Community Commentary: Reserve will hurt local economy

On June 16 the City Council voted 4 to 1 to pass the Iseman Marine Reserve Plan.

The plan will take control of over seven miles of our coastline from Laguna and give that control to the State of California.

There will be no spear fishing, diving for lobster, kayak fishing, recreational fishing, commercial lobster fishing, commercial squid fishing or commercial bait fishing. Yes, a total NO FISHING ZONE!

One woman at Tuesday’s council meeting supporting this vote claimed to represent four stakeholder groups, two of them Village Laguna and South Laguna Civic Assn.

In my opinion the stake they were holding was driven into the hearts of every recreational and commercial fisherman in California.

While some will say it’s only five years, my greatest concern is once the state gets a marine reserve here in Laguna, it won’t give back the control of our coastline at the end of that five-year period. Don’t let this happen to our community.

I feel it is our duty as citizens of Laguna Beach to protect our own coastline.

Please write, e-mail or call your council member and say “NO” to this idea. Write your newspapers, your state senator and congressional representative.

You are invited to come to the meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Aliso Creek Inn and say “no” to this idea.

Consider the economic results. As if times weren’t bad enough, they will become worse for our city. A fishing boycott could be devastating.

As a 65-year resident, a fourth generation Lagunaian and a recreational fisherman, I am asking for your help in stopping this from happening.

KELLY BOYD is mayor of Laguna Beach.