Speak Up for California’s MPA Future
Photo by @cherylvb via Adobe Stock
As responsible anglers and spearfishers, taking from the ocean means we must also be willing to give back to the places that sustain us.
On October 14-16, the California Fish and Game Commission will decide which proposed changes to the MPA Network move forward, with the potential to either strengthen our ocean protections and safeguard our future, or weaken protections and threaten everyone’s access to a healthier ocean. These decisions will close out a multi-year review and shape how our coast is protected for years to come.
Over the past three years, we have shown up at hearings, pushed for more equitable participation, and challenged recommendations rooted in selective interpretations of science. Through it all, we have fought for an MPA Network built for the realities of today’s ocean and the people connected to it, in order to not repeat the mistakes of the past.
The original MPA process included fishing stakeholders, but many fishing perspectives didn’t have a seat at the table. Subsistence, pier and shore anglers were among the fishing voices left out, alongside Tribes and other marginalized communities. We cannot let those injustices carry into this decision.
Now is the time to make sure the Commission hears from us before they decide what comes next. We know these waters, we’ve witnessed the threats and their impacts, we know what is at stake, and we can speak up for a stronger MPA network that protects our coast and the communities connected to it so we can fish on.
