Kayak Fishing Association of California

* VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE ECOTRUST SOUTH COAST MLPA SURVEY *

WANTED – Salt-stained kayak anglers, the core of the hardcore, who want to stake a claim to their kayak fishing spots in the upcoming MLPA reserve process. Stand up and be counted; sign up for the Ecotrust MLPA socio-economic survey. www.ecotrust.org/mlpa/interview_signup

WHEN: ASAP, 100+ core experienced kayak anglers.

WHY: To demonstrate our key use spots. List it or lose it! Don’t hold anything back, because the resulting data will be used to demonstrate where reserves can go while minimizing impacts on current user groups (that’s us).

OH YEAH? WHY SHOULD I TRUST THEM?: For argument’s sake, let’s say none of the survey participants listed La Jolla or Pt Dume or Dana Pt. Pro-closure forces can party down, because they’ll say “Look, we can close these areas and it won’t hurt the fishing community.”

WHO AGAIN?: The gnarliest, most experienced kayak anglers around, people who’ve been there and done that.

WHAT SHOULD SURVEY VOLUNTEERS EXPECT?: Survey volunteers MUST sign-up at www.ecotrust.org/mlpa/interview_signup . Some time later, Ecotrust will contact those people selected for the survey via email or telephone and provide a link to an online survey. That will consist of a series of questions and a exercise in spending 100 pennies at your key spots. They can go anywhere, including in closed areas or Federal waters (putting them in a closure area indicates you’ve already paid a price, so it’s not a waste).

NOTE – bays and harbors do not meet the MLPA’s scientific standards for a network of reserves, so they are at significantly reduced risk of large closures. If you fish bays, sure, spend some of your pennies there, but please spread the bulk of them on the ocean.

WHAT WAS THAT SIGN-UP AGAIN?: www.ecotrust.org/mlpa/interview_signup Go there now!

HEY, WHAT IS THIS MLPA THING? I’VE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK: The Marine Life Protection Act is a state law mandating creation of a network of marine reserves aka closures. There’s no fighting it – this thing is the law of the land and has the full backing of the governor and legislature. SoCal is up next, beginning right now. We can expect to lose from 10 to 20 percent of our total state waters. WHICH water is a key question, and why we are engaged in the process. Like your launch site? Participate in the process – Go to Meetings – Help the KFACA with the Coming Mountain of Documents – and soon Give Cash to fund KFACA MLPA Efforts.

I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS: Call Kayak Fishing Association of California director Paul Lebowitz at 858-254-3600 any time between 7 am and 10 pm. If I’m not fishing, I’ll answer or call you back soon.

Malibu Kayaks, OEX Kayak Centers Kick in an X-13 Fishing Kayak and More
Donations Fire up KFACA Fred Hall Show Benefit Raffle

The Kayak Fishing Association of California raffled off a brand spanking new Malibu X-13 fishing kayak at the Fred Hall Shows. For two weeks, the only places to see the intriguing new design were the OEX and KFACA booths at the west coast’s two big fishing extravaganzas.

“The KFACA had an X-13 to raffle off before the boats were available to the public. This exciting opportunity was thanks to Malibu Kayaks and OEX Kayak Centers, two companies which understand the challenge the MLPA poses to kayak anglers. They stepped up big time to show their support of our work,” association director Paul Lebowitz explained.

OEX salted the raffle with daily prizes, but there was no secret what the ticket buyers wanted. When the grand prize ticket was drawn on the final day of the Del Mar show, Eddie Sison got a sweet new ride – but kayak anglers all across California were the big winners. The money raised will fund the KFACA’s critical MLPA programs.

The KFACA Fred Hall Show booths were staffed by an army of kayak anglers dedicated to preserve kayak fishing access. Thanks for your help – we’re all in this together.

Plastic Navy and Friends Raise $400 for KFACA MLPA Funds

Plastic Navy loves little more than getting together with a few dozen buddies for a friendly, catch & release fish-off. During their latest Money Between Friends jackpot at San Diego’s beautiful Mission Bay, they put the fun and games on pause for a moment to address the serious issue of the Marine Life Protection Act. The MLPA, a state law requiring establishment of a network of marine protected areas along the California coast, will soon be on the way to Southern California.

“The MLPA affects all of us. It’s coming to our launch sites, places like La Jolla and even the bays. No other group is as vulnerable to closures,” Plastic Navy tournament director Drew Clark said to the crowd. “We’re donating $5 from every entry and matching it to raise funds for the Kayak Fishing Association of California.”
In all, Plastic Navy and friends raised $400 for the KFACA, essential funds that will help the association carry out its mission to preserve and expand kayak fishing access.

“We must make sure kayak anglers have a voice in the process,” KFACA director Paul Lebowitz replied. “Thank-you very much for your generosity. We’ll be calling on you again, for letters and phone calls supporting kayak angler representation in the coming MLPA stakeholder process.” For more on Plastic Navy, visit www.KayakFishNation.com .

The MLPA's traveling roadshow is coming to town next week for a set of informational sessions. These are intended to be easy to attend. Breeze on by any time between 5:30 and 8:30. Stop on by and show the kayak fishing flag. Let them know we deserve a place at the table, just like the sportboat riders and shore stalkers.

-Santa Barbara on Monday, June 23, 2008: Louise Lowry Davis Recreation Center, 1232 De La Vina St., 805-897-2568
-Oxnard on Tuesday, June 24, 2008: South Oxnard Center, 200 E. Bard Road (next to the Library), 805-385-8362
-Santa Monica on Wednesday, June 25, 2008: Ken Edwards Center, 1527 Fourth St., 310-458-8300.

Our collective goal is to keep kayak fishing awareness at a high level among MLPA staff, ensuring we get a seat at the stakeholder’s table. It’s critical if we are to have any say in the upcoming closure talks. We’ve done excellent work to this point; let’s sustain the effort.

In case you are unsure of what to do at the workshops, here are a few suggestions.
If there’s a sign-in sheet, please be sure to use it and put kayak fishing in there wherever it seems most appropriate. Consider listing the Kayak Fishing Association of California if there’s space for an affiliation or organization.
Please be especially courteous and positive as you educate the MLPA staffers on the importance of kayak fishing in Southern California. They don’t decide what gets closed, but they do influence who gets to participate in the process. Lobby them for a spot on the Regional Stakeholder’s Group. Please don’t devote much time to arguing to keep this or that particular spot open – it’s not up to them. Focus more on the generalities. Now, questions concerning HOW the MLPA works, those are a different story. Fire away.

Here are some “Talking Points” to start with. If you think of others, please share them with the group.

CONSERVATION: Kayak fishing is low-impact fishing. We care about the health of the resource. We’re right there at water level; muscles are our motors. A high proportion of us are careful catch and release anglers. Keeping us on kayaks is good for the resource, just as it is healthy outdoor exercise for us.
SAFETY: Kayak anglers are limited to where we can get on the water safely. We require friendly surf, current, wind, swell, etc. Good launch sites are in short supply. We have limited range. Closing popular launch sites may cause kayak anglers to range farther afield, increasing exposure to hazards. Poorly sited MPAs may indirectly cause injury by forcing kayak anglers into less than ideal launch sites.
CULTURAL: Southern California is the birthplace of modern kayak fishing, the epicenter of the sport. The roots grow deep at Malibu, Dana Pt, La Jolla (Santa Barbara?). There’s history here, going back into the 1980s at a minimum.
NUMBERS: There are a heck of a lot of us, and our ranks are still growing fast. We’re part of the recreational fishing mainstream – but unique. We need our own representation on the Regional Stakeholder’s Group – other recreational sectors don’t understand the factors that limit our ocean access. Because we are no longer a tiny fringe element, there will be real economic impact if we are knocked from the water.
WORK: We’re committed to participating in the public process. Reminder – the MLPA staff are true believers in what they are doing. Please don’t needlessly insult them or the process, but do speak your mind and express your concerns in a positive, problem-solving light. Give them credit for their public accessibility – they are making it easy for the public to communicate with them.
These are just starting points. Be confident and friendly – if your passion for the sport comes through, you’ve done terrific work.
San Diego and Orange County come up in early July. Some locations may have changed. Here they are:

-Huntington Beach on Tuesday, July 8, 2008: Huntington Beach Harbor View Club House, 16600 Saybrook Lane, 714-536-5486
-Carlsbad on Wednesday, July 9: Hilton Garden Inn, 6450 Carlsbad Boulevard, 760-476-0800
-San Diego on Thursday, July 10: Holiday Inn Express Old Town, 3900 Old Town Avenue, 619-299-7400.

Featured Articles