Marin County Parks has withdrawn its support for a proposed ban on fishing around Duxbury Reef, the latest reversal in a contentious debate that has galvanized the Bolinas community.
The parks department’s about-face follows similar reversals from U.S. Representative Jared Huffman and Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, both of whom modified their endorsements after residents turned out in large numbers to oppose the proposal. Rep. Huffman said he now considers his position neutral.
The petition, submitted to the California Fish and Game Commission by the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, seeks to reclassify Duxbury Reef—the largest shale reef in North America—from a state marine conservation area, which permits hook-and-line fishing, to a state marine reserve, where all fishing is prohibited.
Submitted as part of the state’s 10-year review of its marine protected area network, the proposal would expand protections along roughly eight miles of Bolinas coastline, reaching 1,000 feet offshore.
Marin County Parks, which manages coastal access points near the reef, including Agate Beach, the reef’s primary access, had previously submitted a letter supporting the proposal. But in a letter sent to the Fish and Game Commission late last month, county parks director Chris Chamberlain said his department’s initial support was predicated on the belief that the petition had broad community backing.
“Since then, Marin County Parks has received feedback from West Marin residents indicating that many community members were unaware of the petition before its submission and do not support the proposed approach,” Mr. Chamberlain wrote. The department asked the commission to withdraw the petition and instead “encourage a community-based process to explore shared stewardship goals for Duxbury Reef.”
A draft evaluation of the petition is expected on Feb. 27. The California Fish and Game Commission did not respond to requests for comment on whether the reversals of support could affect the review process.
Debate about fishing restrictions is also intensifying elsewhere along the California coast, as the Fish and Game Commission considers 15 proposals to expand or contract marine reserves. Last month, a coalition of 30 recreational and commercial fishing groups, along with several scientists, sent a letter urging the commission to reject the Duxbury petition and multiple others under review.
“We believe this petition to be well intentioned but do not believe it should be accepted,” the letter states. “The petition’s claims that there was a local drop in biodiversity are all based on local surveys [and] no[t] actual data displaying a measurable drop in the biodiversity in the area.”
In a statement to the Light last week, Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, executive director of the Point Reyes Station-based Environmental Action Committee, said the organization “continue[s] to want to work with the community to evaluate options for the best path forward.” She added that any regulatory changes “will not impact recreational uses like tidepooling, surfing, boating, education, dog walking, or visiting the reef.”