DFG adopts new Lobster Regulations
 

The DFG Commission met yesterday in lovely HOT Bakersfield...I was at the meeting to make a couple of statements along with Wayne Kotow and Wendy Tochihara from the CCA CAL.
The Department and the Lobster Advisory Committee have been working on a Fishery Management Plan and a regulatory package since 2012.
The regulatory package was voted on and adopted by the Commission yesterday and will go into effect in the 2017-18 lobster season. Both the Department and the Commission stated they are prepared to make changes in these Regs through their "Adaptive Management" practices if they don't seem to be working out.
The Commercial trappers will get a long-overdue 300 trap limit. They will be allowed to soak their traps for as long as 7 days as opposed to the shorter time frame now allowed. There are a few other changes to the Commercial Regs that are small and I won't go into.
There was a lot of discussion about the actual number of traps that they can actually put in the water and how many tags and traps they should hold back for eventual trap loss during the season. It seemed unfair to reveal this until the adoption hearing so the Commercial guys really raised a fuss over these numbers...I hope the Department works this out for the Commercials.
As far as the Recreational Consumptive users...we did pretty good in these negotiations...
1. We will see new regs on legibly marking our floats with our DFW GO#.
2. The Recreational opener will be changed from a midnight opening time to a 6am time on Saturday morning.
3. Lobsters will be able to be measured by hoop netters above water on the vessel then the shorts must be immediately returned to the water.
4. Divers will be able to carry a spear-gun while looking for lobsters...the spear my be used only to capture legal fin-fish.
The regulation on the marking of a sport caught lobster by hole punching or cutting the tail will not be used as there was much concern by the Commercial guys on sabotage by the Recreationals of short lobsters with a hole punch (thereby keeping the Commercials from capturing them for at least 2 molts). The wording on this Reg is complex and the Department decided to recommend that the Commission discard this proposed Reg.
This was a pretty big Reg package and there was some confusion on the reg numbers during the motion to adopt them...so I really need to go over the package in a few days...but overall I think we did well in this process and we didn't lose any of our hooping or diving rights. :cheers1:
During the public statements "Heal the Bay" once again brought up the fact that they thought the Recreational sector should have given up more during the LAC meetings..specifically a seasonal limit. Wayne from CCA reminded them in his statement that we already have a POSSESSION LIMIT of 7 lobsters and we already have a GEAR LIMIT of 5 or 10 nets maximum on a vessel. The Commercial Trappers have neither a gear or lobster quota at this time so any more restrictions on us would be unfair!
I'll repeat my stand on the seasonal limit since I represent the Recreational Community at most of the LAC or DFG meetings...I do not have a problem with a properly established Seasonal Limit...the problem is getting to a number that we feel is fair while working with the extreme Ecos and the Commercial Trappers.
You can bitch and moan all you want (it's a little late for that, but I know some guys live under a rock and usually wait till it's over to complain)..but the Regs are now adopted and will go into effect in the 2017-18 season.

Seems like we did good as nothing was lost... Especially for kayakers..

The Heal the Bay folks won't complain about commercials cause of hypocrisy...

They still want to eat lobster just don't want average joe to be able to catch them for himself and his family... Greed/jealousy..

Good work Jim and the rest of CCA... And why the hell does the meeting take place in Bakersfield ??

Joining CCA
 

Hi Jim, haven't tried lobstering yet, but I plan to next season.

Meanwhile, I was going to send you a PM on this, but I think it should be public, and maybe more will join. My father is a member of the CCA on the east coast, and wants me to join out here. Should I just send in my national dues, or are their also local chapters out here? I am in the Carlsbad area.

Jim,

Thank you for your efforts and for keeping us informed. Thank you also to the CCA for their support.


Everyone,

This is what the CCA is doing for us! Support the CCA. Join, attend events and spread the word with like-minded individuals. Enviros and Steal-the-Bay have deep pockets and influential backers trying to impose their social conscience on everyone. If we don't have a voice then they get their way.

Thank you for all of your dedication to this Jim! :cheers1:

I'm totally good with a seasonal limit...as long as it's reasonable. What's with the commercials worrying about recreational guys sabotaging their take...They're the ones sabotaging us by their unlimited take!

Thanks Jim.

CCA
 

Angry Turtle...the CCA CAL has San Diego, OC and L.A. Chapters up and running at this time. The S.D. Chapter has a open membership meeting very soon...I'll get the info and date and get back to you or post it up here. That would be the best place for you to meet some of the other CCA members and sign up.

And Thanks for all the kudos guys...!
PLEASE JOIN THE CCA CAL...!

..."And why the hell does the meeting take place in Bakersfield ??"
The DFG Commission tries to meet all over the state to try and give all it's constituents an opportunity to attend the meetings. The meetings about Lobster over the last 2 years have been from San Diego to Sacramento and Santa Rosa...last year in June we were in Mammoth for a meeting. Keeps you busy...!

Thank you very much for time and effort representing us! Without your leadership and desire to help represent us, I believe we would be ' up a creek without a paddle'.
Your the man!!!

Geno

meeting
 

Angry turtle...
The next CCA CAL S.D. Chapter open meeting is scheduled for June 29th from
6 to 8:30pm at the Bay City Brewing Company located at 3760 Hancock St.
S.D. 92110 Phone - 619-727-4926

Joined CCA at Fred Hall!
Thanks for all the hard work to keep our hooping rights!
:cheers1:

Thanks Jim for posting.

I will post it at SC surf fishing site too.