Announcements & News
Reminders
Upcoming Meetings
We now meet on
ODD months at Round Table Pizza
September 19
November 21
December
- Christmas Party
Date To Be Announced
Join the Club!
Dues are $35 and include CenCal membership
Contact our treasurer Carol Reed at seareed@barbarycoastdivers.org to join.
(For information on CenCal, see their website at http://www.cencal.org)
Abalone
Cook-Off at Van Damme State Park
October 6-7
It isn't too early to start planning your recipe!
Win prizes! Have fun! Eat ab!
Our club has booked the Mendocino cabin for the weekend.
California
Mussel Quarantine Hotline: 510-540-2605
Those of you who collect mussels should know about this hotline on the status of mussel collecting as it pertains to bacteria counts. Mussel season closed on 5-1-01.
Thanks to Mike Walsh for supplying this number. -cz
The
California Marine Life Protection Act
and what it means to you
The California Marine Life Protection Act requires that the Department of Fish and Game develop a plan for establishing networks of marine protected areas in California waters to protect habitats and preserve ecosystem integrity, among other things.
The DFG has come up with a draft proposal of where to establish these marine protected areas. They come in three flavors:
(a) A "state marine reserve," shall be maintained in an undisturbed and unpolluted state. Therefore, access and use (such as walking, swimming, boating and diving) may be restricted to protect marine resources. No fishing, either recreational or commercial, will be allowed.
(b) A "state marine park," will permit recreational but not commercial fishing.
(c) A "state marine conservation area," will permit commercial and/or recreational fishing.
The DFG website has a list of the areas of the coast that have been proposed for these three types of management. The site contains maps so you can see which of your favorite dive spots will be affected.
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mlpa/index.html
Abalone Regulations - Are Changes Afoot?
Ever notice how you see lots of 6-inch and 7-inch inch abalone but not very many juveniles? A study conducted by the Dept. of Fish and Game found that abalone are not replenishing themselves at a sufficient rate to keep their numbers healthy. The DFG has proposed eight options that could forestall a crash in the population of the species.
Read about the study and see the list of management options at:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/AB_status/ncs_AB_resource.html
Note: The study authors recommended the
following change:
A limit of 2 abalone per day and yearly take of 30 (49% estimated reduction
in take).
(The limit is currently 4 per day to a maximum of 100 per year).
Garibaldi #1: Gosh, I'm glad I'm already protected!
Garibaldi #2: You don't taste good, anyway. No one would shoot you.