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Tell officials to ensure that new fishing rules promote conservation

yelloweye rockfish The groundfish trawl industry is undergoing major changes that could significantly benefit marine life, but only if the new plan incorporates important conservation elements. Urge officials to keep critical conservation measures in the trawl program.

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Secretary Mike Chrisman, California Resources Agency

Dear Secretary Chrisman,

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Like so many Californians, I love our ocean and visit whenever I can. The ocean is a special resource cherished by both coastal and inland residents alike. It is clear, though, that our oceans are fragile and that the rich, diverse marine life we have taken for granted for so long needs sound stewardship and protection in order to continue to support vital coastal communities and the seafood bounty we all enjoy.

I understand that a new program will implement individual quota shares for the federal trawl groundfish fishery and that California is represented on the council that decides this program's design. So far California has been a leader in keeping conservation features in the program and it is critical to continue this leadership so that the trawl individual quota program can help our oceans recover and not become a tool to further deplete them.

In particular, it is important that the program (1) includes incentives to encourage trawl fishermen to permanently convert to more environmentally friendly gear, such as longlines and traps; (2) includes an "adaptive management trust" feature that allows managers to reward fishermen with clean fishing records and help communities with the transition; and (3) does not allocate quota shares to the seafood processing industry but instead distributes them to the men and women who have been fishing.

Please continue your leadership in preserving our ocean resources by insisting on strong conservation measures in the trawl groundfish fishery individual quota program.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your address]

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