New fishing reg could sink dory fleet

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- A federal ban on catching rockfish off much of the

Pacific Coast is threatening to end the century-old tradition of the dory

fishermen and could also limit other ocean-based businesses.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council on Friday called for the

in-season ban, which took effect Monday, on catching rockfish in waters

120 feet or deeper. Rockfish species include black cod, various types of

rock cod, black gill rockfish, thorny heads, which are called Pacific red

snapper, sculpin and king fish -- the very species on which Newport’s

historic dory fleet depends.

The ban has been published in the Federal Register, the final

formality that put it into effect on Monday.

“It’s kind of brutal in my view,” fisherman Steve Escobar said.

Escobar catches crab, lobster and fish not affected by the ban, and

sells his catch at the Dory Fleet Market. But the ban, in effect, puts

that market out of business, which in turn essentially puts Escobar out

of business too.

Escobar identifies himself as the newest member of the Newport Beach

dory fishermen. For the last eight years, Escobar has been part of this

fleet of six families whose history as the dory fishermen extends back to

1891.

Setting out on their small dory boats by about 1 a.m. every morning,

the fishermen eke out a modest living but a good life selling the day’s

catch fresh at the market on the beach near the Newport Pier. The chance

to buy some of the freshest fish around, along with the Old World charm

of the Dory Fleet Market, has drawn locals and tourists alike for more

than 100 years.

“This looks really unfortunate,” Escobar said.

With such short notice that their livelihoods had been rendered

illegal, it was unclear Monday afternoon whether boats would go out

Tuesday, whether fishermen would call it quits or even whether they might

fight the rule.

The “in-season” ban is in effect until further notice. The fishery

council will meet in September to decide what to do in the long term. But

according to a council member, the future doesn’t look good for the dory

fishermen.

“It’s pretty iron clad,” fishery management council member L.B.

Boydstun said. “It applies to everybody.”

The ban is an emergency response to depleted stocks of bocaccio, a

species of rockfish thought to be so overfished that it could be nearly a

century before stocks recover.

Local fishermen say the all-out ban on catching rockfish is an overly

broad remedy for the narrower problem. Some also argue that the federal

authorities’ decision is based too heavily on data gathered from Oregon

and Northern California. They say that rockfish species, including

bocaccio, are far more plentiful in the warmer waters of Southern

California.

Unlike the commercial fishermen, local sportfishing businesses are not

devastated by the ban.

Recreational fishermen are allowed to catch bass. This means

sportfishing boat businesses such as Davey’s Locker in Newport Beach

won’t be devastated by the ban, but they will feel the sting.

“In the summer, it won’t affect us too much,” said Don Brockman,

co-owner of Davey’s Locker. “We don’t fish rockfish like we used to

because the water has been warmer. . . . But in winter, it’s definitely

going to be detrimental to the crew.”

Brockman said his company is working with the Sport Fishing Assn. of

California and with United Anglers in hopes of convincing federal

officials to not impose further restrictions.

But for the dory fishermen, the current restrictions are enough to

deal a fatal blow.

“It’s a sad thing to see the end of such a long tradition,” said Kevin

Gauger, a Newport Beach resident and longtime admirer of the dory

tradition. “I would have loved for this to be around for my 4-year-old

son as he’s growing up.”

FYI

For more information on the federal ban on rockfish, visit the Pacific

Fishery Management Council’s Web site at www.pcouncil.org or call (866)

806-7204.