Lars Larson on Marine Reserves

Let’s take a second look at those so-called “Marine Reserves” that Governor Ted Kulongonski is so crazy about off the Oregon coast.

You know those marine reserves have been under discussion for a long, long time. If you’ve never heard about them it’s because it’s one of those subjects that generally makes people’s eyes glaze over. Unless, of course, if you happen to be a fisherman or run a business on the Oregon coast.

Marine reserves are, in effect, taking the idea of wilderness and putting it into the ocean off of Oregon. It is a bad idea. It sets out limits where you can’t fish. You can’t even run a boat through these areas.

Well, that’s going to kill business on the Oregon coast. It’s going to further erode the economic vitality of an awful lot of coast communities that are just barely able to survive right now. The governor wants to push ahead with them, effectively making wilderness out of the ocean off of Oregon. It is going to hurt fishermen. It’s going to hurt families. It’s going to hurt communities.

Nine state lawmakers have said to the governor, “Let’s take some more time before we do this deal.” The governor ought to listen to them.

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