All,

Last week we sent a letter asking the city council of Coos Bay asking them to reconsider their vote for a MR.

We sent the letter in support and at the request of local CCA members. (attached)

There was a city council meeting last night with about 100 in attendance. Mostly locals who were anti-MR.

About 10 were Pro-MR. Susan Allen and Bob Rees from Our Oceans were there.

It was pointed out that about half of the pro-MR folks were paid staff, and just about all from out of the area.

The city council reversed their vote.


At the bottom is the letter the CCA sent to the City of Coos Bay. Kudos to the community of Coos Bay for doing the right thing in both standing up to outside carpetbaggers and to the Council for recognizing when they had made a mistake and correcting it. And to CCA members locally and in the CCA Northwest office for their leadership in this..

After watching how the billionaire Koch brothers have squashed union workers rights in Wisconsin using their politicians, I am greatly encouraged that our system of government may have a breath of life left in it. I'm hoping other communities in Oregon and elsewhere ask themselves the basic question, "why on God's green earth would we want marine reserves near our town anyway?" Or anywhere for that matter. Commercial fishing is disallowed in them as well as for eating by the catcher. Where does limiting our ability to catch or grow something to eat end?

These same folks who are spending the money of murky foundations with equally murky goals for our society, are bedeviling the commercial fishing industry in other ways as well. They aren't maritime people and haven't a clue what should be done. They are pushing to privatize the marine resources, so the very rich can buy them up? Remember that just one multi-billionaire, of which there are plenty, could buy up all the fish in the U.S. EEZ and lock out everyone. And I should remind that there are blueprints for megayacht LSVs (Life Support Vessels) with hydroponic farms and trawl gear. Where are the rich going to get fishing rights in a Waterworld or just pitchforks and torches scenario if not in a 'catch shares' scheme?

All the best,
John

To whom it may concern,

CCA is the Northwest’s largest fisheries advocacy group with 10,000 members in the Pacific Northwest and over 100,000 members nationally in 17 coastal states. We have been involved and engaged in the Marine Reserves issue nationally and in Oregon.

CCA has participated in the OPAC process, the Community Team Process and with the legislature and continue to be involved at all levels.

Our members in the Coos Bay area recently alerted us to the City of Coos Bay’s decision to vote for a Marine Reserve at the Cape Arago site.

We ask you to reconsider this decision for the sake of maintaining viable sustainable fisheries that are well managed and used by the sportfishing community.

Sport anglers have an excellent track record of conservation and supporting sustainable fisheries. We should not be arbitrarily denied access to the Cape Arago site, especially with the lack of scientific evidence supporting this marine reserve.

Please consider our position on Marine Reserves while reconsidering your decision that will have far reaching effects on your community and local fisheries. We urge you to vote no on the Cape Arago site.

Sincerely,

Bruce Polley

Bruce Polley

Vice President

Coastal Conservation Association Oregon