The California Fisheries Coalition includes 27 recreational and commercial fishing associations and businesses. We have participated in all aspects of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative process since Fall 2004. We have invested hundreds of hours to attend meetings, analyze options, map key fishing grounds, and develop a recommended network of central coast Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Our objective is to see a full and balanced implementation of the MLPA. This Act seeks to protect diversity of marine life and "help sustain, conserve and protect" marine populations. It requires monitoring and adaptive management of MPAs. It is not intended to duplicate pre-existing comprehensive protections that have been in place on the ocean for many years.

To ignore the significant conservation benefits of existing regulations will unfairly punish citizens engaged in legal activities. Respected marine scientists have found that new MPAs, proposed for adoption, provide little additional conservation value. However, certain alternatives have devastating costs to thousands of hard working fishermen, small fish processing businesses, recreational fishing businesses, restaurant workers, and local coastal communities.