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Dive Store Implements “Zero-Tolerance” for Illegal Game Taking
Either out of ignorance or intentionally, illegal take of game (poaching) is a continuing problem. Reef Seekers Dive Co. of Beverly Hills is taking a zero-tolerance policy towards any type of poaching, whether intentional or accidental. “If you come up with game that’s either out-of-season, short, or over a bag limit, our boat DMs/Instructors are being instructed to contact DF&G and we will report the offense and request that a DF&G warden meet us when the boat docks at the end of the day,” stated Reef Seekers co-owner Ken Kurtis.
“Given the collapse of the MLPA implementation, it looks like this is the only tool left to us. My belief is that we’ll only have to do this for real once or twice and word will get out very quickly. It’s not a great position to be in, but I encourage those of you who either own boats or run charters to join us in this stance.”
Judge Permits Testing of Whale Sonar off CA Coast
A federal judge decided to allow a team of marine biologists to keep testing a new sonar system designed to detect whales deep in the Pacific Ocean, rejecting a request by some environmentalists for a permanent injunction against the experiment.
Scientific Solutions Inc. of Nashua, N.H., resumed testing of the sonar off the coast of California after receiving a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service. The judge said that the permit was issued properly.
MLPA Act Stalled
At the direction of Governor Schwarzenegger, the California Dept. of Fish and Game announced that it would ‘put on indefinite hold’ the implementation of California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). The plan, which could have put up to 20 percent of state waters off limits to fishing, was required by a 1999 state law. It is one of the few science-based management plans, and received wide support from environmentalists. The reason given for the hold was budgetary concerns.
Many Bat Rays at Reef Pt.
Divers have reported seeing “bat rays everywhere” at Reef Point in Orange County. Reef Point is a popular dive site within Crystal Cove State Park between Coronal Del Mar and Laguna Beach. While there is a great deal of shallow reef area to explore, much of the nearshore sea floor is sand. Bat rays sometimes congregate in large numbers on sand flats near reefs.