The Harbor Column -- Mike Whitehead

Ahoy.

The fishing industry is being blindsided this summer by the emergency

action on the Nearshore Fishery Management Plan (NFMP) that I have

written about three times in less than a year (The Harbor Column,

“Attacks leave marine industry up in the air,” Sept. 17, 2001; “Extra time to manage fish,” Jan. 21; and “Tallship Lynx docks at Newport Harbor

museum,” May 20) asking you to get involved in this plan. The last report

I received from the Fish and Game Department clearly stated that public

input in still being accepted and that the commission will adopt the plan

by the Marine Life Management Act in August. Yet here comes an emergency

act out of nowhere to enforce a no-fishing ban effectively immediately.

Something smells fishy any time there is an emergency act, especially

when the plan is being reviewed and is so close to a vote. The referenced

fish stock reports do not show a scientific study that demonstrates why

this ban is warranted south of Point Conception to our area, but most of

the methodology I read is based on speculation.

Once again I asked how many of you got involved by providing your

input to the commission, and now everyone’s up in arms, spurred on by

headlines of the likely demise of the Dory Fleet by this emergency act.

However, the effects will reach far greater into your fishing rights and

I can only guess what other ill-conceived acts are next.

Let’s not forget the MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) that Gov.

Davis extended as an additive into our gasoline even though new

refinements of gas meets or exceeds the air-quality standards. In this

issue, it is clearly proven that MTBE is contaminating our ground water

and that we do not need it in our fuels. The Environmental Protection

Agency’s reasoning is that there has to be an additive in gasoline

regardless of the actual engine’s emissions. This makes the cure worse

than the disease, and shows how practicality loses to politically correct

worded legislation. Who is against cleaner air yet missing the big

picture of severely contaminating our water as an end result? The marine

industry is responding with cleaner burning four-stroke engines that I am

in highly favor of; but marine engines contribute to very little of the

actual source.

It is important to follow either the money or the greasing of the

squeaky wheels that guide many of the decisions. Extreme

environmentalists have specific agendas and most of the times miss the

big picture. There has to be a balance and this is evident recently by

the horrendous forest fires fueled on by years of mismanagement due to

the environmental bans of scheduled burns and planned timbering. Instead

we are losing thousands of acres completely burned of all life by a

management plan that swung too far in one direction.

In the harbor, we have real concerns of eel grass preventing

maintenance dredging and an East Coast legislator who wants to allow

vessel waste holding tank dumping in our no-discharge zones. Common sense

is out and personal agendas are in, only to be persuaded by your action.

Boating and fishing are America’s No. 1 one pastimes and you need to be

vocal so that your concerns are heard to influence behavior, creating

positive-balanced actions by others.

Meet the Harbor Commission chair

Mark Silvey and myself as co-hosts are extending a personal invitation

to Newport’s marine businesses to attend the Newport Beach Chamber of

Commerce Marine Committee’s Network and Speaker Forum from 5 to 7 p.m.

Thursday at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. Here is an opportunity to

meet featured speaker Tim Collins, who has the honor of chairing Newport

Beach’s new Harbor Commission. Tim will explain how the commission will

help our harbor, discuss the top harbor issues, explain how the marine

industry can be active in helping guide the future of Newport Harbor, and

answer your questions. No more can you use the excuse, “I didn’t know.”

Please call the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce at (949) 729-4400 to

RSVP and for more information. Thanks to our sponsors, the event is free

and everyone will enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres, a no-host bar and

door prizes, including a chance to win a $100 West Marine gift

certificate.

Safe voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send him

your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions via e-mail

to o7 Mike@BoathouseTV.comf7 or o7 BoathouseTV.comf7 .