And, a Science Advisory Team meeting in Los Angeles, Jan. 27.

[rojodiablo]

California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Announcement


Who: MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team for the MLPA South Coast Study Region




What: Fifth meeting and draft agenda (see below)


When: January 23 (at 1:00 p.m.) and January 27, 2009 (at 9:30 a.m.)


Where: On January 23, via teleconference and webinar. Members of the public may also join MLPA staff in Sacramento or Los Alamitos for the teleconference. See below for more details regarding public locations and toll-free calling information. On January 27, in person or via simultaneous webcast.






California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative


Master Plan Science Advisory Team


Draft Meeting Agenda


Revised January 13, 2009






Friday, January 23, 2009 at 1:00 p.m.


via teleconference


Toll free phone number: 800.697.5978
Pass code: 7858702#


Presentations via GoToWebinar. Reserve your Webinar seat now at
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/573854808 <https://owa.resources.ca.gov/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/573854808>


(Requires Windows 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista or Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or newer)






For onsite teleconference and webinar access:


Resources Building *
1416 Ninth Street, Room 1206
Sacramento, CA 95814


California Department of Fish and Game *


4665 Lampson Avenue, Suite C


Los Alamitos, CA 90720










AND






Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.


Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel *


6101 West Century Boulevard


Los Angeles, CA 90045










Public participation: On January 23 members of the public are invited to listen to the meeting using the toll-free phone number and to watch presentations via the webinar link, or may use the MLPA offices listed above to listen, watch and provide comment. On January 27 members of the public are invited to attend the meeting in person or view and listen to the meeting via simultaneous webcasting on the Internet. Both portions of the meeting may be viewed in an archived version approximately two days after the meeting.






The public will be invited by the co-chairs to offer comments on agenda action items. General comments on the work of the MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team (SAT), not directed to specific agenda items, will be taken at approximately 3:05 p.m. on Friday, January 23, 2009 and at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 27, 2009. Note that the general comment period is for comments specific to the MLPA SAT; comments related to the regional stakeholder group, task force or other MLPA Initiative activities should be directed to those bodies or MLPA staff. Meeting materials will not be provided at the meeting but will be posted to the MLPA website as soon as they are available. This agenda may be found on the MLPA website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/meetings_sc.asp.












Meeting Objectives




· Review and potentially adopt marine protected area (MPA) evaluation methods for the MLPA South Coast Study Region


· Review preliminary responses to science questions from the MLPA South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group (SCRSG)


* Review list of species likely to benefit from MPAs
* Designate SAT MPA Proposal Evaluation Work Group members








Meeting Agenda for January 23, 2009




Note: Public comment will be taken after the break at approximately 3:05 p.m.




Welcome, Introductions and Review of Agenda




I. SAT MPA Proposal Evaluation Work Group (Part 1))




II. MPA Design Guidelines and Evaluation Methods for the MLPA South Coast Study Region (Part 1)




III. Questions from the MLPA South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group (Part 1)




Next Steps




Recess
















Meeting Agenda January 27, 2009




Note: Public comment will be taken after lunch at approximately 12:45 p.m.




Welcome, Introductions and Review of Aagenda




I. (Part 2, continued from Jan. 23). SAT MPA Proposal Evaluation Work Group




II. (Part 2, continued from Jan. 23). MPA Design Guidelines and Evaluation Methods for the MLPA South Coast Study Region




IV. Habitat Quality in the MLPA South Coast Study Region




V. Species Likely to Benefit from MPAs




III. (Part 2, continued from Jan. 2). Questions from the MLPA South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group




Wrap Up and Next Steps




Adjourn








* This facility is accessible to persons with disabilities. To request reasonable accommodations for a disability, please contact California Relay Service (at least two days prior to the meeting) at 800.735.2929 (TT) or 800.735.2922 (voice) and ask them to contact the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative at 916.653.5656.






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[rojodiablo]

I will be at this one in Los Angeles, I could use some company.

[zenspearo]

I'll be there Paul.

[mnguy]

I'll be there too. Hopefully they validate parking again. Not having to fork over cash for parking was pretty nice.

[Ex Nihilo]

I'll be there as well.

[Kelsea]

I'm there.

[zenspearo]

Sounds like Paul won't make dinner but we ought to keep the tradition of post MLPA-meeting dinner going

Anyone know any good eats in the area? We have to eat...

[Kelsea]

Sounds like Paul won't make dinner but we ought to keep the tradition of post MLPA-meeting dinner going
.

I agree.

Comon Paul - you know if you leave right after the meeting you'll just hit crappy traffic. Thats what they make NoDoze for. Sleep is for the dead! Look at me, I never sleep and I'm perfectly fine. :sleep::yippee::crazy: j/k

I don't know of any local spots to that hotel, but maybe some else more familiar w/ LA can help us out?

[rojodiablo]

I agree.

Common Paul - you know if you leave right after the meeting you'll just hit crappy traffic. Thats what they make NoDoze for. Sleep is for the dead! Look at me, I never sleep and I'm perfectly fine. :sleep::yippee::crazy: j/k

I don't know of any local spots to that hotel, but maybe some else more familiar w/ LA can help us out?

If I miss this meeting, I have to pay $350 for my son's indescretions in life, PLUS... go to another 3 meetings. I may pride myself on being an irresponsible parent, but I am not insane!!!

[Seacidal]

I may be able to drive down for this meeting. There's a lot of materials to review in advance, and coordination among groups would be best. If there is an agreed upon platform that would garner the express support of our group, I'd be willing to help out in making a presentation.

There was talk recently of the FIN maps becoming available. I haven't seen a follow up post on that, or perhaps missed it. The number of threads is multiplying quickly and it is time-consuming to review all of them. If maps are available, I would appreciate having an opportunity to review them to see if they are different than what I've seen already.

Thanks,
Chip

[Urchin_Diver]

be at this one if im not working

[zenspearo]

I propose we meet at this place for dinner

http://www.ayarathaicuisine.com/

Ayara is located just a few minutes from LAX, which is right where the MLPA meeting is.

6245 West 87th Street
Westchester, California 90045

Telephone (310) 410-8848
Fax (310) 410-8849

Open from 10 am to 10 pm daily.

Menu is here...looks like sub-$10 will get you entre.

http://www.ayarathaicuisine.com/menu/

Kelsea: If you ride up with Paul and need a ride back, I can give you a ride back from the meeting if you want to stay for dinner. Same offer for anyone on the way. I guess I'm further south so I can drop many of you guys off.

[CaptainLeo]

I will be at this one with 2 other spearos from the area down here. Will try to make it to dinner as well.

[Seacidal]

That's a great little restaurant, Joe. Good pick. My old stomping grounds.

Is there a list of specific issues and positions to present to the SAT?

If time doesn't permit being at the meeting, I'll catch it via the webinar.

Given the location, it should be a great opportunity (one of many to come) for the L.A. area dive clubs and non-club divers, to show up and at least make their presence known.

[Logan]

I'm one of the two hitching a ride with Leo, so I'll be there. Has there been any further discussion of an organized presentation? As far as I can tell, the only point we're really trying to hammer here is the LOP spearo exception issue. Since I'm sure one of the more experienced people attending will cover this issue, what else should we focus on? Are we going to have ten people make the same argument? If not, what are the other talking points?

I'm happy to show up for support and sign-up for time and cede this time to someone else if that is what is needed. I'm also willing to simply stand there and state that I enjoy spearfishing and would like to continue to engage in this activity. If there is something else I can do to be more helpful please let me know.

Logan

[zenspearo]

I'm one of the two hitching a ride with Leo, so I'll be there. Has there been any further discussion of an organized presentation? As far as I can tell, the only point we're really trying to hammer here is the LOP spearo exception issue. Since I'm sure one of the more experienced people attending will cover this issue, what else should we focus on? Are we going to have ten people make the same argument? If not, what are the other talking points?

I'm happy to show up for support and sign-up for time and cede this time to someone else if that is what is needed. I'm also willing to simply stand there and state that I enjoy spearfishing and would like to continue to engage in this activity. If there is something else I can do to be more helpful please let me know.

Logan

No worries.

We are putting additional talking point up but there will also be opportunities to counter points brought up by the SAT during the presentation.

Here's how it goes.

Topic #1: MPA Design Guidelines and Evaluation Methods for the MLPA South Coast Study Region

MLPA scientists will talk about their findings and recommendations for 30 minutes or so. There will be things brought up that we need to counter. Bring a notebook and others will do the same. We'll pass onto you points that we think you can help by speaking up on when public comments are allowed.

Topic #2: Habitat Replication

The process repeats.

The important thing here to note: None of us were experts at spotting issues and speaking. We started by going to the first meeting, listen, take note, say WTFs, get pissed, and speak up. That's the way it starts for everyone so show up--you will be of great help.

[Logan]

One more thing...does anyone have any more info on the research conducted by the military on the health of various marine ecosystems? In particular I'm interested in comments (I think made by Paul?) that the people involved in the MPA process aren't using some scientific research conducted about the health of the coastline along camp pendleton or SCI.

I'm not sure whether the meeting on Tuesday is the correct venue or not (this may be more important later when discussing actual MPA maps), but it seems to me the best arguments we have against the MPA process are:

1) some credible scientific research stating the current health of the coastline when there are NO MPAs. I believe the MPA process stipulates that any decisions be based on the best available scientific knowledge...you can't just pick and choose the facts you want.

2) the existence of the federally protected areas at the channel islands. Not counting these areas on the grounds that they are not state regulated is ridiculous. In fact, maybe we should simply suggest they make all of the federal reserve areas into official state MPAs and we just call it a day.

Anyway, any info on the military studies is appreciated.

Logan

[zenspearo]

Logan: See Talking Point #2. It's up as a sticky.

[BillH]

I cannot make it but I pray that you guys get the point across. IF we succeed in at least being put on common ground with other types of fishing I propose ALL of us get together and celebrate with a thank you party for all the people who helped.