When Malibu (17,000 acres and 21 miles of coastline) was owned by the Rindge family, they were very vigilant in their efforts to keep progress away from their rancho. The county of Los Angeles, the state of California, the railroad companies and the federal government all wanted to build through their land for an access to and from the northwest and access to all the personal property surrounding the ranch. The Rindge family even built their own railroad through Malibu to move products around the ranch, to the cattle, the tile factory, feed fields and to market.
The transportation laws prohibited two railroads competing side by side which helped the Rindge’s achieve their goal of keeping the big RR companies off of their land. The Rindge’s were upset that people would come on to their land and they would be missing cattle and other staples that the campers, travelers and comuters needed to sustain themselves, unfortunately at the expense of the Rindge family Ranchers. In these early years of horse and buggy travel it took a long time for travelers, commuters to travel through the ranch to get anywhere in or into the surrounding areas and most of the coastal route was only accessable at low tide. High tide waves broke right on the bluffs and rocks in most areas. There was even one area that there was an arch that everyone had to go through at low tide only.
As hard as they fought to protect their individual property rights the state and federal roads departments finally prevailed and were able to put in the Roosevelt Highway, later renamed Pacific Coast Highway. This was a big convenience for the adjacent landowners who prior to that time had to travel through the San Fernando Valley route ‘El Camino Real’ and many miles of back road country roads, to access their homes, farms and ranches. It was a long way.
At the same time this local fight was going on many similar fights were active around the entire nation. President Grant, John Muir and many other environmentalists were grabbing up land to preserve for future generations. Thecongressof the federal government gave to the president the power to automatically create national monuments to be preserved and protected and not destroyed for prsent day profit, recreation or use of any kind. These parklands created much controversy in their day. In hindsight, everyone now thinks that the protection of the park lands and national monuments was genius.
Malibu is now in the same type of fight. The federal government is creating a Marine Life Protection Area (MLPA). It has to do with a MPA mandate created during the Clinton administration, somewhere around 1994. There is controversy regarding this MLPA and the mapped out areas that are a potential to achieve the goal and stated requirement. The California Fish and Game will be making the finale decision around March 2010 and about which map they are going to choose and who is going to lose their right to fish in the ocean and off of the beach. I being a spearfisherman really want them to choose map #2. This will allow all of the residents in and around Point Dume and Paradise Cove to continue their heritage of kayak, skiff, beach, pier, spear and beach sustenance and recreational fishing. Most indigenous peoples (us) are allowed to keep their rights to take game even when protection is encompassed. The right being for food, not for commerce.
How the decisions will all pan out are yet to be seen. I am for the right to keep fishing for food. I am also for protecting the ocean for future generations. My children’s children and so on. I hope the decision makers think long and hard how best to achieve the target goal and not disturb local traditions and if they decide to choose a different map, I will support their decision, even though I don’t think I will like it.
To get involved with this decission, contact me and I will put you in touch with the leaders of the fight. I hope you do.
Jim Wiebe
Resident,
Paradise Cove, Malibu, California, United States of America 90265







