CHANNEL ISLANDS CATCH FISHERMEN SEEK COMPROMISE IN NO-TAKE PLAN.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

VENTURA - For 40 years, Neil Guglielmo has weathered the elements as he fished for squid and sardines off the coasts of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and around the Channel Islands.

Today the fisherman faces a threat to his livelihood as governmental officials look at establishing marine reserves - which would ban the harvesting of all marine life - within the 1,252-square-nautical-mile boundary of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

``We have quite a few boats fishing in the area already,'' said Guglielmo, a Santa Barbara resident who docks his vessel, Trionfo, at Channel Islands Harbor, and is working with regulators to build consensus on the issue. ``And to limit us in the area would have an economic impact on us.

``We are being targeted here because of other species that are endangered. So when they are talking about closing areas to protect some other species, that automatically puts us out also.''

The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and the California Department of Fish and Game are considering if they should create the no-take zones within the sanctuary boundary.

A Marine Reserves Working Group of representatives from the fishing industry, recreation, business, conservation, state and federal agencies has been working 14 months on a recommendation, expected by the end of November.

``We think that our future and the future of fisheries are going to be protected if you protect the entire ecosystem and entire habitat,'' said Greg Helms of the Center for Marine Conservation in Channel Islands and also a member of the working group. ``You can't protect one species without protecting the species it feeds on.''

No-take zones protect nursery areas and critical habitat from harvesting so species can increase, swim out of the protected area and replenish fishing grounds, Helms explained.

He said setting aside a single species for protection without considering the habitat doesn't work, as evident by the white abalone, now a candidate for the federal endangered species list. Although California banned white abalone harvesting in 1996, the species has not rebounded.

Protecting the waters at the sanctuary now will ensure a livelihood for the next generation of fishermen, he said.

The marine sanctuary at the Florida Keys already has established a no- take zone and sanctuaries at Gray's Reef, Stellwagen Bank and the Olympic Coast in Washington state are undergoing a similar review process, said sanctuary spokesman Sean Hastings.

The 20-year-old Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary boundary takes in the ocean within six nautical miles off the islands of Santa Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa and Santa Barbara. Currently a no- take zone about four acres in size exists at Anacapa Island.

``It's a habitat-based approach to designating particular areas within the current sanctuary boundary,'' Hastings said.

Guglielmo, who sits on the 18-member working group, said the fishing industry is also concerned about other potential rules - such as regulations on the use of anchors or traveling within the zone - that could be put in place if no-take zones are implemented.

``There are a lot of sports and commercial fishermen impacted by this,'' Guglielmo said. ``We are trying to come up with something that will work and not be a death blow to anyone.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Fishing boat skipper Neil Guglielmo says the no-take proposal for the Channel Islands would hurt sports and commercial fishermen in the area.

(2 -- color) Crew member Bob Boskovich of the fishing boat Trionfo stacks the cork line and checks for holes in the net before heading out of Channel Island Harbor in Oxnard for a day of fishing.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer