Long Lines Return To California Coast

A recommendation that a single longline swordfishing boat be allowed to operate off the California and Oregon coasts next fall has drawn criticism from a conservation group that believes longline fishing threatens endangered sea turtles. The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which manages fisheries along the coast of California, Oregon and Washington, voted 9-4 Friday at its meeting in Seattle to allow operation of the vessel under an exempted fishing permit as an experiment to see if longline fishing could replace drift gillnet fishing off the West Coast, said council staff member Kit Dahl...