Expansion of California’s Marine Protected Area in Santa Barbara Channel under consideration

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A proposal to expand 'no fishing' zones in the Santa Barbara Channel is creating a slow wake of controversy.

Word is getting out across the Santa Barbara Harbor.

"This would feed like 20 people, 30 people," said Nathan, an employee at the Santa Barbara Fish Market, as he held a more than 40 pound chunk of thresher shark.

Thresher shark is among popular seafood items caught by local fishermen and sold at the harbor market.

A growing number of people say expanding a fishing ban in the Santa Barbara Channel would have major, negative impacts on both commercial and sport-fishing Industries.

"There's a bunch of different environmental groups that are pushing for expansion of our current marine protected areas," said Ava Schulenberg, Assistant Director for the Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara. "This would mean that there are no fish zones for sport and commercial fishermen. Unfortunately, that would lead to a higher dependency on foreign fish, which is not something we ever want to promote."

Schulenberg confirmed that the proposal -- years in the making -- would add more than seven square miles to the current no-take zone off Anacapa Island, expand the zone off Santa Cruz Island by nearly two square miles and, restrict fishing access to Santa Rosa Island by another 26 square miles.

"I don't think that people realize how much it means when they are proposing these spacial loses because it has an enormous impact on every single commercial fisherman and sport fisherman in this harbor," said Schulenberg. "Commercial fishermen depend on these zones to provide for their families."

She said this latest proposal encompasses data collected over the past 10 years and is linked to the opening of a petition process, which makes the issue even more complicated.

A Marine Protected Area (MPA) collaborative meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 4 at 3:00 p.m. at the Hendry's Watershed Building at Hendry's Beach, behind the Boathouse Restaurant.

Fishermen and women and, those interested in the proposed fishing ban expansion, are encouraged to attend.