April 2024 - Director's Corner
By Melissa Mahoney - April 8, 2024
March saw a whirlwind of action leading to positive outcomes for the Monterey Bay region’s beleaguered fishing community. Here’s a run down of the action…
A meeting with U.S. Congressman Jimmy Panetta and several local fishermen in late February sparked a conversation with the NOAA West Coast Region Administrator, Jennifer Quan, to convey the issues he heard from our local fleet. He is also reviewing the Working Waterfronts Bill proposed by US Senator Lisa Murkowski to potentially sign on as a supporter. His staffers are also helping to expedite backlogged SBA loans for salmon disaster assistance, providing crucial support to struggling fishermen.
We submitted a $20,000 grant request to the Community Foundation of Monterey County (CFMC) for emergency assistance for fishermen affected by the salmon closure of 2023 (and now likely 2024). If funded, the majority of the grant will be used to offset slip rents for eligible fishermen who reside in Monterey and Moss Landing harbors. We’ll know more about this in late April.
In early March, I gave a presentation to the Monterey City Council with the goal of bringing attention to the dire situation happening less than a mile from City Hall, where The Last Fishermen are doing their best to stay afloat. I asked for Council members to re-commit their support for the fishing community that has given so much to our economy, culture, and heritage. The plea resonated, setting the stage for meetings with the City Manager and Council members this month, and hopefully the start of some positive change for the Monterey fishing fleet. (you can watch my presentation here, starts at minute 42)
Later that week, I drove out to good ‘ol Fresno to participate in the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting, where I attended the groundfish advisory body side meetings (GMT and GAP) as they considered a way to minimize the negative economic impacts of the 2023 quillback rockfish closures, particularly at the southern end of the species range in Monterey Bay. Agency leads from NMFS and CDFW were analyzing fisheries data to assess the risk of moving the federal management line north of Monterey Bay. This change would pave the way for a state waters boundary line change later this year, and return Open Access groundfish fisheries to state waters of Monterey Bay (where catches of overfished quillback rockfish are rare). Thanks to the GMT’s analysis showing little risk of quillback encounters in Monterey Bay, the many fishermen who provided public comment, as well as our letter, the council unanimously voted to move the federal management line from 36° N lat. to 37° 07' N lat., and reopen a portion of the non-trawl Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) adding over 60 square miles of fishing opportunity in federal waters. This shift lays the groundwork for a future CDFW rule change, aligning regulations to once again allow open access fishing for groundfish in state waters of Monterey Bay. (check my March DC for more details on this)
We also supported local fisherwoman Valerie Phillips, an MREP alumni, to attend the PFMC meeting in person - a first for this emerging local leader. Our financial support allowed her an overnight stay, which for Valerie “was extremely helpful ...The extra time to prep and being there the morning of without the pressure of a 3-hour drive to be on time …and also allowed me to participate in various advisory panels”. Valerie’s testimony on an important issue affecting access to fishing grounds in Monterey Bay was truly impressive. I hope her example will inspire more voices and leadership in the fleet.
Also in March, we heard about a little known Petition submitted to the California Fish & Game Commission proposing a suite of new or enlarged marine protected areas (MPAs) off the coast, including two areas in Monterey Bay. I attended a local meeting in Santa Cruz hosted by spearfishermen and others concerned about the petition to learn more about the situation. We plan to track and possibly take a position in the future, although advocacy by the fishermen directly is still the best strategy.
Lastly, we facilitated connections between a local fisherman and two chefs, resulting in his fish being featured on the menus of two prestigious restaurants - Saltwood and the upcoming Monterey Beach Hotel.
I’m so proud of our team, and so very grateful for all the support from donors and funders, who make these actions possible. Together, we are showing up for our fishing community, so they can keep providing us with local, sustainable seafood!