E-Letter #5-MLPA Action alert, January 16, 2004

Dear Friend of Ocean Life,

Only a month ago we were able to write in celebration of a great victory: the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary put in place a process that could lead to new marine reserves.

Now the California state government’s move toward new reserves is facing a grave threat.

On January 12, 2004, the California Department of Fish and Game announced that it would put on “indefinite hold” the implementation the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), As you know, the MLPA became law in 1999, with the goals of sustaining, conserving, and protecting California’s abundance of marine life. MLPA would do this by creating a network of marine reserves, as well as areas where only recreational fishing is permitted, plus other conservation areas. But the law will accomplish this only if it is implemented.

When he was running for office, Governor Schwarzennegger promised to protect California’s environment. Now in office, his first environmental policy move has been to shelve further work on MLPA. We NEED YOU to hold Governor Schwarzenegger to his promise: tell him that dropping work on MLPA is not acceptable. Everyone knows the state is in a budget crisis. But creative solutions, including public/private partnerships and cooperative efforts between the State and Sanctuary are available, and should be pursued.

The MLPA originally called for new reserves to be in place by 2002. Procedural delays caused two extensions, and the deadline was reset to late in 2005. Now DFG has announced its intent to ignore that deadline.

Please email the Governor and the California Resources Agency Secretary and insist that they resume work on MLPA and obey the law. You can do this in a couple of minutes, right now, via a convenient form.

In addition, letters to the editor are an important way to communicate community concerns. Please write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Letters to the editor should go out today if possible, tomorrow at the latest. Stick to 150 words or less and always provide your full name, address, and daytime phone number. Write you letter as a response to their story about the “hold”. (We've provided links to the stories themselves, too, but note that some of these links may expire soon.) Send letters to:

The Monterey Herald
Story ran Jan. 14, 2004, "Coastal-reserve plan stalls", AP story

Santa Cruz County Sentinel
Story ran Jan. 15, 2004 "Reserve Plan Hits Choppy Waters"

San Jose Mercury
Story ran Jan. 13, "State to hit pause on plan for no-fishing zones"

San Francisco Chronicle
Story ran Jan. 14 “Marine reserves on hold”

COOL has submitted a detailed Op-Ed piece to the Santa Cruz Sentinel, feel free to borrow ideas or wording from that text.

Action on this is important today. Thanks for taking time out of your other activities to protect central coast marine life.

Gratefully,

Everyone at COOL