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JohnR, Perhaps the most logical way of managing MPAs would be to base them on sound science and common sense. But the inherent "problem" in fisheries management remains -- it is not simply based on science and what is rational. There are human dimensions -- ethics and values, politics, economics, etc. This is easily evidenced in many government environmental protection lapses, like the snail darter at Tellico Dam. But I think that things like that provide balance and tend to everyone's beliefs. Little bit of preservation, smidgen of management, dollop of destruction. It's a shame that some people do not believe that science provides the answers, that we should be stewards of the environment, that we should practice sustainable use, etc. But that's the way the cookie crumbles, and who are we to say that we are right and that it should be done our way? It would be just as unfair to the PETA freaks or the capitalists if we always got our way. Everyone has to have a turn.
Also, a stumbling block for provisional fishing closures is enforcement and research, which all comes down to funding. It's probably easier for officials to bar all fishing activitiy, rather than check every person fishing to see what they are fishing for and what kind of gear they are using. And how intensive would the research need to be, to figure out if the closures have had the desired results and if fish habitat and populations have grown enough? That's quite a bit to invest when NMFS could just say to people, "go fish elsewhere".
As for the "L" word, I just don't think it will happen. But if for some reason it does, I'll go with it. The money will hopefully go to better management, better research, and better enforcement. Access may be restricted, but life isn't fair; we know that.
I guess my whole point is that I'm defending the management and the scientists. We all know what would be the best choices ecologically, but that's not all we're hired to consider. We work for the government, which is a democratic entity. Not all measures are what we would personally choose. Writing policy that is not always ecologically sound does not occur because we don't know or don't care. It's simply the bane of being a public servant, serving the varied interests of the public.
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