Fishing and Harbors in the Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

by Carol Georgi and Karl Kempton,
Former Energy Planner for San Luis Obispo County,
Lead Author of Proposed Central Coast National Marine Sanctuary, 1990
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The intent of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (CHNMS) is to work with the harbors and fishers to preserve their historical connections and economic productivity. Therefore, the CHNMS will not add additional regulations to either harbors or commercial and recreational fishing. The CHNMS proposal includes statements regarding the important issues of maintaining harbors and dredging, and commercial and recreational fishing.

Harbors and Dredging

The boundaries of the CHNMS would not include harbors. The boundaries would end at the harbor mouth. The CHNMS proposes to insure the continued normal operation of both the Port San Luis Harbor  and the Morro Bay Harbor.

In fact, both of these harbors are special places of historical importance and essential economic activity for the coastal communities and the proposed CHNMS.

Dredging (the act of removing silt and other material from the bottom of bodies of water) is necessary for harbors to maintain channels for both commercial and recreational boat navigation. Therefore, the sanctuary regulation on seabed disturbance in the CHNMS would include an exemption for any harbor maintenance or repair.

According to the National Ocean Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), l “sedimentation --- the natural process of sand and silt washing downstream --- gradually fills channels and harbors. Dredging often is focused on maintaining or increasing the depth of navigation channels, anchorages, or berthing areas to ensure the safe passage of boats and ships.”

The second issue of dredging is where to put the dredge spoils. The National Ocean Service  states, “The disposal of dredged material is managed and carried out by federal, state, and local governments, as well as by private entities such as port authorities. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issues permits for the disposal of dredged material; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides oversight and authorization for the disposal of dredged materials.”

Many beaches are in need of sand nourishment and would welcome the dredged material as long as it meets the safety standards of the EPA as required by already existing EPA protocols.

Some dredge spoils are dangerous to place on public beaches. For example, sometimes the dredge spoils contain toxic chemicals, such as pesticide DDT, as a result of agriculture run off decades ago. Any toxic dredge spoils would need to be deposited in designated places away from public use.

Commercial and Recreational Fishing

The CHNMS nomination states that the designation document when drafted shall have no impact on treaty fishing rights, and these rights shall not be modified, altered, or in any way affected by the Sanctuary. Also, the designation document shall further stipulate that the Sanctuary shall impose no future regulations upon commercial or recreational fishing. The nominators will onlysupport designation of a Sanctuary that so stipulates.

Commercial and Recreational Fishery Map by Karl Kempton

For more information on the local Morro Bay fisheries in San Luis Obispo County, please read our April 2010 article in the SLO Coast Journal.

The National Marine Sanctuary webpage for economic impacts of commercial fishing.
highlights the data from the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

The National Marine Sanctuary webpage for recreational fishing  gives an overview on the importance of recreational fishing within national marine sanctuaries and links to various websites with more information.

Conclusion

Harbors and commercial and recreational fishing are historically and economically important to the CHNMS. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states “Sanctuaries seek to preserve the extraordinary scenic beauty, biodiversity, historical connections and economic productivity of 14 of our most precious underwater treasures. By acting as responsible stewards of these special places, we strengthen our nation now and for future generations.”

Karl Kempton, Former Energy Planner for San Luis Obispo County, Lead Author of Proposed Central Coast National Marine Sanctuary, 1990 would like to stress that the CHNMS would not regulate fishing. This has always been the position since 1990 with the initial attempt for a National Marine Sanctuary protection for our nearshore and offshore marine habitat by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors.

The concept of non-regulation of fishing within a proposed National Marine Sanctuary area has never changed.

Another branch of NOAA, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is the federal regulator in charge of fishing. The NOAA Fisheries feature web page  explains how the federal living marine resources are managed, how the fisheries rules and regulations are made, and what marine resource laws apply to NOAA fisheries.