My intentions in writing this letter are to voice my support in the placement of a Marine Reserve spanning from Westward Beach to Paradise Cove. I also am in support of a Marine Conservation Area at Nicholas Beach with all recreational fishing allowed.
I was born here and raised in all of the beach communities of Southern California spanning from Venice Beach to Malibu. Naturally, I love the beach. My passions have grown even deeper with the beach, having an opportunity to raise my daughter and stepson in this glorious environment and special culture of Point Dume.
In fact, the very first place I took my daughter outside of our home, was for a walk on our beach. It was the ocean and the beach that I mostly told her stories about while I was pregnant and walked along the beach or paddled in the ocean. I was so happy on that day when she finally could smell the salty air and feel the beautiful mist from the sea on her own.
It is now more important to me than ever, having witnessed 37 years of human impact and natural decline, to take a stand for the future of this delicate ecosystem and place that I can’t imagine life without.
The way I look at it, a Marine Reserve is an underwater State Park. For all the same reasons we, as citizens, are so grateful to have Yellowstone, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain National Park, etc. I believe that the future generations will be grateful that we set an MPA at Point Dume flourishing in sea life, kelp beds, eel grass and mineral-rich, clean waters to enjoy!
We have a once in a life time opportunity to preserve this area to effectively leave it better than we found it.
Nichole McGinley