[MLPA Initiative] Chair Don Benninghoven statement

[Tara]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 14, 2009
CONTACT: Melissa Miller-Henson
530.400.2545
Ken Wiseman
916.533.6971


Chair Don Benninghoven Issues Statement on Progress in

Implementing the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative

Today MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force Chair Don Benninghoven issued the following statement on the progress being made to implement the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative in California:

"Recently the MLPA Initiative has experienced strong criticism, which is to be expected when engaged in a significant, cutting-edge effort to provide for a more balanced use of our ocean. We are confident in our mission to hear and consider all perspectives as we move forward in southern California that we can balance efforts to provide maximum ocean protection while limiting short-term economic impacts.
“A collaboration of public and private partners is supporting a dedicated team of over 80 stakeholders, scientists and community partners to develop and release to the public in the next few weeks the first set of draft marine protected area proposals for the study region. The draft proposals identify different ways the state can reconfigure its marine protected areas to help ensure the state’s marine ecosystem has greater protection.
“Stakeholders are making tremendous strides in their efforts to maximize habitat protection while minimizing, to the extent possible, economic impacts. I applaud their efforts working as a team to consider multiple viewpoints on how best to redesign MPAs in California waters; in doing so they are also using the best readily available data that is displayed in a GIS-based system on the Internet that is available to everyone, including the public.

"This is an unparalleled effort to gather the best readily available science and data related to ocean ecosystems and marine protected areas and to apply it in the real world. With an ongoing public-private partnership providing a solid foundation of over $8 million in private funds for completing the redesign process along the coast and to begin planning in San Francisco Bay, we fully expect to complete our task in late 2010 as planned.

“In January of this year Secretary Mike Chrisman reiterated the Schwarzenegger Administration’s tireless commitment to completing this planning process and for ensuring adequate funding for implementation. He also emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships, such as the MLPA Initiative, in making long-term management most effective, whether for enforcement, outreach, education or on-site management.

“Similar criticisms about the MLPA Initiative were made during the north central coast process in 2007 and, yet, in 2008 the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force forwarded to the commission four marine protected area proposals, including an integrated preferred alternative that was developed based upon the extensive work of 45 stakeholders representing a variety of interests during a 15-month redesign process. The integrated preferred alternative received support from a diversity of interests, from fishermen and divers to conservationists and the general public.
"Everyone agrees that healthy oceans are good for the economy. We are all stewards looking for a balanced use and protection of California’s marine resource for current and future generations. Next month we begin work in the north coast study region and expect to engage with another exceptional group of stakeholders and community partners to help California achieve this goal.”

[headshot]

This is an effort to smooth over the scathing criticism form Fishermen and diver for miss-representing implementation costs, water qualtiy,......

They want us to drink the cool aid and jump of a cliff.

The MLPA albatross need to hang on Ken Weisman's and Julie Packards neck till it rots off.

[Tara]

"The integrated preferred alternative received support from a diversity of interests, from fishermen and divers to conservationists and the general public."

An integrated effort is only such if everyone is given the requested data/time needed to draw maps, to have more survey/scientific data to draw from, given more time to review the data, and coordinating between groups effectively and not withholding information until after or right before meetings.

[Bug N' Surf]

1)
"Recently the MLPA Initiative has experienced strong criticism, which is to be expected when engaged in a significant, cutting-edge effort to provide for a more balanced use of our ocean. We are confident in our mission to hear and consider all perspectives as we move forward in southern California that we can balance efforts to provide maximum ocean protection while limiting short-term economic impacts.

2)
in doing so they are also using the best readily available data that is displayed in a GIS-based system on the Internet that is available to everyone, including the public.
we fully expect to complete our task in late 2010 as planned.

3)
Everyone agrees that healthy oceans are good for the economy. We are all stewards looking for a balanced use and protection of California’s marine resource for current and future generations.

4)
Next month we begin work in the north coast study region and expect to engage with another exceptional group of stakeholders and community partners to help California achieve this goal.”

1 - A more balanced use of our ocean? Wow, I didn't know it was unbalanced. Apparently those of us who actually go and use the ocean are doing so too much. I didn't realize I was supposed to "just take pictures and leave footprints" instead of interact and possibly get a meal out of it.
Oh and don't miss the as we move forward - because no matter how big the holes are shown to be in this process they will trudge on and continue to shove this down your throat.
And for all of you that haven't been able to make it to one of these horrifying MLPA meetings - limiting short-term economic impact means we only take into consideration the immediate losses at the dock and go no farther. They understand how huge and devastating this can and will be and so they will narrow their scope as much as possible so they can feel good and show that it really isn't that bad.

2 - Best readily available data - means The best data models that we made up with little data and a lot of extrapolation.
Also where can I find this data displayed in the GIS-based system. I'd like to look at what they are looking at.

3 - The F&G can't even give us a straight answer on how well we are regulating our fishing industry now. So how balanced and protected can we make it?

4 - Watch out NorCal peeps, they are going to start ramming this down your throats. I only hope there are some peeps up there that are like down here and will be the squeaky wheels demanding attention. And believe us when we tell you that they are real good at looking at you while letting what you are saying go in one ear and right out the other.

Mike

[spearthebigones]

“Similar criticisms about the MLPA Initiative were made during the north central coast process in 2007 and, yet, in 2008 the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force forwarded to the commission four marine protected area proposals..."

That's the key sentence in the whole response. But after reading the whole article it's like they're conveying, "We hear your criticism. That didn't stop us in the past and it won't stop us now.. So get ready because we are going to continue to move forward and do as we please."

Also notice how Don Benninghoven didn't even mention what the criticism is? It's like he doesn't even want to legitimize the real concerns of the public by providing a response to the issues. Instead it's a let's pump up the MLPA process some more letter.




.

[spearthebigones]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:May 14, 2009
CONTACT: Melissa Miller-Henson
530.400.2545
Ken Wiseman
916.533.6971


Chair Don Benninghoven Issues Statement on Progress in

Implementing the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative

Today MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force Chair Don Benninghoven issued the following statement on the progress being made to implement the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative in California:

"Recently the MLPA Initiative has experienced strong criticism, which is to be expected when engaged in a significant, cutting-edge effort to provide for a more balanced use of our ocean. We are confident in our mission to hear and consider all perspectives as we move forward in southern California that we can balance efforts to provide maximum ocean protection while limiting short-term economic impacts.
“A collaboration of public and private partners is supporting a dedicated team of over 80 stakeholders, scientists and community partners to develop and release to the public in the next few weeks the first set of draft marine protected area proposals for the study region. The draft proposals identify different ways the state can reconfigure its marine protected areas to help ensure the state’s marine ecosystem has greater protection.
“Stakeholders are making tremendous strides in their efforts to maximize habitat protection while minimizing, to the extent possible, economic impacts. I applaud their efforts working as a team to consider multiple viewpoints on how best to redesign MPAs in California waters; in doing so they are also using the best readily available data that is displayed in a GIS-based system on the Internet that is available to everyone, including the public.

"This is an unparalleled effort to gather the best readily available science and data related to ocean ecosystems and marine protected areas and to apply it in the real world. With an ongoing public-private partnership providing a solid foundation of over $8 million in private funds for completing the redesign process along the coast and to begin planning in San Francisco Bay, we fully expect to complete our task in late 2010 as planned.

“In January of this year Secretary Mike Chrisman reiterated the Schwarzenegger Administration’s tireless commitment to completing this planning process and for ensuring adequate funding for implementation. He also emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships, such as the MLPA Initiative, in making long-term management most effective, whether for enforcement, outreach, education or on-site management.

“Similar criticisms about the MLPA Initiative were made during the north central coast process in 2007 and, yet, in 2008 the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force forwarded to the commission four marine protected area proposals, including an integrated preferred alternative that was developed based upon the extensive work of 45 stakeholders representing a variety of interests during a 15-month redesign process. The integrated preferred alternative received support from a diversity of interests, from fishermen and divers to conservationists and the general public.
"Everyone agrees that healthy oceans are good for the economy. We are all stewards looking for a balanced use and protection of California’s marine resource for current and future generations. Next month we begin work in the north coast study region and expect to engage with another exceptional group of stakeholders and community partners to help California achieve this goal.”

So basically this letter is a flowery public relations message that says the MLPA process is just a wonderful, "cutting-edge", collaborative process that will continue on track, because heck the process ignored the concerns of the public before in the Central Coast study region and look at all the wonderful closures the MLPA process created. And since a few different groups agreed on a proposal that was less devastating than the rest then MLPA process then clearly the process is working flawlessly. Let's all hug each other because we helped make "healthy oceans", created "a more balanced use of our ocean", and worded this piece of crap letter in a way that makes it look like there's not a problem in the world with the MLPA Process.



~

[Seacidal]

...
2 - Best readily available data - means The best data models that we made up with little data and a lot of extrapolation.
Also where can I find this data displayed in the GIS-based system. I'd like to look at what they are looking at.
...

Mike,
I want to add this information to the discussion. There's so much information that is being evaluated by the SAT, it's difficult for the public to get a handle on all of it.

You can find the GIS data on the MarineMap website.
http://marinemap.org/mlpa/
The direct link to the GIS data directory is:
http://marinemap.org/mlpa/database/
These compressed zip files are very large (1.2 & 2.9 GB). But the data is there and it is available to the public.

There are a number of additional GIS data sets that might be of use to our stakeholder group, but the divers I've talked with about it have not been interested.

This MPA process depends very strongly on scientific data. Emotional arguments often don't carry as much weight as a well-written statement, logically establishing your position, and providing ample citations to authoritative references. But that is a lot of work and not everybody is equipped to pull it off.

Either way, I hope this information is helpful.

Chip

[spearthebigones]

Mike,
I want to add this information to the discussion. There's so much information that is being evaluated by the SAT, it's difficult for the public to get a handle on all of it.

You can find the GIS data on the MarineMap website.http://marinemap.org/mlpa/
The direct link to the GIS data directory is:http://marinemap.org/mlpa/database/
These compressed zip files are very large (1.2 & 2.9 GB). But the data is there and it is available to the public.

There are a number of additional GIS data sets that might be of use to our stakeholder group, but the divers I've talked with about it have not been interested.

This MPA process depends very strongly on scientific data. Emotional arguments often don't carry as much weight as a well-written statement, logically establishing your position, and providing ample citations to authoritative references. But that is a lot of work and not everybody is equipped to pull it off.

Either way, I hope this information is helpful.

Chip


Sometimes I wish I was a scientist... so I'm downloading the smaller of the two files. Before I open it and see what it says. Any thoughts on how I should look through this data? Any ideas or suggestions welcome~