Keeping it Blue Is it just my imagination, or are there measurably more fish in our Laguna waters than a few years ago? While there are those who would argue that the marine protected status was unnecessary, I can attest that the simple view from my SUP board is of increased bounty. Not only herds [...]
In the first major violation of Marine Protected Areas that took affect on Jan. 1, game wardens cracked down on suspected poachers offshore Laguna Beach and seized 47 California spiny lobsters from night divers on Saturday, Jan. 15. From their patrol boat, Department of Fish and Game wardens observed Marbel A. Para, 30, of Romoland, [...]
In a win for ocean conservationists, the state Fish and Game Commission earlier this month finalized marine protections for Southern California, preventing fishing or taking anything from the shorline along most of Laguna Beach, effective Jan. 1 Fishermen are adjusting more than their lines to comply with the new order. Volunteers also are stepping up [...]
Bonnie Mae Osborn Bonnie Mae Osborn, mother of Nancy Wagner and grandmother of Darshan Hodges and a frequent visitor to the coast, died, on Nov. 2 in St. George, Utah. She was 88. She was born on Oct. 13, 1923, in Purdy, Mo., to Clarence and Lena Marshall. She was married to Robert Osborn [...]
By Ted Reckas, Special to the Independent Three weeks before the sanctioned start of the local lobster-hunting season, Rodger Healy motored out of Dana Point Harbor in his boat, loaded with traps. They were rigged with special mesh, small enough to catch everything, including illegal, undersized juvenile lobsters. He hoped to get a good [...]
“Lagunatics” turns a cheerful spotlight on Laguna Beach’s foibles, some old, some new, but none borrowed when the annual roast resumes this Friday at the Festival of Arts’ Forum Theater. Once again, the locals who perform for the next three weekends will ask themselves and their audience “is nothing sacred?” This year, for the 19th [...]
No-fishing restrictions along most of Laguna’s coastline will take effect on Jan. 1, fish and game officials decided last week. The effective date, proposed for late in 2011, was postponed due to litigation over new restrictive provisions in the state’s Marine Life Protection Act by the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans, an alliance of individuals and [...]
Editor, Banning must be fun since we seem to want to ban so much. Some bans are needed and others may be just “nanny state” irritants or losses to freedom. To mention a few we have banned: animals off leash, most downhill skateboarding, smoking on the beach, smoking on some public streets, and late night/over [...]
The effective date that will make most of Laguna Beach’s coastline off-limits to fishing will be delayed past its original Oct. 1 start, fish and game officials said this week. The new date to implement the extensive list of do’s and don’ts, intended to restore ocean habitat from Santa Barbara’s Pt. Conception to the Mexican [...]
Local recreational diver Norm Cole gave up fishing local waters decades ago, when the state imposed a moratorium on hunting abalone. “That was the end of my game taking in Laguna,” said Cole, who still fishes occasionally but nevertheless supports the imposition of a fishing ban effective Oct. 1. The impact of new marine [...]
Editor, Those advocating closing our coast to fishing, collecting, and about everything else make no sense. Fish and Game has always been able to protect our marine environment with effective regulations that are fully supported by all commercial and sports fishing elements. Fish and Game does not need a bunch of bureaucrats driven by environmental extremists [...]
Marine conservation proponents from Laguna Beach joined a sometimes raucous crowd to testify before a state commission in San Diego this past Wednesday considering whether to enact a marine reserve across most of Laguna’s coast. About 800 people packed a conference room to capacity, leaving another 100 stranded outside, to plead their case to the [...]
Marine conservation proponents from Laguna Beach joined a sometimes raucous crowd to testify before a state commission in San Diego this past Wednesday considering whether to enact a marine reserve across most of Laguna’s coast. About 800 people packed a conference room to capacity, leaving another 100 stranded outside, to plead their case to the [...]
Editor, Most days I hit the beach early in the morning, sometimes before dawn, then go home and get ready for the office. Often I see the same man working the shoreline in waders, casting for fish. Good equipment. Looks like he knows what he’s doing. I’ve never seen him catch a fish, but even [...]
The City Council reiterated its support for a city-wide fishing ban and the designation of its entire coastline as a marine reserve, the highest level of protection permitted under state law. The controversial decision, which is still pending before state wildlife officials, ignited heated local debate last June that continues to simmer. At Tuesday’s meeting, [...]
Police Use Taser to Subdue Assault Suspect
An assault involving three men escalated into a struggle with Laguna Beach police, who ultimately deployed a taser twice to subdue the younger combative suspect in the 300 block of Cozumel around 1:15 a.m. Friday, May 10, police said. Police ultimately arrested Laguna Beach resident Sergio Gabriel Borgognone, 51, for allegedly resisting arrest and his [...]
