Thanks for the information SUNDOG.Osprey - 5-28-2007 at 11:16 AM
I wonder whose side Conservation International is on? Why this little puff piece now about tiny little parks set aside some time ago? What is CI and
Calderone doing today to protect the billions of fish biting those 1.5 million extra hooks now hanging down in the water in more than half the 68,000
sq. miles of the Sea of Cortez? How about a piece about those fish dying today to be tomorrows paste puree or kitty delight.Don Alley - 5-28-2007 at 01:38 PM
I heard of these bew "protected areas" months ago, and aside from the banishment of bottom trawlers I'm not sure there is any real protection. Some
species and some habitats have not been impacted by trawling. IMO one of the types of habitats most in need of some kind of protection are relatively
shallow inshore areas. Here gillnets are the problem, not trawlers.
We have a "protected" marine park at Loreto, and the inshore areas could use a little more agressive management and enforcement. If the few posted
restrictions against gill nets are enforced, they aren't enforced very well. I wouldn't mind seeing some reductions in the "sport" limit as well.
Then again, the San Diego sport fleet fished the Revillagigedo Islands for several years after they were granted protected status, before a ruling
that their protected status prohibited all fishing except by local residents.Osprey - 5-28-2007 at 02:10 PM
Don, I didn't mean to make small of any marine protection efforts -- I applaud the new parks at Cabo Pulmo, Espiritu Santos, Loreto and others. It's
just too little too late in the overall scheme of things -- the article struck me as though they were saying "hurray for our new President" -- they
are still selling all the fish to the longliners while we are expected to wave flags for small past conservation concessions.Don Alley - 5-28-2007 at 02:54 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Osprey
Don, I didn't mean to make small of any marine protection efforts....
Well, uh, actually I did kind of mean to "make small" of the protection areas here at Loreto and maybe the two new ones as well.
What we have so far are areas with virtually no protection, "protected areas" in little more than name only, and protected areas that are closed to
all fishing, like the Revillagigedo Islands and Cabo Pulmo. It makes you miss freshwater management back in the states that has areas managed for
sustained yields of large fish and for quality sportfishing.
But I agree with what you are saying. There is this huge demand for greenwash. Development demands it, so we invent "sustainability" for Fonatur, Mar
de Cortes and private developers. To meet the growing demands of the commercial fishing sector they've come up with these "protected areas" to mask a
net increase in biomass extraction. And NGO's need this, to showcase "environmental successes" on their web pages and in their fundraising pitches.surfer jim - 5-28-2007 at 04:49 PM
...and I am sure a little "mordida" can open up those protected areas....
