NWPanhandler – Again, I recommended to WDFW that when they start a serious Marine reserve network, they immediately rescind the 120 foot rule. I was the only person on the Rockfish advisory group to recommend that. A Marine reserve is a closure. But a closure is not a Marine reserve. The fact is fisheries management in the oceans for all state and national fisheries management groups, has been absolutely terrible. There is a publication by the National Research Council in 1999 that says fisheries management decisions are typically as much as 50% off the mark. Good Grief! a weatherman has a better track record than oceanic (and WDFW) fisheries managers. In short, traditional fisheries management practices (which includes closures)have not protected our marine fish stocks. Consequently, we have the most endangered marine species in the nation and the most depressed fisheries in North America. The difference between a closure and a Marine reserve, is that the Marine reserve takes into account the biology of the entire lifecycle of all of the species we are trying to protect. A simple closure often misses important parts of the lifecycle. In contrast, freshwater fisheries managers have an outstanding track record because it’s a simpler more contained ecosystem. You are right about the techniques for releasing bottom fish safely. I do not understand why WDFW does not acknowledge the secret research that Rob Tobeck presented at the Rockfish advisory group.

DR Rick- Of course Sierra Club knows what I am doing. I am on the Exe Comm for the North Olympic group of the Sierra Club. I am also on the Water and Salmon Committee for the state of Washington Sierra Club. And my activities have been cleared with national Sierra Club. I have written action alerts for our members to support the creation of a network of marine reserves. The issue of representation is complex. I am not the official representative for CCA or PSA. But as a member of those organizations I subscribe to their mission statements and to their plans of actions contributing to fisheries restoration. Whether you recognize it or not, you do represent all of the organizations you belong to in some limited sense. If you make comments on any issues, you are only representing personal viewpoints, but you are representing the organizations in which you have membership. Whether or not you are the official representative for an organization is hardly significant. If you have some expertise that can help improve or restore our fisheries, you should feel free to make it. That is what I have done and I’ve upset a few official representatives. My apologies yet again.

SomethingsmellsF – Baloney!


Norm