E E Our boat drifted
ever closer to an invis-
ible line in the ocean.
On one side, the one we
were on, we could legal-
ly fi sh. On the other side,
we could not. No signs,
no buoys, no overt in-
dicators to tell you that
your boat has crossed
over into a no-take zone.
But this is the law, nonetheless.
Fortunately, thanks to advanced
marine electronics, familiarity with the
regulations, and a heightened sense of
place, we were careful not to cross that
line. Yet those who are not aware—or
don’t care—and get caught in the wrong
spots might face heavy fi nes, forfeiture
of boat and tackle, suspension of fi shing
licenses, and other penalties.
Such is the danger when fi shing in
the proximity of marine protected
areas (MPAs).
While the West Coast appears to
be ground zero for the establishment
of MPAs, the number is increasing
in many other coastal regions in the
United States and elsewhere.
That’s where a chart plotter and
up-to-date electronic cartography be-
come even more valuable. Because in
the eyes of the law, ignorance is not
a defense.
“For a lot of reasons, an advanced
electronic chart is a vital tool to suc-
cessful angling,” says Shaun Ruge,
director of marketing and product
management for Navionics. “These
charts not only tell you where to fi sh,
but also where not to fi sh.”Maps and Regs
The fi rst step in avoiding MPAs is
becoming educated about the bound-
aries and regulations for each zone
within the region you plan to fi sh. Maps
and regs are published by governmentagencies that manage marine resources
for each area. In the U.S., these are
usually the state departments of nat-
ural resources, or fi sh and game. The
agencies publish booklets and online
materials containing maps, latitude/
longitude coordinates and applicable
rules.
Another—and perhaps more useful—
source, however, are electronic charts
from companies such as C-Map and
Navionics that are provided online and
via mobile apps. On the Navionics web-
site and its app, for instance, you will
fi nd a chart viewer. “You can scroll to
the area you want to fi sh, and fi nd the
outlined areas that designate MPAs,
marine parks, sanctuaries and other
conservation zones,” Ruge says. “The
tighter you zoom in, the clearer the
boundaries appear.”38 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM SEPTEMBER 2019
Charting MPAs
Use electronic cartography to identify and avoid no-take zones.
Jim
Hendricks
Electronic
charts help
keep you legal
when fi shing
near MPAs.FLOAT PLAN/ ELECTRONICS
NO-TAKE ZONE: Garmin’s charts outline
the Alligator Reef Sanctuary in the Keys.