab dive, or harvest sea weed/kelp is to get involved, attend the meetings, and stay involved.
Comment / By Anonymous / July 3, 2009, 12:07 p.m.
The last time I could buy a 50 pound black cod off the boat was over 15 years ago, or about the time many fish species mature!
When a fish lives 80 years, how long do we expect to hunt and gather them using radar?
The science is always inadequate but I’d rather err on its side for now.