The Nature Conservancy, Partners Bring Together Disparate Interests to Protect Underwater Habitat
June 28, 2005
Pile perch in kelp forest
© Richard Hermann
A plan by The Nature Conservancy and its partners to ban bottom trawling in more than 3.8 million acres of ocean off the coast of Central California was adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council last week, paving the way for an innovative trawler buy-back program to be implemented by the Conservancy and Environmental Defense.
The Council’s action marked a win for the Conservancy’s Global Marine Initiative and the new California Coastal and Marine Program, headed by Chuck Cook. Cook sat down with central coast harbormasters, trawl fishermen and representatives from Environmental Defense and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Center for the Future of the Oceans to work through thorny issues and develop a plan that harmonizes conservation with viable commercial fishing, processing and distribution in central California ports.
“The consensus plan that emerged is based on good science, good conservation values, and good faith," said Rod Fujita, marine ecologist with Environmental Defense.
These no-trawl zones will protect 3,835,000 acres of valuable habitat, including rocky reefs, offshore banks, underwater canyons, seamounts and coral gardens that harbor a spectacular diversity of ocean life. At the same time, enough productive fishing grounds will remain open to allow the trawlers to continue to deliver Dover and Petrale Sole, blackcod and other delectable fish to Morro Bay.
“We’ve shown we can all work together to protect both the environment and commercial fishing. This deal will help us to keep supplying the country with healthy seafood.”
Chris Kubiak
Commercial trawl fisherman
“I am encouraged that the Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted our consensus plan, which will afford long term protection to a wide array of marine habitats and biodiversity in some of California’s last great places — Point Sur, the spectacular Davidson and Rodriguez seamounts, Santa Lucia banks and coral gardens, Arguello Canyon,” Cook said.
Chris Kubiak, a trawler who played a lead role in developing the compromise, said, “We’ve shown we can all work together to protect both the environment and commercial fishing. This deal will help us to keep supplying the country with healthy seafood."
The Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization, The Nature Conservancy, and Environmental Defense all anticipate that this will open up opportunities for marketing “ocean-friendly” seafood, maintaining the working waterfront of Morro Bay, and preserving the fishing heritage of this picturesque seaport.
To help alleviate any economic impacts of the new large no-trawl zones, The Nature Conservancy and Environmental Defense will begin purchasing vessels and trawling permits from fishermen willing to sell, once the no-trawl zones are officially established. Many of the area’s 23 permit holders have expressed interest in the proposed buyout.
The Nature Conservancy and Environmental Defense will work with trawlers who keep their permits to monitor and document changes in the underwater community over the next several years.
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