Carisma Leyva
Staff Writer
Manhattan Beach City Council unanimously agreed to pass new restrictions on August 12 regarding fishing on the MB pier which was aimed primarily at protecting public health and safety.
Following a shark attack on July 5, the city passed a 60 day temporary ban on fishing. This is illegal by state law, unless approved by the California Coastal Commission because the pier is state owned.
“City Council action was necessary and reasonable given the clear dangers inherent when fishing for sharks,” City Council Member Mark Burton said. “The new pier regulations will certainly enhance safety for our residents and visitors in the water.”
The recently passed ordinance establishes many guideline which prohibit chumming, usage of unnecessarily large hooks, overhead casting, and other similar rules. According to Burton, it is expected to enhance the overall cleanliness and safety of MB Pier.
“Fishing for sharks is illegal in California and dangerous to our residents and visitors in the water,” Burton said.
The Fish and Game Commission have been governing restrictions on fishing since 1902, but many believe that times have changed. Many new techniques and tools have been released for fishing, like ones used for catching sharks, have been introduced. These techniques and tools may pose a threat to the public when abused.
“Large hooks are only good for catching sharks. They aren’t good for anything else. If somebody inadvertently caught a shark on a regular fishing line, the line would break,” Mayor Wayne Powell said.
Organizations like the California Coastal Commission and the Fish and Game Commission maintain that Manhattan Beach overstepped their bounds as a city by shutting down the city by shutting down the pier. However, the MB City Council continually argues that it has the authority to make the adjustments to fit the needs of the city.
“The 14th Amendment to the Constitution states that a city has the duty to protect the health and safety of the public, which supersedes any state constitution,” Powell said. “We did just that.”
Any violations of the newly passed municipal ordinance will result in a misdemeanor. Fines start at $100 and will be enforced by Manhattan Beach Police Department as well as code enforcement officers.
“We rely mostly on compliance with our rules. Most people seem to follow them, but we don’t see every single thing,” Powell said. “Residents can report something to authorities if they need to.”
Manhattan Beach is currently working with Heal the Bay for educational outreach programs to promote public awareness towards ocean life. Heal the Bay is striving to educate anglers, especially on the pier.
“We’re hoping people can become more aware of what’s around them in the ocean. After all, its their habitat and not ours,” Powell said. “The sharks here are almost always baby sharks and are more afraid of us than we are of them.”
Manhattan Beach is one of the first cities to pass an ordinance of this kind. Because it is a nursery ground for sharks, there will almost always be threats to safety. MB made a choice to become a trailblazer for this issue in the South Bay.
“There are always going to be some people upset with the decisions city council makes. We have to do what we think is right to protect the public,” Powell said.
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