A Thankless Task

As someone who worked on the recently successful installation of the Marine Life Protection Act for a period of nearly 10 years, I am amazed that there is someone purporting to represent the Sierra Club who, in their letter to The Independent regarding the idea of establishing a Chumash Marine Sanctuary, does not mention and thus completely ignores the thousands of hours of testimony and dedicated open process that resulted in the world’s first ecosystem-based set of marine protected areas stretching from the Oregon border to the Mexican border.

While it is true that the Sierra Club somehow chose to not play a significant role in the working groups, in stark contrast to such groups as The Ocean Conservancy, the NRDC, Oceana, recreational anglers, commercial fishermen, the native tribes of California, and countless other stakeholders, one would think that this world class effort would merit mention in their letter.

Apparently not.

Richard Rogers is a commissioner with California State Fish and Game Commission.