The Crescent City Harbor District Board of Commissioners (CCHD) voted to send a letter to the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other relevant agencies addressing disparities in fishing regulations, at its regularly scheduled meeting, last Tuesday. The vote to send the letter was approved 4-1.
The CCHD expressed its primary concern with the persistent and inexplicable disparities in fishing regulations and enforcement that are apparent when com-paring (the Crescent City Harbor) with neighboring regions. Most notably, the letter states, these disparities are evident with the Oregon port of Brookings, 10 miles north of the Crescent City Harbor.
“Despite our proximity, Crescent City Fishermen face significantly restrictive fishing regulations, starkly contrasting with those al-lowed in Brookings. Notably, Oregon permit holders are allowed a monthly open access limit of 5,500 lbs of Ling cod whereas California has set this limit at zero for our waters. For this species alone, the missed revenue opportunity for each boat approaches $200,000, annually,” states the letter.
Other disparities include:
• Pacific Marine Management Council has sanctioned a nearly unrestricted salmon season in Brookings, Crescent City has been excluded from salmon fishing entirely.
• Fishermen from Oregon are allowed to purchase a daily California fishing permit and subsequently land their catch in Brookings. Boats departing from Brookings can enter California waters, catch their Oregon rockfish limit and their Oregon salmon limit (outside of three miles from the coast) and return to Brookings. Conversely, fishermen operating out of Crescent City are barred from similar reciprocal activities.
The letter claims Oregon fisherman have been caught by law enforcement by ignoring the requirement a California license.
As a secondary concern, Commissioners shared their concern in the inadequacy of the current data system. CCHD has and continues to lobby for hook and line method, rather than computer model in acquiring accurate data.
The PFMC meets June 6-13, in San Diego.
In other Harbor news, CCHD Harbormaster Tim Petrick announced comptroller Thomas Zickergraf is no longer employed with the harbor. No details of the termination were released.
The Harbor meets again, Tuesday, June 4th at the Harbor Office 101 Citizens Dock Rd. The meeting is scheduled at 2pm
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