[env-trinity] San Jose Mercury News - Opinion November 5

[Byron Leydecker]

Pietro Parravano is the former long time president of the Pacific Coast
Federation of Fishermens' Associations and is a world leader on fisheries
issues.

 

Opinion: Oceans are an urgent item for the next president

San Jose Mercury News - 11/5/08

By Pietro Parravano

Pietro Parravano is a salmon fisherman from Half Moon Bay, president of the
Institute for Fisheries Resources and commissioner for the Joint Ocean
Commission Initiative.

There was a time not long ago when coastal communities from Alaska to Maine
enjoyed the rich heritage and prosperity of a thriving fishing industry. As
a young fisherman growing up in Half Moon Bay, I witnessed some of the most
plentiful salmon fishing the West Coast had ever seen.

 

It saddens me to say those days have passed. Pollution, mismanagement, loss
of habitat and new threats from climate change have severely damaged not
only my livelihood, but also the amount of seafood on your dinner table.

 

All hope is not lost at sea, however. Despite the countless abuses our
waters have endured over the past few decades, oceans are surprisingly
resilient and can recover. With proper oversight, guided by strong science
and adequate funding, the United States can ensure that our oceans continue
to provide valuable resources not only for us, but also for our
grandchildren. 

 

After a long period of neglect, oceans are returning to the forefront of
policymakers' minds.

 

President Bush recently addressed the ocean community to celebrate the
opening of the Smithsonian's Ocean Hall in Washington, D.C. He commended the
Smithsonian and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for
educating the public, and he acknowledged my work with salmon fisheries here
in California, emphasizing that even ordinary citizens like me can have an
impact.

 

The president's address and the opening of the Ocean Hall demonstrate strong
national momentum for better ocean management. This momentum also exists on
the regional and state levels. Recently, Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ted
Kulongoski (Oregon) and Chris Gregoire (Washington) released the action plan
of the West Coast Governors' Agreement on Ocean Health. Additionally,
Massachusetts recently passed a groundbreaking plan that requires state
leaders to coordinate coastline management. 

 

With a national movement in place, it is up to the new White House
leadership to keep it going. We have a long road ahead of us. 

 

First, we must better understand the challenges. No one knows definitively
what caused the decline in the California salmon population. Most biologists
see a combination land-based pollution, water diversions, damaged habitat
and ocean conditions. To revitalize our fisheries, we must look deeper.
Federally supported research and maintenance of ocean monitoring systems are
key to understanding the connections between land and sea.

 

Increasing public awareness is also critical, which is why the Smithsonian's
Ocean Hall is a stellar accomplishment. Many Americans are aware of the
decline in our nation's fisheries. However, many don't recognize how ocean
conditions and land-based pollution affect the entire nation, from the food
we eat to the beaches we enjoy to the economy upon which we depend.
Ocean-related industries generate $138 billion for the United States every
year. Saving our oceans and fisheries is a bigger task than any one state or
region can accomplish. The problems are symptoms of an unbalanced ecosystem
and are urgent calls for coordinated and well-funded action at the state,
regional and national level. 

 

All of us have a duty to be good stewards of our oceans. The Smithsonian
Ocean Hall, the West Coast Governors' plan and the Massachusetts Oceans Act
are a good start. And as a fisherman, I urge the next administration to
continue this momentum and make this collaborative, bipartisan effort a
success.

 

 

Byron Leydecker, JCT

Chair, Friends of Trinity River

PO Box 2327

Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327

415 383 4810

415 519 4810 cell

bwl3 at comcast.net

bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org (secondary)

http://fotr.org 

 <mailto:bwl3 at comcast.net>  

 

 

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