SACRAMENTO–Legislation authored by State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) to more effectively enforce restrictions in the state’s Marine Protected Areas was signed into law by Governor Brown today. The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support in both the Assembly and Senate and AB 298 is the second bill by Gonzalez to be signed into law so far this year.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, Assembly Bill 298 will allow Department of Fish and Wildlife officers and other law enforcement agencies to combat poaching and illegal fishing in the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) off California’s coastline by issuing violators with a ticket – akin to a traffic violation – to enforce restrictions. MPA violations are currently misdemeanor crimes and oftentimes prosecuted without priority. AB 298 gives officers the discretion to cite violators with an infraction or a misdemeanor. This will allow law enforcement officials to effectively manage MPAs without overburdening the legal system, ensuring that lawbreakers are held accountable for damage to fragile marine environments.
“With the Governor’s support today, we can finally address decades of overfishing in California’s coastal waters to keep our oceans healthy for generations to come,” Gonzalez said. “By giving frontline officials the means to enforce existing protections, we will relieve pressure on our overtaxed enforcement system and allow our marine life to thrive.”
California’s MPAs were created by a 1999 state law to protect and conserve marine life and habitat. In these 124 areas, which cover about 16 percent of California’s coastal waters and include eleven sites in San Diego County, there are restrictions on fishing and other take activities. Wildlife officers, allied agencies, prosecutors, divers, surfers and conservationists have been working to better enforce restrictions and prosecute violations. AB 298 has earned support from a diverse group of these law enforcement and environmental stakeholder groups, including bill co-sponsors Wildcoast and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
