The state Department of Fish and Game on Jan. 1 began enforcement of a new marine protected area stretching from Paradise Cove to El Matador State Beach.
By Angelique LaCour / Special to The Malibu Times
Fishing restrictions kicked in Jan. 1 for the waters stretching from Paradise Cove to El Matador State Beach, which comprise Malibu’s first marine protected area (MPA). The MPA is intended to protect a rare underwater canyon and kelp reef, and is divided into two sections.
All fishing is now prohibited in the waters from Paradise Cove to the westernmost tip of Point Dume. Limited fishing is allowed from Point Dume to El Matador State Beach. Scuba diving, surfing, boating and other recreational activities are still allowed.
The Malibu MPA is one of 50 approved by a state commission in Dec. 2010, part of a statewide network created with the aim of preserving natural habitat and fighting overfishing.
Violators of the fishing restrictions can now be written citations or even arrested. “[Fish and Game] Wardens will take appropriate enforcement actions starting [Jan. 1] which could include education, warning, citation or arrest depending on the violation,” the California Department of Fish and Game’s website states.
Reaction was mixed between those who supported the creation of the MPAs and those who view it as an undue restriction.
“It is a sad day for those of us who love to cast a line or dive for our meal,” resident Shari Latta wrote in an email to The Malibu Times, noting that the area had been fished since the time of the Chumash. “Today’s locals have lost the right to enjoy fishing and eating from the waters west of Paradise Cove.”
Heal the Bay President Mark Gold said the DFG did draw a hard line in the designated “no take” fishing area by prohibiting fishing from kayaks, spear fishing and shore fishing, and that those restrictions were probably more appropriate for party barges and commercial fishing. But overall, Gold applauded the MPA as a milestone in environmental protection.
“As this day approaches I’ve been reflecting about the effort that went into the Malibu MPA becoming a reality,” Gold said last week. “In the mid-1990s someone I consider an iconic part of Old Malibu, Mary Frampton, had the foresight to put the wheels in motion by advocating for this legislation.” Frampton, who died five years ago, was an environmental activist in Malibu and founder of Save Our Coast who advocated for years about the need to pass legislation creating a network of marine reserves in Malibu. That effort was unsuccessful at the time, but Gold said it laid the groundwork for eventual passage of the Marine Life Protection Act in 1999, which has resulted in MPAs up and down the California coastline.
Gold said a scientific monitoring program by Heal the Bay to monitor the effectiveness of the MPA will continue for four or five years. The program caused some conflict with local residents last spring because it involved volunteers cataloguing the activities of beachgoers. Gold said the monitors were there to collect data, not turn in fishermen who break the rules to DFG wardens. Another coastal conservation organization, Santa Monica Baykeeper, is monitoring kelp re-forestration, and will have a presence on the water while Heal the Bay volunteers will collect data from the shore.
Last Saturday, after enjoying an afternoon fishing in Malibu’s Paradise Cove, James Naish and his fishing buddy, Clayton Woodhull, were found enjoying a beer at the Paradise Cove Beach Cafe. Their catch included a 14-inch calico bass, two sculpins and a rockfish. The two anglers were unaware of the fishing restrictions set to kick in the next day, but appeared receptive to the news.
“It’s understandable that there needs to be protections put into place to stop overfishing,” Naish said. Naish said he and his father fish from a blowup kayak, and he said he resents party barges with 50 people on board that come in and chum the waters for large hauls.
While waiting for a parking space at the Point Dume parking lot on Jan. 1, Pacific Palisades resident Stacy Johnson said she also had not heard about the new fishing restrictions. Johnson said she supports them, although she is more concerned about runoff and sewerage discharge.
“I think what’s more important than fishing restrictions is that pollution from runoff in places like Paradise Cove be stopped,” Johnson said.
Restrictions for all of the new MPAs can be viewed online at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/.