Author of Plan to Ban Gill Nets Decries the Waste They Create

As author and proponent of the Marine Resources Protection Act of 1990 initiative to ban gill nets along the California coast, I want to correct the record concerning the May 13 letter from Steven Burklund, a commercial gill net fisherman (“Moves Against Use of Gill Nets Is Overreaction”).

On May 7, the Committee to Ban Gill Nets, a coalition of environmental, conservation, sportfishing, diving and other organizations, submitted almost 1 million signatures to qualify the initiative for the November ballot. Obviously, the public at large was not confused about the issue of gill nets and the havoc and destruction they cause in our ocean waters.

The initiative was taken to the people because the powerful commercial fishing lobby defeated less stringent legislative measures in Sacramento, refusing to compromise at every turn and betting we would never qualify the measure.

The initiative will ban gill nets within three miles of the California coast, locking in existing closures along the north and central coasts, and also protect the Channel Islands. We also provide compensation to gill net fishermen in order that they can convert to a less destructive gear type. The measure also will establish four ecological marine reserves for the further study and enhancement of our marine resource management. Simply put, we are fighting to save our resources from the indiscriminate waste associated with gill nets.

Mr. Burklund says that gill nets serve to “minimize the amount of unwanted catch” in describing the incidental take in gill nets. The U.S. Marine Mammal Commission has reported that 72% of species caught in near-shore gill nets is unmarketable, a terrible waste of fish and marine mammals, including several endangered, threatened or depleted species. This is not an acceptable rate of loss of life.

Gill netting is like fishing with dynamite. Further, fewer than 2% of all fish landed in California are caught within three miles by gill nets, so arguments that prices will skyrocket are unfounded and the type of “sky is falling” comments we are confident the voters will reject.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN DORIS ALLEN

Chairman, Committee

to Ban Gill Nets