Laguna Bluebelts propose closing all of Laguna Beach to fishing
BY Merit McCrea
SAN CLEMENTE – Along the Orange County coastline, which covers from the mouth of the San Gabriel River in the north, at Seal Beach, to the northern boarder of Camp Pendleton in the south, there are 6 Marine Protected Areas. These include two lagoon areas closed to fishing, the Bolsa Chica State Marine Conservation Area or SMCA, and the Upper Newport Bay SMCA. Covering the coastline from the mouth of Newport Bay to the bend in the breakwater at Dana Point are a series of 4 MPAs edge-to-edge. On the north the Crystal Cove SMCA which disallows the tide pool picking. It extends to the northern Laguna Beach City Limit. From there, south to about the point at Seacliff Drive are paired no-fishing closures creating a triangle closure extending almost 3 miles offshore. The upper portion of this fishing closure is the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve or SMR. The lower quarter of the closure is made by the Laguna Beach SMCA. It only allows permitted take in association with infrastructure maintenance and waste water impacts, basically because Laguna Beach’s sewer pipe runs through those waters. From there to the bend in the Dana Breakwater is the Dana Point SMCA, where fishing is allowed but tidepool picking is not. What Petition 2023-24MPA would do is extend the Laguna Beach SMCA, and close half of the Dana Point SMCA to fishing to the southern city limit of Laguna Beach, basically closing all fishing within Laguna Beach City Limits.
Here are the basics in a nutshell.
Submitted by: Mike Beanan, Laguna Bluebelt Coalition
Summary: Extend the Laguna Beach no-take SMCA southern boundary to the southern border of city of Laguna Beach, which will require modification of northern boundary of Dana Point SMCA (modified boundaries as amended) Bin : 2
In this proposal there are a couple of disconnects. The first is the impacts of the city’s sewage should be exempt from further restrictions that would address the outfall operation’s impacts to natural resources to a State Marine Reserve. It’s clear MPAs are at almost exclusively about restricting public access for fishing.
A second disconnect is the way proponents feel tide pools in closed areas are still available for exploration and education. However, the state’s definition of “take” includes any activity that would alter a critter’s behavior.
That means picking up a shore crab and taking a closer look is not legal. It even means touching the open tentacles of a sea anemone and causing it to withdraw them and close is a violation. Things like stepping on them, or tearing a starfish from the rocks leaving its tube-feet torn in half with some still stuck to the rock are definite nos. But these are the things people do. These are the kinds of things that allow kids that first impression of wonder and amazement with all things marine. Starfish and anemones do recover from these insults, after all.
Donna Kalez, Co-Owner of Dana Wharf Sportfishing said “Dana Wharf Sportfishing has been a supporter of the closure in Laguna since its inception in 2013. It is what was agreed upon by all in involved. We remain committed to the plan but in no way support any expansion. The first 5 years was a hard transition for us and other fishing user-groups but we have adapted. Since that time the spillover effect has been achieved and the decadal review said that Lagaun Beach closures are effective and show benefits to the fish population. This is a time to study the Laguna Beach area in more detail and protect and enforce the current area, not expand this or any other area that will limit recreational and commercial fishing. We must follow the science. Recreational fisherman and women along with Lobster Commercial fishing will be financially and culturally hurt with any expansion.”