Point Dume will be closed for fishing and possibly all other beach activities due to the passage of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) that is wrongfully supported. The Malibu community and those who are effected most oppose this new act but it has regretfully been forced through by disconnected environmentalists backed by big money. The act was signed into law by Gray Davis in 1999 but failed in 2004 after stalling twice due to lack of funding. In late 2004 the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation stepped in to establish a public-private partnership. Essentially they would fund the employees and scientists. The law requires a redesign of California’s marine reserves (no-fishing zones) determined by scientists stakeholders and the public in order to set aside areas of biodiversity in the hope of protecting natural habitat and fish populations.
Despite the fishing community’s concerns the government and environmental groups are ignoring legitimate issues. This act attacks fishing but disregards other potentially damaging factors like pollution and boat-anchoring. Sophomore Jordan Slay a Pepperdine student and spearfisherman said that closing Point Dume “would lead to more fishing pressure in other areas leading to more closures.”
The areas that would remain open could have dangerous implications for boat traffic. The law could potentially outlaw recreational activities: “While to the extent feasible the area shall be open to the public for managed enjoyment and study the area shall be maintained to the extent practicable in an undisturbed and unpolluted state. Therefore access and use (such as walking swimming boating and diving) may be restricted to protect marine resources.”
The most pressing issue with this process is funding. The state is broke and the Department of Fish and Game was recently subject to massive pay cuts and layoffs. The cost estimate for effective enforcement is between $30 million and $40 million per year and California is in no position to fund this. The Fish and Game wardens in charge of enforcement have written letters of protest because they know they can’t effectively police new reserves with their limited funding and personnel. These are some of the issues that have led the fishing community to oppose the MLPA process.
The Fish and Game Commission voted Dec. 15 3-2 in favor of adopting a map of closures based on the advice of the science team the Blue Ribbon task force and public input. Newly appointed Commissioner Jack Baylis cast the deciding vote. The approved map includes a zone from Paradise Cove Pier to the start of Zuma Beach that does not allow fishing or take of any kind. The area at Point Dume is critical for the Malibu fishing community which consists of local families subsistence fishers and a number of Pepperdine students including myself.
We brave sometimes dangerous ocean conditions to go fishing. We also spearfish and dive for lobster. Our love for fishing relies heavily on the need for safe places to fish and Point Dume is at the top of that list. The high cliffs and shape of coastline create a unique sanctuary that is largely protected from dangerous winds swells and currents. Point Dume is also a biological hot spot with diverse reefs providing homes for an abundance of fish and lobster. The MLPA claims that “the ocean is in crisis” while the divers and fishermen that have fished this area for years know that it is nowhere near crisis mode. The ocean is healthy; fish and invertebrate populations are stable due to the state management programs that are already in place. White seabass and halibut fishing in the area are at a decade peak. These new reserves will create more problems and potentially lead to the demise of the surrounding areas.
There are a number of Pepperdine students who rely on fish and lobster for sustenance including myself. We take a small amount of fish and lobster each year to feed ourselves a free source of delicious protein to supplement our college diet. We don’t support unregulated commercial fisheries overseas and we harvest our own seafood sustainably. With the closure of Point Dume in the next few months we will lose our fishing access to one of the best areas in Southern California. All that will be left to the Malibu community are the memories of Point Dume as a fishing haven. We will tell our kids about how great the fishing was at Point Dume knowing that they will never be able to experience it like we were blessed to do.