[CINC] Calico Bass in MPA!

[paul jr petrich]

Ocean and Kelp People,
  I should like to share  my reflections on recent observations from snorkeling in our CINP. While on the Conception for 3 days with a Truth Aquatics outing mid September ( which included the Vission ), I had the opportunity to snorkel extensively at three different sites off shore Santa Cruz Island: Alberts Anchorage on the south, and two sites around Prisoner'sHarbor o the north shore. All three locations were not in an MPA, although obviously they were within the CINMS. Then, last Sunday, thanks to Joel, I was able to snorkel extensively at Frenchy's Cove which is within the north shore Anacapa MPA. Below follows my pleasantly astounding observation of what fantastic good MPAs must be doing in regard to at least one fish of our California kelp beds that has long been a desired catch for sport fishermen-women since recreational fishing has existed as a sport.
  Calico Bass have resided in every kelp habitat I can remember exploring, as a sport fisher or scuba diver myself, or as casual snorkeler. But I have to say, I have not witnessed such large and numerous Calicos in and around every healthy kelp outcrop available in a habitat, as I saw in the MPA at Frenchy's, except for one time. And that time I was fishing in my family outboard in the holding net tank for the soon to be completed Marine Land of the Pacific, off the Palos Verdes coast ( it was foggy )!
  In contrast, as beautiful and kelp generous a habitat Albert's Anchorage was, the Calico were few and small. Also, the "Marine Gardens" shoreline extending west from Prisoner's are no longer the Marine Gardens I remember when scuba diving there extensively in the 1970s. The urchins are  much more extensive, and the kelp beds not near as plentiful. In areas where the kelp is healthy around Prisoners, the Calico Bass are again sparse and smaller than what we used to see and catch. HOWEVER, in this realm, one fish species that is definitely as large as ever ( or larger ) and definitely more abundant, is the Garibaldi, our bright orange State Fish. It became our State Fish in 1995. In 1994 it was earmarked for protection by State law helped along by Jean-Micheal Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society. Of course we all know by now what science  teaches us about the importance of letting fish species get as large as they can, at least in  selected time or location zones, to ensure maximizing reproduction. For me, I saw two success stories recently I will champion.  I Sari Wa, Paul
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