Ships avoid Calif. to skirt pollution rules

VENTURA, Calif. Tighter air pollution rules from the California Air Resources Board went into effect last summer, mandating that ships within 24 miles of the coast burn cleaner fuel.

To skirt this new rule, ships are staying farther out to sea, so they can burn dirtier, cheaper fuel.

As a result, some end up in areas where the Navy conducts missile tests.

The director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California met with mariners, biologists and biologists Friday to try to solve the problem.