Editorial: A coast off-limits to use

If you care about and enjoy the local marine environment you might want to take a trip to Long Beach next week to make your views known before a panel that could make a momentous recommendation that may affect what you can or cannot do on or in the water or at the coast.

A Blue Ribbon Task Force is expected to select one of three proposals to declare all or part of Laguna Beach a state marine reserve.

A state marine reserve is a Department of Fish and Game designation and represents the highest level of conservation of natural resources.

Here is the department’s actual wording on state marine reserve restrictions: “It is unlawful to injure, damage, take or possess any living, geological or cultural marine resource, except under a permit or specific authorization from the managing agency for research, restoration or monitoring purposes.

“While, to the extent feasible, the area shall be open to the public for managed enjoyment and study, the area shall be maintained to the extent practicable in an undisturbed and unpolluted state. Therefore, access and use (such as walking, swimming, boating and diving) may be restricted to protect marine resources.”

The City Council voted 4 to 1 in June to support designating the entire city’s coast “” from Abalone Point to the southern city limits (with one small exception) “” a state marine reserve.

That means virtually all of the city’s beaches and coves, including swimming and surfing areas “” even along “hotel row” in mid-town Laguna Beach “” would be subject to a possible total ban on use.

Advocates swear that extreme restrictions “would never” be approved. But then why advocate for a designation that would allow such restrictions? Hmm, no answer there.

Proponents, many from Laguna but many from other areas of the state, are delighted to have the backing of the council in their quest to make all of Laguna Beach off limits to fishing, lobstering and any other form of activity that could be seen as “harmful” to the marine environment.

In fact, they are so confident that the council’s approval will win the day that they cite the council’s vote as the only real reason the task force should accept this plan, called Proposal 3, the Conservation Plan.

This is from the report that will be submitted to the task force:

“At Laguna SMR [State Marine Reserve] we adhered to the Laguna City Council’s request to protect all of Laguna for ease of enforcement. The tiny SCMA [State Marine Conservation Area] strips protect the high intrinsic-value intertidal habitats of Newport and Dana Point, while allowing most fishing.”

Another “tiny” protected area is proposed at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach.

None of those “tiny” areas have anywhere near the populace, usage or economic dependence upon beach culture that Laguna Beach has.

But, thanks to the council, Laguna Beach could soon become the least-accessible, best-enforced and least used coast in all of Orange County.

Is that what Laguna Beach really wants?