The California Fish and Game Commission is looking at fishing restrictions for Southern California after hearing proposals from the Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force.

Locally, the task force’s proposal calls for a State Marine Reserve, or SMR, designation for the ocean from Malibu’s Westward Beach to just outside Paradise Cove. A SMR is a “no take zone” in which fishing of all kinds is prohibited. Recreational activities such as boating, swimming, diving or kayaking are allowed. Also, boats with caught fish onboard can pass through the area. A less restrictive State Marine Conservation Area, or SMCA, has been proposed for the stretch of ocean from Westward Beach to Lechuza Beach. This allows for the recreational take of pelagic finfish, Pacific bonito and white sea bass. Commercial fishermen could take coastal pelagic finfish, market squid and swordfish.

However, a final decision on recommendations for fishing restrictions off the coast will not be made until the end of next year.

Of course, back in November we wrote that the “Point Dume Now Included As A Marine Protected Area” as The Marine Life Protection Blue Ribbon Task Force selected a preferred alternative for a network of marine protected areas, which includes Point Dume, in the South Coast. Despite the controversy surrounding the proposals and plans, it could definitely great news for Malibu who prides itself in its beautiful coastline which is teeming with wildlife.

If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 or via her online contact form on her website.

Subscribe to our blog using our RSS feed. (Click here!)

Judy Kunisaki – CA DRE license 00963582

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.