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California Creates Marine Havens

Life is about to improve for fish off the Central California coast.

The California Fish and Game Commission just voted to ban or severely limit fishing in 200 square miles of the state’s coastal waters, the first step toward putting in place a network of marine reserves called for in legislation passed seven years ago.

The decision puts an end to years of bickering among fishermen and conservationists over the creation of the nation’s first network of marine reserves established near a heavily populated coastline. Other reserves – such as one in Hawaii and another near the Florida Keys – have been created in recent years, but none of this size so close to a densely populated area.

Roughly half of the Central California area being protected will be set up as marine reserves where no fish may be harvested at all, protecting aquatic life of all sizes. The other areas will severely limit fishing to help depleted populations rebound. Targeted fish populations include rockfish, halibut, lobster, abalone and other shellfish, but the reserves will have the effect of also protecting undersea habitat, such as kelp forests, rocky reefs, ocean canyons and seafloors.

Eventually, the network of reserves is expected to extend for the entire California coastline. That could make an enormous difference in helping endangered fish populations and habitats rebound from overfishing, though experts warn it could take years to repair the damage that has been taking place for decades.

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To find out if the fish you are eating are being sustainably harvested, please visit www.seaweb.com.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org