Conservation groups, marine mammal rescue centers, recreational fishing organizations, businesses, scientists, and state legislative members are calling on the California Fish and Game Commission to take action to address the needless waste California halibut and white seabass set gillnets inflict on California’s marine environment.

• Oceana letter: letter from Oceana to the California Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resource Committee presenting a detailed analysis of the top impacts of concern to ocean animals from entanglement in the California halibut and white seabass set gillnet fishery in accordance with bycatch thresholds under California state law.
• Oceana letter: letter from Oceana to the California Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resource Committee citing that the best available scientific data indicates that new management measures are warranted to ensure the types and amounts of bycatch are reduced to acceptable levels.
• Coalition comment letter: 41 environmental organizations sent a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission urging action to implement solutions to protect California’s marine biodiversity and support selective methods to target California halibut by our fishing communities.
• Fishing and ocean recreation business letter: 42 small ocean and recreational fishing businesses sent a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission and California Department of Fish and Wildlife asking for development of  a comprehensive, science-based plan for managing the California halibut fishery that will, among other things, minimize bycatch of ocean animals and undersized halibut.
• Individual angler letter: 161 individual anglers sent a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission and California Department of Fish and Wildlife asking for a comprehensive plan for sustainably managing the California halibut fishery with an eye toward the future.
• Pacific Marine Mammal Center letter: comment letter sent to the California Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resource Committee detailing the injuries inflicted on marine mammals — particularly California sea lions — from entanglement in monofilament gillnets off Southern California as documented by veterinarians.
• California state legislative letter: 19 California state legislators sent a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resource Committee and California Department of Fish and Wildlife urging that bycatch in the set gillnet fishery be reduced to acceptable levels. Legislators also offered in the letter that if legislative changes or funding is needed, they stand by, ready to help.
• Scientist sign-on letter: 19 scientists sent a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resource Committee citing ecological impacts of bycatch and asking them to thoughtfully consider the impacts of the set gillnet fishery in the context of an ecosystem-based approach, and take further management actions to minimize harmful bycatch.