A Court Victory for Sea Otters, Common Murres, Harbor Porpoise and Other Marine Mammals
The regulations ban set gill nets from waters less than 60 fathoms (360 feet) in depth from Point Reyes, Marin County southward to Point Arguello in northern Santa Barbara County. Led by Defenders of Wildlife, a coalition of groups including the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Sea Otter, Sea Otter Defense Initiative and The Ocean Conservancy, supported CDFG in court when a group of Morro Bay area fishermen challenged the regulations. Donald B. Mooney represented the environmental coalition.
"These regulations remove one of the many barriers to the recovery of the southern sea otters along the central coast. We are extremely pleased with the Court's ruling. It is a good day for otters and other marine life along the central coast of California," said Mooney.
The California Legislature and voters banned these nets from ocean waters less than 30-fathoms deep along California's entire coast, except within a 20-mile stretch of coast between Point Sal and Point Arguello in Northern Santa Barbara County. The 2002 regulations made the ban uniform from Point Reyes to Point Arguello out to 60 fathoms. The fishermen's lawsuit sought to overturn the ban on gillnets.
"Sea otters and other marine life have been impacted by gillnets off of California's coast," said Jim Curland, Marine Program Associate, Defenders of Wildlife. "We know from the past that otters and other marine wildlife don't mix with gillnets."
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Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat, and was named as one of America's Top 100 Charities by Worth magazine. With more than 430,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat.
Contact(s):
Jim Curland, (831) 726-2377
