Freedivers' Information for proposed
Southern California Closures
Palos Verdes (Lunada Reserve)
Three proposed areas
1. Lunada Bay State Marine Reserve: Proposed boundaries: Northern: Flat Rock Point (33° 47.81'N, 118° 24.56'W) west along latitude 33° 47.81'N to a distance of 1000 feet offshore. Southern: Point Vicente (33° 44.48'N, 118° 24.71'W) west along latitude 33° 44.48'N to a distance of 1000 feet offshore. Offshore boundary is 1000 feet from shore.-Total Area: 0.77 square nautical miles Total Shoreline length: 4.85 nautical miles-no take
2. Abalone Cove State Marine Park: Proposed boundaries: Maintain current boundaries, including the offshore boundary of 300 feet from shore.- Total Area: 0.08 square nautical miles only-Finfishing only
3.Point Fermin State Marine Reserve Proposed boundaries: Western: Point Fermin (33° 42.29'N, 118° 17.64'W) south along longitude 118° 17.64'W to a distance of 1000 feet offshore. Eastern: Pier at the southeast end of Cabrillo Beach (33° 42.46'N, 118° 16.66'W) south along longitude 118° 16.66'W to a distance of 1000 feet offshore. Offshore boundary is 1000 feet from shore.-Area .17 sqaure miles only-no take
Thoughts and suggestions:
Sounds like discrimination...
The proposed closures of Lunada Bay and Pt. Fermin (SMR) State Marine Reserves (NO TAKE AREA) are unique because they call for a closure from shore to extend 1000' out. This will effect the spearfisherman that access the two areas from shore only, while having no effect on protecting the fishery in that location because the boat fisherman will still have the ability to take game just 1000 feet from shore (i.e. just outside the kelp beds where they fish today). If the proposal is intended to protect an entire ecosystem why do they draft a proposal that disallows all activities (sport/commercial) for 3 miles?... Douglas VanMullem Douglas.VanMullem@West.Boeing.com 7/22/01
Offer an alternative...
If we need to have an optional place to offer for closure to protect our right to P.V., I suggest we give them Portuguese Bend all the way to Point Fermin. It's fertile area with a lot of white seabass and halibut. There is also a kelp bed there that must go over a mile in total length. Todd Bergenbring monkner@earthlink.net 7/22/01
The Department must consider Socio-economic
factors, here's one to consider...
Preventing shore diving places an economic burden on those who cannot afford a
boat.
Maybe we should go along with the idea...
Real honestly? PV could be closed from Lunada Bay all the way to Point Fermin. Yes, it would be inconvenient, but man, that area would really provide some mean territory for the ecosystem to grow, provided less pollution is dumped into that area... Mark Barville, ocean@earthlink.net 7/21/01