Proposal lodged to delay California MPA process until new governor takes office
As local representatives head into a final round of meetings on drafting marine reserves for the North Coast, they may be close to an agreement on a unified proposal that will be submitted to state rule makers.
The California Resources Agency is currently weighing a request by State Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro, D-Arcata, to delay the process for six months, which the lawmaker said would allow time for that single proposal to be completed. It would also hand off the final decision on the protected areas to the administration that follows Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's, which has pledged to see through the planning of a system of marine reserves.
Others say a delay on the North Coast could wear down the 33 members of the Regional Stakeholder Group, who have already wrestled for months with the task of mapping out areas that would be off limits or restricted to fishing and gathering. It may also allow tribes time to mount a legal or legislative challenge over the state trying to regulate traditional uses of marine areas.