The following information is being sent to you as a heads up. The activity
is occurring in California. I am not aware of any such action being
considered in Washington, although the scenario fits in with those pushing
for marine protected areas.

If you have friends in CA who use the near shore waters for diving or
fishing, you might want to pass this information along to them.

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Martin [mailto:flatland@mcn.org]
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 12:30 PM
To: Press List - RFA NORCAL
Subject: Threat to Coastal Public Access.

NEWS RELEASE
10/12/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
JIM MARTIN, RFA WEST COAST REGIONAL DIRECTOR, 707/964-8326
ERIC ROGGER, RFA-SOCAL MEDIA CHAIR 310/476-5936

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT THREAT TO COASTAL PUBLIC ACCESS!

In 2000, Pres. Bill Clinton declared our state's entire coast - out 12
miles - as the "California Coastal National Monument," and gave power over
all reefs, rocks, and small islands above the mean tide line to the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM), a federal agency.

Now the BLM has released its draft management plan for the rocks and reefs
off California's coast. The Preferred Alternative, "Plan A," poses a real
threat to low-impact recreational opportunities the public traditionally
enjoys. Pay attention if you and your family if you walk your dog on the
beach, fly a kite, or fish from the beach or in the nearshore from any
vessel, including a kayak.

Plan A seeks to "preserve" all high tide exposed reefs, rocks, and small
islands along the 1,100-mile California coastline and offshore to 12 miles,
and protect birds, mammals, and "intertidal species" by banning all but "low
impact and non-invasive recreation near these designated structures." The
Plan will only support recreational opportunities that "appreciate from
afar" these public resources.

The Recreational Fishing Alliance believes we can alter this plan to support
fishing and other low-impact activities, but we need your help.

You can obtain a printed copy or a copy on CD by contacting: California
Coastal National Monument, 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940, or call
(831)-372-6115. You can submit your public comment to the same address; it
can be as simple as a postcard saying, "I support the Recreational Fishing
Alliance comments on the BLM's 'Monuments' Plan." Or just send an email to
cacnm@ca.blm.gov! Public comments will be accepted no later than December
16, 2004. The Draft RMP/Draft EIS can be viewed on-line at:
http://www.ca.blm.gov/pa/coastal_monument/draft_rmp_eis.html

How far will opponents of recreational fishing take this plan, should it be
approved? Here's what they've told the BLM:

Richard Charter and Rod Fujita of Environmental Defense (Fund), in written
testimony, urged BLM to "establish buffers and exclusion areas for
kayakers..."

Kaitlin Gaffney of the Ocean Conservancy's Monterey Bay office, also chair
of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary's "Conservation Working
Group," in written testimony, urged BLM to "Control over-fishing,
recreational encroachment."

By contrast, Dr. Fred Hollander of the Recreational Fishing Alliance
requests that "the RFA would like to see sportfishing included among the
many listings of recreational activities considered 'low impact' under the
Preferred Alernative Plan."

The Recreational Fishing Alliance encourages anglers and divers to attend
one of the public hearings on this issue, and control the overarching
encroachments of these fun folks. Here's the list of dates & times:

Monterey Bay
Thursday, October 14
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
The California State University
8272 Moss Landing Road
Moss Landing, CA

Point Arena
Tuesday, October 19
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Point Arena City Hall
451 School Street
Point Arena, CA

Elk
Wednesday, October 20
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Greenwood Community Center
6155 South Highway One
Elk, CA

Trinidad
Thursday, October 21
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Trinidad City Hall
409 Trinity Street
Trinidad, CA

San Diego
Wednesday, October 27
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sumner Auditorium
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
8625 Discovery Way
La Jolla, CA

Long Beach
Thursday, October 28
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Aquarium of the Pacific (Tentative)
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA

San Francisco
Thursday, November 4
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Ft. Mason Officer's Club
Golden Gate NRA
Franklin Street Gate
San Francisco, CA

******************************************************
The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is a national, grassroots political
action organization representing individual sport fishermen and the sport
fishing industry. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater
anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs and ensure the
long-term sustainability of U.S. saltwater fisheries. For more information,
call 1-888-JOIN-RFA, or visit http://www.joinrfa.org.

Yeah so everybody go out out vote for another Bill Clinton, John Kerry. Sorry not in my book Im all Bush. That is a shame what is going on down there. Washington will be next.

Sorry Aunty, but the Governator doesn't control the BLM. I doubt as long as G-dubya is in office, this will fly. If Kerry gets in, watch out, he is looking to make a statement on the environment and is as liberal as they come.

Aunty-- Not to pick on you, although it can be fun... , but Arnold just signed a bill to eliminate bottom-trawl fisheries in California. This bill was pushed through the Calilfornia legislature by two groups of fishermen. Just because a gummint guy is a Republican doesn't mean he is anti-environment or anti-fishing any more than saying a Democrat always makes good environmental decisions or is soft of security.

The bottom trawl bill was a big deal in California because trawlers were pretty much unrestricted as far as entry into the fishery and each boat was allowed something like 1000 pounds of rockfish per day as bycatch while sportsmen and women had their seasons shortened to protect declining populations. If you want more info on the bill, I can find it, I'm pretty sure without too much trouble.

Keith

Aunty-- Three points: my response was an answer to your question about what a REPUBLICAN (your caps) governor was doing to further recreational uses. Here was one example, and a big one in the eyes of California fishermen.

Point two: The "protection" of the California's coast was something instituted by Bill Clinton, and I'm guessing it was part of the political legacy he left as a bombshell for Bush, along with his last-minute declaration of roadless areas and other such things that he couldn't get away with until he was a lame duck in the last days of his presidency. If someone wants to blame a Democrat for this, there's Bill.

Point three: I don't know much about the RFA, but in the instance of the California bottom-trawl bill pushed by the UAC (I think) and UASC, both anglers' groups, we see how effective a united voice can be. There are some things coming up that will need the support of every sports fisherman and woman in the state, but if the RFA is a partisan "the Democrats are the only answer to environmental issues" group, then it ain't gonna happen. Look at how divisive political issues are on this board-- if some of the (fill in the blank) here were to get up and start the political spiel, you'd end up doing nothing but arguing about who was right.

My $.02,

Keith

Anybody that supports the elimination of bottom trollers is doing a good thing. I know, I worked on one and the bicatch is ugly.

Aunty-- Touchy aren't we?

I said "If.." in regards to the RFA business. I didn't make accusations one way or the other. I did say that I didn't know much about the RFA but that I saw doom in its future if it's partisan, and that this is a time where partisanship isn't going to help sportfishing.

However, in a post where you jump first on a REPUBLICAN (your caps again like you're trying to disparage the GOP) governor about a sportfishing issue without just cause, I tend to think you are biased a bit. Am I wrong? Do you have other knowledge about the California sportfishing scene?

And no, I don't know much about you.

If you haven't checked, $.02 isn't worth much.

My $.02,

Keith

The RFA is not partisan. The following publicly available info regarding our federal PAC expendatures. A quick observation is that our PAC has give a bit more money to the R's, which is wise given that they control both houses at this time. A little disclaimer though:

-I know this list is not up to date. I am not that involved with the national PAC so I can not say how many more expendatures are missing.

-Those of you who know the political game also know that a PAC contribution is not allways made to "friends". Some are made for, well, other reasons (not bribes if some of you were thinking that ). I don't claim to know the specific reasons for every contribution.

______________________________________

Campaign Finance Details for RECREATIONAL FISHING ALLIANCE INC PAC (RFA PAC)
Category $ Amount
Total Receipts 91,045
Transfers From Affiliates 0
Contributions From Individuals 90,685
Contributions From Other Political Committees 0
Total Loans Received 0
Total Disbursements 91,420
Transfers To Affiliates 2,500
Refunds To Individuals 0
Refunds to Committees 0
Loan Repayments 0
Beginning Cash 21,939
Ending Cash 21,564
Debts Owed By 0
Nonfederal Transfers Received 0
Contributions Made To Other Committees 73,050
Independent Expenditures Made 0
Party Coordinated Expenditures Made 0
Nonfederal Share of Expenditures 0


Political Candidates Receiving Contributions from RECREATIONAL FISHING ALLIANCE INC PAC (RFA PAC)

69 record(s)
Name / Office / Party / State / $ Amount
ABERCROMBIE, NEIL HOUSE Democrat HI 550
ACEVEDO-VILA, ANIBAL HOUSE Democrat PR 50
ANDREWS, ROBERT E HOUSE Democrat NJ 1,500
BISHOP, ROBERT WILLIAM HOUSE Republican UT 50
BOYD, F ALLEN JR HOUSE Democrat FL 1,000
BROWNBACK, SAMUEL DALE SENATE Republican KS 500
BURNS, CONRAD SENATE Republican MT 1,000
BURR, RICHARD HOUSE Republican NC 4,000
CANNON, CHRISTOPHER B HOUSE Republican UT 50
CARSON, BRAD HOUSE Democrat OK 50
CARSON, JO ELLEN HOUSE Democrat AR 50
CHAMBLISS, SAXBY SENATE Republican GA 2,050
CHRISTENSEN, DONNA M HOUSE Democrat DC 50
CUBIN, BARBARA L HOUSE Republican WY 1,250
CUNNINGHAM, RANDY HOUSE Republican DC 2,500
DEFAZIO, PETER A HOUSE Democrat OR 50
DODD, CHRISTOPHER J SENATE Democrat CT 2,000
DUNCAN, JOHN JAMES JR HOUSE Republican TN 50
ENGLISH, PHILIP S HOUSE Republican PA 1,000
FEENEY, TOM HOUSE Republican FL 1,000
FLAKE, JEFF MR. HOUSE Republican AZ 50
GALLEGLY, ELTON HOUSE Republican CA 50
GIBBONS, JAMES A HOUSE Republican NV 50
GILCHREST, WAYNE T HOUSE Republican MD 3,200
HAYWORTH, JD HOUSE Republican AZ 50
HEFLEY, JOEL HOUSE Republican CO 50
HOLT, RUSH DEW HOUSE Democrat NJ 50
HUNTER, DUNCAN HOUSE Republican CA 500
INSLEE, JAY ROBERT HOUSE Democrat WA 50
JONES, WALTER B HOUSE Republican NC 2,050
KILDEE, DALE E HOUSE Democrat MI 50
KIND, RONALD JAMES HOUSE Democrat WI 50
LANDRIEU, MARY L SENATE Democrat DC 500
LATHAM, TOM HOUSE Republican IA 2,000
LOBIONDO, FRANK A. HOUSE Republican NJ 6,550
MARKEY, EDWARD JOHN HOUSE Democrat MA 50
MARSHALL, JIM HOUSE Democrat GA 500
MARTINEZ, MEL SENATE Republican FL 2,000
MCCOLLUM, BETTY HOUSE Democrat MN 50
MCGOVERN, JAMES P HOUSE Democrat MA 50
MCINNIS, SCOTT HOUSE Republican CO 50
NAPOLITANO, GRACE HOUSE Democrat CA 50
NETHERCUTT, GEORGE JR. HOUSE Republican WA 1,000
OLLER, THOMAS R HOUSE Republican CA 2,500
OSBORNE, THOMAS WILLIAM HOUSE Republican NE 50
OTTER, C L HOUSE Republican ID 50
PALLONE, FRANK JR. HOUSE Democrat NJ 2,050
PETERSON, JOHN E HOUSE Republican PA 50
POMBO, RICHARD HOUSE Republican CA 6,000
RADANOVICH, GEORGE HOUSE Republican CA 50
RAHALL, NICK J II M C HOUSE Democrat WV 50
REHBERG, DENNIS R HOUSE Republican MT 2,050
SAXTON, H JAMES HOUSE Republican NJ 9,500
SCHAFFER, ROBERT W "BOB" HOUSE Republican CO 50
SHERWOOD, DONALD L HOUSE Republican PA 1,000
SIMPSON, MICHAEL KEITH HOUSE Republican ID 50
SMITH, CHRISTOPHER H HOUSE Republican NJ 50
SMITH, D ADAM HOUSE Democrat WA 50
SOLIS, HILDA HOUSE Democrat CA 50
SOUDER, MARK E HOUSE Republican IN 50
SPECTER, ARLEN SENATE Republican PA 1,000
TANCREDO, THOMAS GERALD HOUSE Republican CO 50
TAUZIN, WILBERT J II HOUSE Republican LA 50
THORNBERRY, MAC HOUSE Republican TX 50
UDALL, MARK HOUSE Democrat CO 50
UDALL, TOM HOUSE Democrat NM 50
WALDEN, GREGORY PAUL HOUSE Republican OR 50
WELDON, CURT HOUSE Republican PA 500
YOUNG, DON E HOUSE Republican AK 2,000

AuntyM
You lost it all with your delivery - too bad because even I, someone who is interested in what you have to say, find it difficult to actually "Listen" sometimes.

Mike--Thanks for the info and link. I'll check it out.

Aunty-- There is a lot of meaning in the word "if". And don't read this reply as a personal attack. It ain't.

Keith