BY MERIT McCREA
SACRAMENTO – This is the fourth in a series of reports outlining what are being called the “Bin 2” MPA proposals. These are those proposed for Ventura County waters. Ventura County’s coastal bounds are from aptly named County Line at Leo Carrillo State Beach, westward to where it abuts Santa Barbara County at the famous Rincon Point surf break. It includes Anacapa and San Nicolas Islands as well. Also, the area of the Footprint MPA State Marine Reserve portion is attributed to this county.
The Footprint MPA is, as other MPAs within the bounds of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, a complex mix of state and federal waters. Thus only a small portion of that MPA is able to be under consideration by the California Fish and Game Commission. The remainder falls under the combined authority of two distinct federal agencies, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
The Ventura County coastline has no existing MPAs and no new proposals for any have been made. The same is true for San Nicolas Island where the Navy and Department of Defense has exerted its absolute authority to fend off state-based incursions into its domain.
However, the little Anacapa Island and its nearby waters have no less than 4 new proposals regarding the two MPAs which collectively restrict fishing along the entirety of its north side, and the nearby afore mentioned fraction of the Footprint SMR.
Here are the 4 that include some modifications for those Anacapa MPAs. AM notes the proposal has been amended by its authors in some way since its first submission.
2023-14MPA
2023-15MPA-AM
2023-18MPA
2023-27MPA-AM
2023-14MPA
Full petition
Submitted by: David Goldenberg, California Sea Urchin Commission
Summary: Allow commercial take of sea urchins in 9 State Marine Conservation Areas (Double Cone Rock SMCA, Sea Lion Cove SMCA, Stewart’s Point SMCA, Salt Point SMCA, Naples SMCA, Anacapa Island SMCA, Point Dume SMCA, Point Vicente SMCA (no-take), Swami’s SMCA)
This proposal asks for commercial access to dive sea urchins in the above MPAs
2023-15MPA-AM
Submitted by: Blake Hermann
Summary: Reclassify three State Marine Reserves (Footprint SMR, Gull Island SMR, Santa Barbara Island SMR) in the Northern Channel Islands as SMCAs (or inshore and offshore SMCAs with different take regulations for Gull Island and Santa Barbara Island SMRs) to allow either limited take of highly migratory species and possession of coastal pelagic species, or the take of pelagic finfish via six gear combination options. Possible methods of take include hook-and-line (offshore only), surface fishing methods, harpoon (swordfish only), and deep-set-buoy-gear (with or without “bottom contact gears”). (modified take options as amended)
At the Footprint MPA, currently a State Marin Reserve, this proposal would change it to a State Marine Conservation Area. The petitioner asks for consideration of 6 potential options. The preferred action would allow the recreational and commercial take of Pelagic Finfish with the possession of Coastal Pelagic Finfish allowed (bait). Other options are progressively more restrictive, yet allow for some fishing access that is currently not allowed.
In this case, further action with the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary would be needed to extend any option chosen for the state waters portion, to the rest of the current closed area.
2023-18MPA
Full petition
Submitted by: Greg Helms, Ocean Conservancy
Summary: Multiple action items to modify allowed uses at several Santa Barbara Channel MPAs
This petition would Revise to allow vessel access/landing at Frenchy’s Cove.
Reassess and consider removing the full-island special closure implemented to reduce vessel impacts to nesting seabirds for part of the year.
2023-27MPA-AM
- Full petition submitted by petitioner
- StoryMap page for petition as originally submitted
- Amended petition submitted by petitioner
- Submitted by: Azsha Hudson, Environmental Defense Center
- Summary: Amend existing SMCA with one of three options to best protect eelgrass meadows while allowing for community access (removed classification change and modified take regulations as amended)
- Option 1: Change SMCA regulations to disallow commercial lobster fishing year round
- Option 2: Change SMCA regulations to disallow hard-bottomed fishing gear (including anchoring if applicable) near eelgrass meadows
- Option 3: Extend the existing Anacapa Island Special Closure prohibition of lobster trap deployment in waters less than 20 feet deep to waters less than 30 m (0-98.43 ft)
In this Ventura County group, all but one petition asks for some level of re-opening of access, boat access alone, or additional access for some level of fishing that is precluded by the existing state of affairs but would still allow the MPA to meet the networking goals of the MLPA where the size and spacing guidelines are met by the closure. Only petition 27 by the EDF proposes additional restrictions, with those focused on the currently allowed lobster fishery and boat anchoring.
