Recent events – on and off the water: Squid at Central Coast, Strike, & AB-1299

Once again, rumors of catchable squid arose from the Central Coast.  Once again, few people paid it any heed.  Evidently, there is some truth to these rumors.  Second hand reports tell of deliveries of 70 tons on Tuesday and 100 on Wednesday.  There was also a meeting held on Wednesday with the processors in Monterey.  The fishermen were trying to get a commitment from the markets surrounding price.  Evidently the meeting did not go well and we are supposedly on strike … again.  In my post of March 26 I alluded to the fact that we, as a group, are almost never successful in using work stoppages effectively.  So while we are today on strike, I am fairly certain it won’t last.  Update – 12:35PM and I just got off the phone with someone who was there – in Monterey.  Evidently the presence of a group of San Pedro fishermen went a long way towards uniting the resolve of the fishermen.  Those who made deliveries on Tuesday and Wednesday stayed in on Wednesday night.  Most of the participating seiners have been contacted and are prepared to hold fast.  The fish that was delivered was beautiful eight count squid, so that may tip the scales in our favor as the demand for this bigger fish is typically higher.  So gotta converse with the partner boat and see what the future holds.  My 2011 commercial license is at the ready, my bags are packed and boat is all fueled up.  Time will tell…

Now on to the meat of this post – AB 1299.  On April 12, Assembly Bill 1299, the Forage Species Conservation and Management Act of 2011, made it through the Water Parks and Wildlife Committee along party lines and currently sits with the appropriation committee.  AB 1299 was authored by Assemblymember Jared Huffman.  Actually, it was prepared and written by Oceana, Inc and presented to Huffman for his sponsorship in getting the bill passed.  If you wish to view the language click the following link - http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_1251-1300/ab_1299_bill_20110411_amended_asm_v97.pdf.  Interestingly, in 2008 a similar bill (AB-2172) was presented to the State legislature and died in committee.  Here is a link to AB-2172.  Amazing how the two different authors – Plescia in 2008 and Huffman in 2011 – can use virtually the same language.  http://www.pcouncil.org/bb/2008/0408/C2a_ATT8.pdf.

Passing through the Committee does not a law make.  As this bill represents an unfunded mandate, it must pass through the appropriations committee.  We all know that California isn’t the most financially secure State, so the hope is that the bill will die here. 

There are plenty of smarter people than I working to stop this from becoming law.  Among the arguments I have seen – these ring the most logical:

·         This bill attempts to pull an 'end-around' our already ultra-precautionary fishery management process, ignores peer-reviewed science and the progress now underway at the Pacific Fishery Management Council to develop a California Current Ecosystem Fishery Management Plan, and attempts to force DFG and the FG Commission to set standards that no fishery could meet.  

·         AB 1299 is redundant, duplicative, unnecessary, and wasteful of taxpayer dollars and time...  

·         The definition of “forage species” is vague and could, conceivably, cover species not considered.  Theoretically, a salmon could be deemed a forage species as it survives on plankton when young and is targeted by orcas and sea lions when larger.

Let’s hope that good science and logic win out over emotion and fear.  The fisheries management in California is already amongst the world’s most revered.  No need to fix that which isn’t broken!