Tag Archives: Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries

Commercial fishermen talk offshore wind concerns

Offshore wind energy is one step closer to becoming a reality on the Central Coast, and with it, hundreds of potential jobs and renewable energy generation that will be much needed when the Diablo Canyon Power Plant closes. But the local commercial fishing industry continues to raise concerns over how such an undertaking will impact their livelihoods. BOEM released its draft environmental assessment for leasing the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area earlier this month and heard public comment on the report at an April 14 meeting. Further environmental assessment will be required before a wind farm project is actually approved and built—this draft just looks at the impacts of the leasing process. >click to read< 10:08

Massive Central Coast marine sanctuary gets closer to federal protection. What’s next?

The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is one step closer to becoming a reality,,, The massive proposed marine sanctuary has been in NOAA’s nomination phase since 2015. It now officially moves to the designation phase. Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal D-Santa Barbara, “I am thrilled the Biden administration has taken this step,,, Not all are strong proponents of the proposed marine sanctuary. In a letter to NOAA in June 2020, the Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries,, “For fishermen having a NMS manage areas they fish will mean that they will always have to watch their backs, wondering what NMS management will do,” the letter said. >click to read< 17:14

Leatherback sea turtles likely to go extinct under Trump administration policy, lawsuit argues

Leatherback sea turtles are likely to be “effectively extinct within 20 years” if two new federal permits for fishing off the coast of California go into effect, environmental groups claim in a new lawsuit. In April, the Trump administration granted new two-year “exempted fishing permits” to two California-based vessels in what are currently protected waters.,,, National Marine Fisheries Service,,, the federal agency said the permits “are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat.” The longline fishing will have to halt immediately if “one mortality of a leatherback sea turtle is observed.>click to read<14:03

Letters to the editor: The best method to catch swordfish?

Re: “Can Sustainably Caught Swordfish Make Waves on the Central Coast?” As someone whose family has fished for swordfish for 50 years, the answer is YES: recognize the Drift Gilnet (DGN) fishery for the sustainable, well-managed fishery it is. Among other misstatements,,,, >click to read<10:55

CALIFORNIA: ACSF Opposes Sanctuary Expansion of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

October 5, 2012 — The Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries (ACSF), formed  in 2000 to represent the commercial and recreational fishing interests  of the six harbor communities in the central coast of California, released a statement opposing the expansion of the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. The ACSF represents an area that includes the current sanctuary. The ACSF’s letter of opposition explains why regional fishermen oppose expansion of the Sanctuary and believe that it should instead focus on improving its governance and community relations.

Read a PDF of the letter here http://www.savingseafood.org/images/acsfletterresfexpansion.pdf