38 • March 11 - 24, 2016 • The Log


Blue Ribbon Panel calls for annual $1.3 billion investment for conservation


Recommendation would help fund state-based conservation programs for endangered species.


By Parimal M. Rohit


WASHINGTON, D.C. — A national panel of business, conservation and energy leaders recommended $1.3 bil- lion sourced from federal lands rev- enue be invested in state programs aimed at conserving thousands of species of fish and wildlife, according to an announcement by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) on March 2. The Blue Ribbon Panel on


Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources urged federal offi- cials to redistribute $1.3 billion of rev- enues derived from energy and miner- al development on U.S.-owned land to state-level fish and wildlife agencies, allowing them to pay for conservation programs. “An annual investment of $1.3 bil-


lion from these development revenues into the currently unfunded Wildlife Conservation Restoration Program would allow state fish and wildlife agencies to proactively manage these species reducing taxpayer costs and the regulatory red tape that comes when species are listed under the fed- eral Endangered Species Act. The num- ber of species petitioned for listing under the Act has increased by 1,000 percent in less than a decade,” AFWA staff said in a statement about the blue panel’s recommendation.


Ramping up federal funding of state


conservation programs would prevent agencies such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife falling behind in efforts to protect classes of endangered species, according to AFWA and the blue ribbon panel. “Traditionally, agencies have been


funded by sportsmen through license fees and excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment and motorboat fuels – most agencies receive very lim- ited funding through general taxpayer dollars,” the AFWA statement said. “Agencies have not been able to keep pace with the growing challenge as habitat is lost and species decline and hunter and angler participation has declined.” At least 12,000 species were identi-


fied by state wildlife action plans as being at risk of endangered, according to AFWA. The association added being proactive about conservation during the early stages of the endangered species process could help save tax- payer dollars down the line. “Proactive conservation saves tax-


payer dollars by addressing species needs early so that costly ‘emergency room’ interventions are avoided. Preventing threatened and endangered species listings helps business by averting project delays and losses from forfeited opportunities due to land use regulations,” AFWA staff stated. “Investing in conservation is vital to sustaining our natural infrastructure that supports numerous indispensable benefits such as pollination, water purification, erosion control, flood control, recreation, food production


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The Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish want $1.3 billion of revenue derived from federal lands to be redistributed and invested into state programs on fishing conservation.


and cultural amenities. One of the blue ribbon panelists echoed similar sentiments. “A lot is at stake if we don’t act


soon,” said former Wyoming governor and Blue Ribbon Panel co-chair David Freudenthal. “For every species that is thriving in our country hundreds of species are in decline. These recom- mendations offer a new funding approach that will help ensure all fish and wildlife are conserved for future generations. We need to start down a new path where we invest proactively in conservation rather than reactively.” The Blue Ribbon Panel, which was assembled in 2014, made its annual funding recommendation based upon more than $10 billion in revenues each year from energy and mineral develop- ment on federal lands and waters.


“Conservation means balancing the sustainability of fish and wildlife resources with the many needs of humans for clean air and water, land, food and fiber, dependable energy, economic development, and recre- ation,” said Bass Pro Shops founder and conservationist John Morris. “It is our responsibility to lead the way so our state fish and wildlife agencies have the resources they need to con- serve species and manage our natural resources.” Representatives from state fish and wildlife agencies, sportsmen’s groups, conservation organizations, outdoor recreation retailers and manufacturers, energy and automotive industries, and educational institutions joined private landowners in making up the 28-mem- ber panel.


SoCal and Baja’s #1 Source for Fresh and Saltwater Fishing


SALTWATER


OCEAN FISHING REPORT By Terrence Berg 976-TUNA.com


ROCKFISH SEASON REOPENS: Rockfish season reopened March 1 and landings were busy from San Diego to Morro Bay as many half- and three-quarter day boats hit the water for the first time in two months. From Ventura to Morro Bay the action on rockfish was excellent with full limits reported on many boats. Channel Islands Sportfishing in Oxnard had 11 boats out for the opening day, and 265 anglers landed 2,623 rockfish (limits for 10 of the 11 boats), 537 whitefish, 114 lingcod, 47 sheephead, nine sculpin, seven sole, a bonito and a perch — along with two yellowtail and a thresher shark. Red snapper made up a portion of the catch at landings from Oxnard to Santa Barbara. Stardust out of Sea Landing was on a three-quarter day


trip with 35 anglers and red snapper totaled 98 of the 350 rockfish limit. They also had 12 ling cod. At Hook’s Sportfishing both three-quarter day boats had limits of rockfish, and Coroloma had 60 red snapper for its 31 anglers who all had 10-fish limits along with 18 whitefish, 12 sheephead and two sculpin. Farther south along the Los Angeles and


Orange counties coast line region the rockfish bite was nearly as good opening day (and since). In spite of the streaky yellowtail action in the Santa Monica Bay and at Catalina Island most of the boats targeting the yellows also took time to target the bottom fish. Pursuit out of 22nd Street Marina had 44 anglers on its three-quarter day trip and landed 15 yellowtail and 101 bonito, along with 132 bocaccio, 108 rockfish, 72 red snapper, 27 perch, 21 whitefish, 18 sheephead and 13 legal calicos. (The Pursuit’s top yellowtail count in the past week was 41 on Feb. 27.) The three-quarter day trip on Indian out of Redondo Sportfishing had 15 anglers at


Catalina who landed five yellowtail, limits of 150 rockfish, 30 whitefish, 12 perch, six sheephead and 18 undersize calicos (released). Enterprise out of Long Beach Marina had 25 anglers on its March 1 three-quarter day trip and landed full rockfish limits of red snapper at 250, along with 58 whitefish, 25 perch, 20 bonito, 14 sheephead and five sculpin. Out of Pierpoint Landing, the half-day Southern Cal had 23 anglers and land- ed 98 red snapper, 45 bocaccio, 29 rockfish, 12 whitefish, nine sheephead and seven sculpin. Meanwhile the three-quarter trip on Victory with 19 anglers produced 170 red snapper and 70 rockfish for full limits. Sport King, which has been focusing on Catalina Island yellowtail, was on a three-quarter day trip with 17 anglers and landed two yellowtail, 65 red snapper, 33 boni- to, 32 bocaccio, 22 whitefish, 21 perch, 14 legal calico bass and five sheephead.


CORONADO ISLANDS YELLOWTAIL: For much of the past two weeks the yellowtail action has


lulled at the Coronado Islands and most of the three-quarter day boats out of San Diego mak- ing this run were focusing on the good rockfish action in Mexican waters. But the bite appeared to be coming back on at mid-week. On March 1 Malihini out of H&M Landing was on a three- quarter day trip with 13 anglers who landed four yellowtail, two barracuda, 110 rockfish, 10 sheephead and one lingcod.


MEXICAN WATERS BLUEFIN, YELLOWTAIL, AND ROCKFISH: The weekend 1.5-day and two-day trips out of San Diego into Mexican waters for mixed yellowtail and rockfish action were busy. The big news was the first bluefin tuna of the year landed on one of these boats. Pacific Queen, out of Fisherman’s Landing, was on a 1.5-day trip this past weekend that returned Feb. 28. The 32 anglers on board had 109 yellowtail, 97 rockfish, one lingcod, and — the catch that made the most news — the first


See REPORT page 40


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