2001–2002 - California Sea Grant - UC San Diego

and their contributions to the state’s economic prosperity. Among its
findings:
• The commercial fishing industry generates approximately $550
million in total income and provides nearly 17,000 jobs.
• Recreational fisheries generate $5 billion in personal income and
account for more than 150,000 jobs.
• California’s market squid fishery has emerged as one of the most
important in the state. In the 1990s, it ranked as the largest and most
valuable commercial fishery resource, generating up to $40 million
annually.
• California’s highly variable ocean conditions profoundly influence the
abundance of many marine organisms and add to the complexity of
managing living marine resources.
This comprehensive guide is available from California Sea Grant.
Recreational fishing day boats. Photo: William B.
Folsom, NMFS
San Diego County
LEIGH TAYLOR JOHNSON
Sea Grant Extension Program
University of California Cooperative
Extension
5555 Overland Avenue, Bldg. 4
San Diego, California 92123
ltjohnson@ucdavis.edu
Phone: (858) 694-2852
Fax: (858) 694-2849
http://seagrant.ucdavis.edu
HELPING BOATERS SWITCH TO NONTOXIC PAINTS
Beneath the surface of San Diego Bay there is trouble brewing. Thousands
of recreational boat hulls are slowing leaching toxic copper ions into the
water.
For decades, boaters have relied on paints high in copper to protect
boat hulls from fouling by algae, barnacles and worms. As San Diego has
grown, so have copper levels in the Bay, to the point where the copper
poses environmental and economic threats to animals and people. Local
governments might soon be faced with the high costs of
removing contaminated sediments from the Bay in order to
meet water-quality regulations. There is no law banning
copper paints right now, but regulatory controls may not be
far off.
To help San Diego stay ahead of potentially stricter waterquality
regulations, Sea Grant Marine Advisor Leigh
Taylor Johnson is spearheading a series of projects to
educate the boating community about environmentally
friendly alternatives to copper-based paints.
“We are trying to prepare people for the laws that likely
will be enacted in the next 5 to 10 years,” she said.
After thoroughly researching the issues and available
products, Johnson has published a free brochure that
38