That's My Story

PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAINS!

Originally published the week of May 29, 2007 in Western Outdoor News

I don’t like it up here on the soap box. Even being short like I am, it’s dizzying and eventually high profile people get rocks thrown at them. History bears me out.

I’d rather be writing about tacos and fish and beer drinking and blue waters. But, a lot of that is in jeopardy right now.

Last week I jumped on the box to tell you about the passing of the new “Shark Norma” laws implemented May 15th with little public debate by the federal government and Baja has been in an uproar.

In a nutshell, it looks great on it’s face. To “protect the sharks” the government will no longer issue new shark fishing permits. But look behind the green curtain at the great Oz…

There are already thousands of permits in effect and many of them can be used for as many as 6 boats. The new law allows the commercial fishermen to come within the current 50 mile zone to lay their hooks. Further, the law does not prohibit the taking of “incidental fish.” So, a fishing line with 1000 hooks catches 2 sharks, but “incidentally” and “by accident” hooks 800 dorado and 100 marlin, the commercial guys can now keep and sell those fish! Do the math and it’s easy to see what this will do to the Sea of Cortez.

There have been several demonstrations in Cabo and San Jose del Cabo and folks are sporting black ribbons and signs and banners drape many places. The support in opposition is growing. Folks say this is “war.” Local businesses, hotels, taxi drivers..heck, even Greenpeace seems to be on board and seeing sportsfishers shoulder-to-shoulder to Greenpeace is indeed a rarity. But both major political parties PAN and PRI are in solidarity as well as the Cabo City Council and local politicians. Support seems to also be pouring in from the mainland as well.

The mail I got this week was surprising.

Many readers were completely pissed off and jumped all over the links I provided whereby with one click you could send a protest letter to every single Mexican agency that could make a difference.

I was surprised at the apathy of others. Some were simply resigned to the status quo. “Well, that’s how the cookie crumbles. Glad I got mine and fished the Cortez for 30 years so now I guess I better find another place to fish!” Didn’t even want to send out a letter. Lovely.

Others wrote in that no matter what we do, it won’t make a difference. Some were veterans of the eco and salmon wars in their own parts of the U.S. like the Pacific Northwest. I could sense their frustration with fighting “the man.” “Politics as normal” attitudes. I tried to tell them that if we do nothing then for sure…nothing will get done!

Some of my colleagues down here in Baja were reluctant to go “on the record” because of repercussions against us by the Mexican government and other interests. I was personally told to “watch my own back” for writing this column and going on my website with opposition. Like I said, I surely hate standing on soapboxes.

I will tell you this.

The day the law went into effect, we saw a spotter plane and commercial boats out on one of the inshore banks near us here in La Paz. There were also reports of a big commercial boat not 5 miles off Punta Colorado.

I’m not giving up. Am I panicked? No. Am I worried. You betcha. But people who have a lot more at stake than I do, are in the fray.

Bobby Van Wormer, whose family is known to many of you, who own 3 of the largest East Cape Hotels has been appointed to go to Mexico City to take the battle to the mainland. He’s there as you read this. His offices tell me he’s encouraged about getting the law changed or at least a moratorium on the law until there can be more studies and more input. Two Mexican presidents vetoed this law. President Calderon’s folks didn’t waste time bending to the commercial interests in Ensenada, Sinaloa or Sonora implementing this new law.

The Van Wormers have clout. The hotel owners and old time families in Baja have clout. All the developers have clout. But I have to believe that each of us, en masse, have something to say too! Hate to be nationalistic, but U.S. dollars and YOUR trips down here built the Baja. You are the reason the Van Wormers and the Bulnes family and the Ruffo families and others have their hotels and developments and fleets. Indeed you’re the reason I’m sitting in my office in La Paz right now.

On a guerilla level, I will admit cheering a bit. I hear local captains and crews are making it hard on the commercials. While Bobby Van Wormer is taking it to the mainland, here at ground zero I hear though the coconut telegraph that the localfishermen are cutting nets and lines whenever they find them. Other boats are buzzing the commercial boats and making it hard for them to set up. I would never advocate the destruction of property or violating the law but I like hearing that folks are hitting the commercials where it hurts. Cutting up a commercial line costs mucho dinero. Like I said,the locals are calling it a “war”. It’s not much different than all the times I’ve seen some commercial boat come right into the fishing pangas and start wrapping up a tuna school while the sportfishers are trying to earn their own living.

But this isn’t just about tourist and fishing dollars. It’s about all the little guys down here. The taco stand owners; the taxi drivers; the bellmen; the deckhands; etc. These are all the thousand of people and families who eck out a daily scratch living because you folks like to visit.

And haven’t we done enough to the Sea of Cortez? I like what one local lawmaker said (paraphrased) , “What happens when the whales and porpoise migrate through the Sea of Cortez? Do we put someone out there to tell them to go around the net and hooks?”

He’s right. The kind of damage we’re talking about here isn’t easily reversible. In reality many of us can find other work. However, I’ve never been able to grow another dorado or a whale by pressing a button.

Here’s those links again.

The breakdown of the law done by Sea Watch http://www.seawatch.org/mail_campaign/norma_press_release.pdf and the link to how you can make yourself heard: http://www.seawatch.org/mail_campaign/norma_letter.php

BREAKING NEWS: As this was going to press, the local paper, Sudcaliforniano in Baja reported that changes to the new law are going to be made. I’ll follow up and keep you posted.

That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@aol.com.