2-Year Talks to Establish Marine Reserve Fail

Two years of consensus-building and compromise among fishermen and environmentalists failed Wednesday to produce a plan to establish the nation’s biggest marine reserve off California.

Federal and state officials had been looking to the Marine Reserve Working Group to develop a community-based consensus on a reserve plan around the five islands that make up Channel Islands National Park.

Talks broke down as the economic concerns of fishermen in the group butted heads with the environmental worries of other members of the panel.

Now, state officials will create their own plan for no-fishing zones subject to federal approval.