Coastal Reserve Sites Won’t Affect Fishing

California’s sportfishing industry seems to have won a battle in its ongoing struggle for survival. Although a federal judge earlier this year invalidated Proposition 132’s ban of gill nets beyond the state’s three-mile jurisdiction, the measure also mandated establishing four coastal ecological reserves where not even recreational fishing would be allowed.

After much shuffling and politicking, the California Department of Fish and Game has settled on the four sites it will recommend to the Fish and Game Commission. The farthest south is Point Mugu and none would seriously affect current sportfishing operations. Bob Fletcher, president of the Sportfishing Assn. of California, would settle for that.

“Absolutely,” Fletcher said. “Point Mugu is not an area that the Oxnard and Ventura fleets fish that much, and the Deep Hole is just below it, so they’ll still be able to get in there.”

The reserves must be a minimum of two square surface miles. The DFG proposes the Mugu site to run two miles along the shore and a mile out to sea.

The other sites proposed by the DFG are Punta Gorda, between Bodega Bay and Point Arena; Point Arguello near Vandenberg Air Force Base, and Big Creek, south of Monterey.

Earlier possibilities included Dana Point and the Redondo Canyon, so for the sportfishers it could have been worse. The commission will start hearing public opinion on the proposals at its Aug. 27 meeting in Sacramento.

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The DFG lost a $525,000 share of the general fund in the new state budget, and the Wildlife Protection Division will take $419,000 worth of the hit.

Yet, Greg Laret, acting chief of the division, figures his troops--the game wardens--will cope. None will be laid off, although a few may be transferred as a result of losing three of the nine marine patrol vessels.

Southern California will lose use of the 110-foot Hammerhead at Seal Beach and the 40-foot Marlin at Long Beach. The Hammerhead will be mothballed but replaced by one of San Francisco’s two vessels, the 65-foot Albacore, while the DFG is trying to swap the Marlin for two smaller rigid-hull inflatable boats.

Also, Laret has asked for more air time from the DFG’s air force to scout potential trouble spots, to which a boat could be dispatched, if necessary.

“It’s going to hurt,” Laret said, “but we’re doing our best to cover.”

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Randy Vogel, an Orange County lawyer and rock climber who is acting on behalf of the climbers’ Access Fund, says he will “criminally challenge” the new ban on placing protective bolts in wilderness areas of Joshua Tree National Monument.

Vogel said he will announce the date and place when someone will attempt to place a bolt.

“We’re going to have somebody cited,” Vogel said, hoping to bring public weight to bear against the rule.

Park Superintendent David Moore said, “We have good rangers. Our best climber, (ranger) Todd Swain, is also our criminal investigator and a good friend of Randy Vogel’s. I’ll try to arrange it so that he issues the citation.”

Briefly

SALTWATER FISHING--The Reel Special out of Long Beach Sportfishing found a kelp paddy alive with dorado of 6-10 pounds outside Santa Catalina Island Monday. For 3 1/2 hours, nine anglers caught 90 dorado until the bait ran out.

MEXICAN FISHING--Cabo San Lucas: Striped marlin dropped off but blue marlin picked up, topped by a 616-pound catch, and a 286-pound black marlin. Blues and sailfish averaging about 10 each per day. San Jose del Cabo: Early morning good for dorado and yellowfin tuna. Doug Herring, Laguna Niguel, scored 37 dorado and eight yellowfin with Captain Hugo, releasing most. East Cape: Dorado thick. Dennis Lady and 20 friends at Palmas de Cortez landed 148 in three days, the largest 44 pounds, plus four blue and three striped marlin. In three days at Punta Colorada, Randy Lambert and 13 friends took 115 dorado to 45 pounds, and Lambert got a 373-pound blue marlin. Dennis Noble, San Antonio, fishing out of Hotel Buena Vista, took a 525-pound blue marlin. Dorado and sailfish also good. Loreto: Boats limiting on easy catches of dorado at 35-45 pounds.

HUNTING--The Inland Empire Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will meet Thursday night, 7:30, at the Sizzler, Hamner and 2nd St., in Norco to discuss the new Heritage Game Stamp program.

CAMPING--Doug Bombard Enterprises has taken over the Little Harbor and Blackjack campgrounds on Santa Catalina Island from the L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation. Bombard already operated campgrounds at Parson’s Landing and Two Harbors. Reservations, travel arrangements and information on renting camping gear: (310) 510-2800.