04-22-2008, 12:10 AM
Sacramento, California - A new economic study, released Friday by the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO), demonstrates that two of the three marine protected area (MPA) proposals currently before the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) could have a devastating effect on the economy of California's North Central Coast. Using available economic and fishing data, the study illustrates the impact that each MPA proposal will have on marine recreational fishing and local economies. Annually, recreational fishing has more than a billion dollar impact on California's economy.