MLPA Public Comment ~ LOCAL MEETING IN SAN DIEGO!
We only have a couple more times to speak up to the DFG commission so PLEASE BE A PART OF PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS!
Each time to speak counts, show up to cede time, or speak, the more fishermen who show up for support the better! We need to fill the room and out into the halls!
Meeting Update (Oct. 14, 2010): Speaking will start at around 10AM or thereafter on Wednesday, Oct. 20th, 2010. Our side plans to converge by 8:30 AM at the meeting site Four Points by Sheraton (8110 Aero Drive San Diego, CA).
When you arrive, and it shouldn't be any later than about 8:30 am, you need to find the info table and grab a speaker card. Next, decide whether you want to speak or cede your speaking time.
What is ceded time? Every person who fills out a speaker card will get somewhere between one and three minutes. Some people with important messages to send will need more. You can give them your time, but not on a 1:1 trade. It might take 10 cards for one more minute, but that's ok. That's why we need A LOT of people.
For example, during previous meetings Big Joe had a slide show to discuss many important fishing related concerns. He came with slides that back up his points. Others have points for region-specific or CA-wide fishing interests and may need your cede time.
If you want to tell the Commission a thing or two, here are a few starting places:
1. The recent court ruling is clear. The Blue Ribbon Task Force and Science Advisory Team are state agencies. They didn't follow state open meeting rules. The record appears to show decisions were reached behind closed doors. The were other irregularities. South Coast MLPA work must be suspended until these serious issues are resolved.
2. We support RSG Proposal 2, the true cross-interest plan created by anglers, harbor communities. Proposal two strikes a fair balance in Malibu, it preserves public access and safety, especially in Laguna. The IPA's La Jolla plan will concentrate fishing activity in a small area, again causing safety issues. It preserves the existing reserve boundaries, which are well known to the public and designated via shore-side signs and buoys on the water. Etc.
3. You could also limit your comments to the IPA (Integrated Preferred Alternative), which the Commission is considering. There are significant issues in play, including whether to expand various IPA sub-region maps. We already know that Coast Keepers and others will push for larger closures and even Map 3 shapes. We have to watch these closely.
Logistic Update (October 14, 2010)
The Watermen's Alliance will have a table, and that's where you can find the organizers. Everyone will have name tags but the key organizers for ceding time and speaker coordination will be easy to recognize, due to what they will wear (trust me on this point--we took your feedback that it was hard to find the key people at past meetings). We coordinate and share resources for all the conservation fishermen.
This is an open forum and we can't openly discuss in advance speaking points, what we wear (because you bet some joker is going to wear the same and try to collect speaking cards from some first-timer fisherman attendee), etc.. But on the day at the venue, the information will be clearly posted, speaking points will be printed, copied, and made available, and the organizers will be distinctive in what they wear so if you have time card to give, need speaking point, or need time, you can easily find someone who can help.
Oh, and the Watermen's Alliance table is where you go to get information about pizza, t-shirts, etc... Look for us.
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Joe Nguyen - Zenspearo
You can keep updated by checking their site:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/meetings_sc.asp
October 20-21, 2010
Four Points by Sheraton
8110 Aero Drive
San Diego, CA
