Urchin Removal Project on North Coast looking for kayaking stakeholder

Hey guys,

I've been working with the DFW and Greater Farallones Sanctuary on a program to let recreational divers and others eradicate the purple urchin on the north coast.  It's slow going working with these government agencies but we're getting there.  The Sanctuary is setting up a round table of stakeholders and would like someone from the kayaking world to represent.  Preferably a professional, perhaps a guide or instructor that has connections in the industry and kayaking community.  This person should have a lot of water time in Sonoma and Mendocino.  If you are interested or if NCKA would like to put forward a representative contact Rietta Hohman at rietta.hohman@noaa.gov

Right now, there are three meetings scheduled for 2018,  one April 25, then August 2 and September 13.The meetings are during the week during work hours unfortunately.  The intention is to give the stakeholders a voice in the process as we look for volunteers and design the program we need feedback on the best ways to reach and maximize the potential from each group.

Do you have more details on the meetings, like where, and are they open to interested members of the public?

Also in the past I've seen words like harvest and remove, now I see the word eradicate which seems more hopeful, we all know we can't eradicate them but does that mean smashing is on the table, even if a tightly controlled smashing effort was put forward I would think it would be much more effective than "harvest or remove"

And yeah I would understand if that discussion isn't ready for publication.

I don't have more information on the meetings but you can ask Rietta at rietta.hohman@noaa.gov                     

Smashing is on the table.  Tightly controlled by the DFW.

I let Joshua know that if they didn't find anyone suitable, or better qualified than me (which isn't a whole lot of qualifications other than "Owner, NCKA"), that I'd do it.

But come on, there has got to be someone better qualified than me.  Anyone?  Anyone?

-Allen

I don't have more information on the meetings but you can ask Rietta at rietta.hohman@noaa.gov                     

Smashing is on the table.  Tightly controlled by the DFW.

Thanks, that's good news.

Polepole, you are a great speaker. Why not do it?
You bring facts to the table and call it like it is.
It's a lot better than going in with, "Let us smash the fuck out of them! They're fucking everything up." (Even though that is pretty much the bottom line) 
I get too frustrated too easily and end up wanting to smash the fuck out of them...and I'm not talking urchins.
No doubt you will have great council from the many resources you have available.
And is there only room for one?
You and an ace up your sleeve would give us a fighting chance to smash the fuck out of them. (And I am talking urchins this time)

Polepole, you are a great speaker. Why not do it?
You bring facts to the table and call it like it is.
It's a lot better than going in with, "Let us smash the fuck out of them! They're fucking everything up." (Even though that is pretty much the bottom line) 
I get too frustrated too easily and end up wanting to smash the fuck out of them...and I'm not talking urchins.
No doubt you will have great council from the many resources you have available.
And is there only room for one?
You and an ace up your sleeve would give us a fighting chance to smash the fuck out of them. (And I am talking urchins this time)

I'm all for putting the best foot forward.  If Joshua and the other guys in the trenches think I'm the best option, then so be it.  If they think someone else would serve their purposes better, I'd happily support that person.

-Allen

I say go polepole Represent. I see Urchins in the brave new kitchen

I'm all for putting the best foot forward.  If Joshua and the other guys in the trenches think I'm the best option, then so be it.  If they think someone else would serve their purposes better, I'd happily support that person.

-Allen

I think you'd be great Allen.  As I said before, the intention is to give the stakeholders a voice in the process as we look for volunteers and design the program we need feedback on the best ways to reach and maximize the potential from each group.  Once we develop the program you'll be a great person to recruit kayak volunteers and promote the events to kayakers.  PM me your phone and e-mail and I will give it to the coordinator later today.

I am not really understanding what the need for a kayaking liaison is.  I have been taking my 35 limit on each dive but compared to what a commercial urchin Diver can get on one trip I believe it will be impossible to remove even a fraction of what they can do.  Just having a kayak doesn’t really make you a player or someone who should or would need a seat at the table. 

Now a recreational Diver who is willing to take bulk urchin wether from shore, kayak or boat seems like a better candidate.  Joshua you already are on multiple social media sites and have been spreading the word regularly. 

I am okay with the idea of removing removing recreational limits because there are some spots that can use a cleaning and boats will not be able to get there.  In addition I would like to see someone write a grant for large scale removals or move misc funding from other areas to assist in the larger scale removal.  Maybe state parks can help since they will be losing visitors over the Abalone closure.  Another option would be a special iradication fund paid directly to fish and wildlife for such a removal project.  They could email all license holders or just past Abalone tag holders and ask for a donation.  Many of us have already donated to large scale removals and more may follow along if they knew where the money was going. 

A picture from one day from kayak and one from a commercial Diver

I am not really understanding what the need for a kayaking liaison is.  I have been taking my 35 limit on each dive but compared to what a commercial urchin Diver can get on one trip I believe it will be impossible to remove even a fraction of what they can do.  Just having a kayak doesn’t really make you a player or someone who should or would need a seat at the table. 

Now a recreational Diver who is willing to take bulk urchin wether from shore, kayak or boat seems like a better candidate.  Joshua you already are on multiple social media sites and have been spreading the word regularly. 

DG, I think this position is in addition to all the other seats at the table, which presumably encompass the other users you bring up.

Tactically speaking, for the most part, our voice aligns with the recreational fishing and diving communities.  Another seat at the table helps the cause.

-Allen

DG, I think this position is in addition to all the other seats at the table, which presumably encompass the other users you bring up.

Tactically speaking, for the most part, our voice aligns with the recreational fishing and diving communities.  Another seat at the table helps the cause.

-Allen

I guess more is better in that case. 

I am applying for a collection permit that would allow me to use volunteers, removing the recreational limit.  If I get it, it's going to be a large scale effort.  Watermen's Alliance is currently employing a commercial diver to clear Caspar Cove and the Cove to the north towards Jug Handle.  Once that area is clear we will choose another but the commercial diver can't get into the shallows where so many of us can.  A large scale volunteer effort would allow freedivers to get right up to the cliffs and clear the shallows.  Recreational scuba divers could clear areas a little deeper.  I wouldn't want boats going in over head so if we had a number of kaykers volunteer to take full bags from divers and give them empty ones to continue harvesting.  Kayakers could hand the bags off to boats that could empty the bags on the deck of the commercial boat.  I plan on going cove by cove with this as long as the money and the volunteers hold out.

In seven days work the Commercial diver has cleared most of the north side of Caspar.  Two divers at $500 per day are averaging 1500 sq ft cleared per day.  He's focusing on the densest populations in areas that had kelp last year or the year before.  The hope is that we can suppress the urchin enough to allow a significant bloom this year.

I had a meeting in Fort Bragg last Friday with 20-30 more commercial urchin divers to try to persuade them to join our efforts.  $500 per day isn't a lot for these guys so I understand their hesitation but i think the meeting went well.

I am applying for a collection permit that would allow me to use volunteers, removing the recreational limit.  If I get it, it's going to be a large scale effort.  Watermen's Alliance is currently employing a commercial diver to clear Caspar Cove and the Cove to the north towards Jug Handle.  Once that area is clear we will choose another but the commercial diver can't get into the shallows where so many of us can.  A large scale volunteer effort would allow freedivers to get right up to the cliffs and clear the shallows.  Recreational scuba divers could clear areas a little deeper.  I wouldn't want boats going in over head so if we had a number of kaykers volunteer to take full bags from divers and give them empty ones to continue harvesting.  Kayakers could hand the bags off to boats that could empty the bags on the deck of the commercial boat.  I plan on going cove by cove with this as long as the money and the volunteers hold out.

In seven days work the Commercial diver has cleared most of the north side of Caspar.  Two divers at $500 per day are averaging 1500 sq ft cleared per day.  He's focusing on the densest populations in areas that had kelp last year or the year before.  The hope is that we can suppress the urchin enough to allow a significant bloom this year.

I had a meeting in Fort Bragg last Friday with 20-30 more commercial urchin divers to try to persuade them to join our efforts.  $500 per day isn't a lot for these guys so I understand their hesitation but i think the meeting went well.

Thanks for the update.  I recently checked out the Caspar cove on a rougher day and could really tell the difference on where they did the removals.  It looked great.