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Fishing Reports for Local Area - Location |
    
Tsunami (Carl_moore)
New member
Username: Carl_moore
Post Number: 7
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 1:37 pm: | |
Mel, Harold, Mike, Steve, Darby and Bob Hather
You guy's throw one hell of a wing dinger dinner. Had a great time meeting Stacy Meacham(sp?) Dennis from the Little Izzy. Didn't win a raffle prize. Mel I heard the DFG is saying the recs caught around 220 metric ton of lings for November and December of 2003 for just the central and northen coast. Seems high when you consider how many fishable days we had and how few landings we have up here. By the way, I do have one suggestion for the dinner's, how about a good beer?
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Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 33
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 11:55 am: | |
Frinds:
Now it is time to get back to work!
Please scroll down and read the recent post by Harrell Kimball posted on February 21st. The PFMC (federal agency) has been intimidated by the Natural Resources Defense Council (a left-wing extremist group) who is threatening them with a law suit claiming that recreational fishermen will catch too many ling cod this year ... based on evidence of last year's big catch. The PFMC has capitulated to their threats and is proposing to limit us to ONE LING COD WHICH MUST BE 30 INCHES OR LONGER! This is an absurdity. Let me list the background facts for you:
1. Each year the feds set a ling cod harvest quota for the entire west coast (Cal/Oregon/Wash). The garbage data frim MRFSS says that we caught way more than our quota of ling cod last year.
2. Ling cod is listed as an "overfished" species that is in the "rebuilding" phase under the federal Magnuson-Stephens Act.
3. I am willing to concede that we caught a lot of legal ling cod last year and we are catching a lot of "legals" this year (over 24 inches long). The reason we are catching so many is because the ling cod are going through a "population explosion". Anyone who has been fishing regularly in the last few years, knows this fact.
4. NOW, WE HAVE SCIENCE THAT VERIFIES THIS FACT!
The PFMC completed a ling-cod stock assessment in 2003 that shows that the rebuilding of the ling cod population is progressing rapidly. In fact, the feds are proposing a huge increase in the harvest level for 2005-2006. They are proposing levels for 2005-2006 that are DOUBLE the current harvest levels.
6. Now here is the key point!!!!!!!!! In the past, the PFMC and the DFG have been willing to enact emergency closures and also emergency increases in harvest levels when NEW SCIENCE becomes available. For example, in 2002, Dr. Alec McCall came out with his bocaccio study that showed this species was severely depleted. That caused a MID-SEASON closure of all deep water fishing starting on July 1, 2002. On the flip side of that, in 2003, the same Dr. Alec McCall did a new study that discovered that the bocaccio were not in such bad shape after all. So they had an emergency reopening of waters in southern California out to 30 fathoms starting on September 1, 2003 (a mid-season change that benefited recreational fishing).
So .... why doesn't the PFMC enact an emergency increase in the harvest level for 2004 BASED ON THE NEW SCIENCE so that there is no need to change the current ling cod regs?????????????
We need to complain about this in writing to the California Fish and Game Commission. I recommend that you either write a letter to the Executive Director or an e-mail. Please be sure to demand that your letter be a "PART OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD OF THE MARCH 4, 2004 COMMISSION MEETING IN REDDING, CALIFORNIA". We need to have a big statewide letter writing campaign to show the commission that they are off base here.
Write to: Robert R. Treanor, Executive Director
Cal. Fish and Game Commission
1416 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
E-mail to: Calif. Fish and Game Commission
E-mail address: fgc@dfg.ca.gov
If you want the government to stop trampling on your rights, you can pitch in here and help.
Mel. |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 32
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 9:34 am: | |
Friends:
There are two organizations that we forgot to thank at the CCFCC dinner Saturday night (maybe more).
Thank you to Mission Linen of Morro Bay donating all the table cloths.
Thank you to Poor Richard's Press for donating all the printing costs of the tickets (they have been big contributors to all our printing costs in the last year).
We have some big battles coming up concerning the rockfish regulations for 2005-2006. I will keep you posted.
Mel. |
Mike Blackstone (Blackie)
New member
Username: Blackie
Post Number: 22
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 6:26 pm: | |
What a great job last nite guys and gals, the fish was great and the company better, thanks for a great evening.
ps thanks for the new battery
BLACKIE /SR |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 31
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 4:49 pm: | |
Friends:
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
We put out the plea for support on this web site and the response was incredible. Thank you.
Thank you to the People of Morro Bay and all the surrounding communities ... and even those from distant communities who came to our CCFCC fundraiser dinner and made it a huge success. We literally packed the place. Your generosity amazes all of us. I need to thank many people specifically:
1. Thanks to all the CCFCC board of directors who arrived early, stayed late and worked their butts off in between: Harold Davis (Davis Boats), Mike Stanton (Gus's Grocery), Steve Moore (Patriot), Darby Neil (Virg's) and Bob Hather (administrator of FishReports.net).
2. Thanks to the wonderful women who helped sell dinner tickets, raffle tickets and serve the scrumpuous dinner: Ellen Stanton, Janna Neil, Leah Neil, Jessica Neil, Cathy Moore and Ardith Davis.
3. Thanks to the cooks who labored outside in the rain and cold and still did marvelous work feeding about 100 more people than we expected:
John Roffoni, Mike Wilson, Joe Cardoza, Paul Wissler, Clyde Gaines and a hard-working gentleman whose name I don't recall who just arrived and decided to pitch in and help.
4. Thanks to Sharon Rowley who MADE AND DONATED all the desserts ... they were fabulous. Can you imagine the work to make cakes and pies for 300 people. Thanks also to her daughter Michele for helping.
5. Thanks to the bar-tenders who never left their stations ... they just kept pouring that excellent wine and beer: Dan Pease and Don O'Henley.
6. And thanks of course to all the people and businesses who contributed auction and raffle items that made the fundraising part a big success.
The CCFCC will go forward with vigor ... due to this kind of support.
Thanks to all.
Mel. |
Bob Hather (Windfall)
Moderator
Username: Windfall
Post Number: 30
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 8:47 am: | |
I wanted to thank all those on behalf of CCFCC who participated in last nite's CCFCC fund raiser dinner in Morro Bay. We served about 300 fish dinners and heard from Mel de la Motte about the importance of supporting this worthy organization. The event raised about $20,000 that can now be used to help fight for our RIGHT TO FISH.
Bob Hather
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Blackie Jr/ Killer B's (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 5:16 pm: | |
I wonder if the brain surgeons at pfmc stopped to consider the fact that if so many 24"+ ling cod are being caught, there may not be a problem with the numbers. This is the same bullshit they pulled a few years ago which caused the ling cod population to explode to the numbers we have today. Seems like the same logic they used to limit the gopher cod. Next they will be placing a size limit on anchovie and sardies. |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 83
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 6:56 am: | |
There they go again !
Department of Fish and Game
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 04:022 February 20, 2004
Contacts: Tom Barnes, Marine Region, (858) 546-7167
Marci Yaremko, Marine Region, (805) 568-1220
Carrie Wilson, Marine Region, (831) 649-7191
Recreational Lingcod Minimum Size and Bag Limits to Change
To comply with new federal recreational fishing regulations expected to be effective April 1, 2004, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is recommending an increase in the lingcod minimum size limit to 30 inches, and a reduction in the daily bag limit to one fish. The new regulation changes will apply to recreational anglers fishing for lingcod in all waters off California. The DFG will make this recommendation to the Fish and Game Commission at the Commission’s March 4-5, 2004 meeting in Redding, when the Commission will consider taking emergency action to conform to the new federal regulations.
The regulation changes are necessary to ensure that catches of lingcod in California remain at or within the coastwide acceptable harvest levels. The lingcod stock off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington has been formally classified as overfished by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), and is currently managed under a rebuilding plan to achieve recovery of the stock. A key element of the rebuilding plan is to constrain catches to levels that allow the stock to increase to a healthy level within a specified period of time. In 2002 and 2003, coastwide lingcod catches have well exceeded allowable levels needed to achieve rebuilding of the stock.
"While the Department is reluctant to make in-season changes to recreational size and bag limits, this was the only feasible way to keep catches within allowable levels short of prohibiting all take of lingcod,” said Patty Wolf, DFG Marine Regional Manager. “This management approach continues to provide some fishing opportunity for lingcod throughout the remainder of the year, and allows those anglers who catch large fish to retain them.”
The DFG anticipates by increasing the minimum size limit to 30 inches and reducing the allowable daily bag limit to one lingcod per person, California’s lingcod catches will be held to the allotted amount for the recreational fishery. Current regulations allow two fish per person at a minimum size of 24 inches.
Public testimony will be allowed during the March 4-5 Fish and Game Commission meeting. The need for additional measures has been determined in part from new information on fishing during the last part of 2003 which was not available to managers when the current regulations were established prior to the start of the 2004 season.
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Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 30
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 2:53 pm: | |
Fishing friends:
The auction and raffle items at the fish-fry tomorrow night will be spectacular. We will be auctioning off about $8,000 in fishing trips, wine, gear, and other prizes.
We will be giving away in raffle prizes about $3,000 in prizes.
Tickets are only $25 per head and you can buy your tickets at the door. We would like to see a big turn-out. See you there. All money goes to benefit the CCFCC which is fighting to protect recreational fishing rights.
Mel. |
Darby Neil (Darby)
New member
Username: Darby
Post Number: 25
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 11:35 am: | |
If anyone must wait to buy tickets at the door, they will be available, but please call to reserve them so we can plan food. Thanks! We will see you there!! |
Tsunami (Carl_moore)
New member
Username: Carl_moore
Post Number: 6
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 9:43 am: | |
I'm truly sorry to hear Charlie will be leaving us I wish the best for him and his family. He always gave 100% to get us bait. As far as the dinner goes, it just might work out for me, I live in the bay area but plan to be in Morro this weekend, is it possible to purchase tickets at the door? |
Darby Neil (Darby)
New member
Username: Darby
Post Number: 24
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 9:24 am: | |
No it is not true that Charlie, the Billy Boy Baits Captain, is quitting and moving to Montana. He is moving to West Virginia. After 25 years on the boat, Charlie gave me his letter resignation last week to attend to family in West Virginia. He and Pam will be keeping their house in Morro Bay and plan to return but it may be some time.
If you are worried about how you are going to get your live bait, don’t. Live bait is the lifeblood for Virg’s. With no bait no albacore. With no albacore no Virg’s. Get it?
We will be interviewing captains but the most likely person is Matt Lions. I have plans for new seal proof receivers and possibly a seine net so the boat can get live squid.
Be at the dinner this Saturday night 6pm at the Morro Bay Community Center. Tickets are $25. The purpose of the dinner is to raise funds to protect our right to fish and have a great time doing it. This will be a great dinner. Lots of great raffle prizes and auction items. Come and bring some friends.
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Marc Riley (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 9:37 pm: | |
Thinking of replacing my outboard, currently running an older 150hp. Anyone have a lead on a good used late model engine? Marc |
Tsunami (Carl_moore)
New member
Username: Carl_moore
Post Number: 5
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 9:29 am: | |
I recently heard Charlie (Billy Boy)is packing it up and moving to Montana, is this true? Are there any plans for some one to run bait operation? |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 29
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 4:00 pm: | |
Fishermen:
I am going to be "bugging" you guys all week to buy tickets to the Saturday dinner at Morro Bay Community Center. $25 per ticket. We would like you to buy tickets ahead of time or at least call me (544-2424) to let me know you are coming (I'll set aside tickets at the door for you). We need to get a "head-count" so we will know how much food. Last year we had to scramble to get some extra steaks because so many people showed up at the last minute....
Get tickets from Virg's, Patriot Sportfishing, Four Season's Outfitters.
We will have some great raffle prizes and really nice auction items. This is a nice dinner to bring the spouse to ....
Mel. |
wayne sebern (Seburner)
New member
Username: Seburner
Post Number: 1
Registered: 2-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 4 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 1:47 pm: | |
Fished with Harley Boos yesterday on his 25' Bahia (Saltydoc). We fished Ragged Point in 60' of water and limited out on some nice reds,jonny bass, gopher cod, kelp bass and three nice lings. Wind came up early blowing 15-20 mph out of the south. Wayne |
Stacey Meacham (Stacey)
New member
Username: Stacey
Post Number: 14
Registered: 8-2003
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 13, 2004 - 10:35 pm: | |
We fished Cambria today for some fat reds and nice lings. We worked the kelp patties North of the launch in 40-60 feet of water with fish traps and scampis.  |
George C (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 5:36 pm: | |
Is anyone having gps problems around Dialbo? |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 28
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 9:22 am: | |
Fishermen:
PLEASE SUPPORT CCFCC.
THE NEXT FEW YEARS WILL BE CRUCIAL. WE HAVE A NEW DFG DIRECTOR AND HE IS SUPPOSEDLY A "FRIEND OF FISHERMEN". HE NEEDS TO REALLY SHAKE UP HIS DEPARTMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT (BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL) ARE STILL ON A MISSION TO CLOSE DOWN RECREATIONAL FISHING WITH A)SHORTER SEASONS, B) LOWER HARVEST LEVELS, AND C)NO-FISH RESERVES UP AND DOWN THE STATE.
PLEASE, BUY TICKETS TO THE CCFCC FUNDRAISER ON FEBRUARY 21, 2004 (NEXT SATURDAY) AT MORRO BAY COMMMUNITY CENTER AT 6:00 P.M. FISH FRY WITH COMPLIMENTARY BEER AND WINE ... DOOR PRIZE, RAFFLE PRIZES, REAL NICE AUCTION ITEMS. COST OF A TICKET IS ONLY $25. SO BUY A FEW!!! WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. WE ARE FIGHTING TO PROTECT YOUR RECREATIONAL FISHING RIGHTS!
GET TICKETS FROM VIRG'S, PATRIOT SPORTFISHING, ANY CCFCC DIRECTOR, FOUR-SEASONS OUTFITTERS IN SLO, OR CALL CCFCC (544-2424). OR BUY TIX AT THE DOOR.
See you there!
Mel. |
Terry Schafer (Bigbarterry)
New member
Username: Bigbarterry
Post Number: 1
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 6:38 pm: | |
Went out of Morro Bay today and headed up to Cambria. The ocean was a little bumpy right out of the harbor but when we passed the abalone farm the water got like a lake so we went for San Simean. We had a great day, there was three of us on the boat and we all got our limits. I got a nice ling a huge cabazon and lots of nice reds. We had the whole ocean to ourselfs there was only a couple of boats in the water.My buddy Tony and I are going out again tomorrow looks like another nice day. My boat is called (The other Woman) 21 ft Striper hope to see you guys out there.Tight lines |
Pete A. (Aloha_kai)
New member
Username: Aloha_kai
Post Number: 9
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 3:37 pm: | |
Looks like the party boats out of Fort Bragg are getting a pretty regular salmon bite on their cod jigs, too, which hopefully points to a good early season. |
Andrew Dunn (Drew_2452)
New member
Username: Drew_2452
Post Number: 2
Registered: 12-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 2:38 pm: | |
The salmon in Morro Bay was released I hope this is a sign of things to come I hope we get some decent fish this year. |
fishhunter (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 1:20 pm: | |
Can you legally keep salmon right now,i thought the season for salmon opened up April 4th. |
Michael Gorgita (Gdoggsb)
New member
Username: Gdoggsb
Post Number: 5
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 11:00 am: | |
I saw that the Virges boat had a salmon in the count..any other good news from the dock around there???? I am heading that way for the openner. |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 27
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 9:42 am: | |
Friends:
Good reception at Court of Appeals. The three justices seemed to know the issues and gave the Attorney General a hard time. They could not understand why recreational fishermens' fishing rights could be taken away with zero evidence or data suggesting that nearshore fishery was having problems.
That does not mean we will win on appeal. Only means that they are thinking seriously about these issues. It is very hard to overturn a Superior Court ruling. We will get a ruling in about 30-45 days I would guess.
Mel. |
waverunner (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 7:07 am: | |
Vessel Assist has been bought out by another company (Boat USA I think). I have had vessel assist for several years and only used their trailer towing service which was not that good. I don't think there are any tow companies that serve our area but if you do get towed, they reimburse you for the tow. |
Pete A. (Aloha_kai)
New member
Username: Aloha_kai
Post Number: 8
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:49 pm: | |
Thanks for the heads up on the Vessel Assist, may just save my coins until we start towing up or down. Pete |
Pete A. (Aloha_kai)
New member
Username: Aloha_kai
Post Number: 7
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:48 pm: | |
Actually, grew up on Pohnpei (Ponape) Island in Micronesia; Hawaii was our big city, and where I hope to end up one of these days. Ran a small charter boat in Pohnpei, mainly whipping for giant trevalley (ulua) around the passes, and trolling for marlin and yellowfin outside the barrier reef. Miss that warm water! Pete |
Dustin DesJardins (Farmerd)
New member
Username: Farmerd
Post Number: 28
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 5:32 pm: | |
With a nickname like that Pete ...are you from the Islands? Lived there myself for awhile, my Dad has been there for 15 years and I still enjoy visiting. Fished a few times for some mixed Dodos and small Ahi .... but never could get into a wide open bite like we get around here during Tuna season.
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Dustin DesJardins (Farmerd)
New member
Username: Farmerd
Post Number: 27
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 5:29 pm: | |
Pete,
NO coverage up here ...... have to call the Coast Guard with any problems. I have never purchased vessal assist for this reason, but with the up coming White Sea Bass bite off the channel islands I will sign up anyway. Had to be towed in last year for the first time with an electrical problem around the Cambria area. Coast Guard was there in 45 min and were very nice guys .....so no need for it up here but if your going to dunk the boat in the water south of here be sure to have it.
Dustin |
Pete A. (Aloha_kai)
New member
Username: Aloha_kai
Post Number: 6
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 10:36 am: | |
Does anyone know if there is currently a Vessel Assist towboat in the Morro Bay/Avila area? Time to renew my membership, but want to be sure that we have coverage. Thanks, Pete |
Blackie Jr / Killer B's (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 9:19 am: | |
We went north to the Cambria area on Friday and had a decent day of rock fishing. The weather was outstanding. We finished the day with full limits of blues and a few reds. We were one ling short of limits with a total of 5 fish in the 8-10 pound range. If you are looking for a good mechanic, try Pacific Marine in SLO. Paul did a great job of fixing an electrical problem that another local mechanic tried to fix for several months and several hundreds dollars. See you guys on the water. |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 26
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 8:43 am: | |
Friends:
I will be participating in "oral argument" in the Court of Appeals today on our fishing case. This case is about our efforts to stop the 6-month season in 2003 and restrain the DFG from enforcing the low total harvest level.
It is true that it is a "moot point" and we cannot recapture the season ... but if the Court of Appeals finds that the trial court was wrong in denying us relief, we can get declaratory relief and it will be helpful in stopping this misbehavior by DFG in the future.
We certainly have the "long oar" in this proceeding. We have to prove that the trial court "abused its discretion". Courts of Appeals have a hard time saying the trial court "abused its discretion". But, like I say ... you can't catch fish without putting your worm in the water. We have to try to do what is right! We will get a ruling in about a month.
Mel. |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 25
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 11:06 am: | |
Friends:
Okay, I cheated a little ... Yes, that ling cod came from Sitka, Alaska. It was my biggest ling (45 pounds). It was not ling-season so I had to throw it back. That's my boat-partner Bob Wendt behind me in the photo. My wife, Janet, took the picture. Bob Wendt and I (and other guests) spent five-weeks on our boat in Alaska last summer. Was a trip "of a lifetime."
Remember, get your tickets to February 21 dinner at Morro Bay Community Center. Tickets available at Virg's, Patriot Sportfishing, Four Season's Outfitters, or call CCFCC office (544-2424).
Had different experience than Bob Hather yesterday. We traveled with John Rowley on the "Princess" up above the light house above San Simeon for great fishing. All 26 on board caught limits of ling cod and rockfish. I saw four lings in the 10-12 pound class. The water was perfect. T-shirt weather. We actually got a 13 hour trip for the price of a 10 hour trip. I think everyone was pleased with the fishing. There was a guy from WON on the trip taking photos, so you may see an article about the trip soon in the WON.
Last Thursday, I went on the Patriot down to Purisma with a full boat. Not that many lings or reds, but all the big bolina you could want.
I want to highly recommend the Thursday trips to Purisma by Patriot Sportfishing and the Friday long-range trips with Virg's. These landings really bust their butts to give the customer a great trip. Support these guys during tough times for the entire industry.
Mel. |
Bob Hather (Windfall)
Moderator
Username: Windfall
Post Number: 29
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 9:55 am: | |
We went rock fishing at our usual spot around Point Buchon Friday afternoon and couldn't get the fish to bite. We fished 80-130 ft of water and could only catch two reds and two lings in a span of two hours. Harley Boos on the Salty Doc was playing hooky from work as well and fished south at Sal and below for limits of bolina.
Bob Hather |
T D (Boatman)
New member
Username: Boatman
Post Number: 2
Registered: 2-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 9:49 am: | |
Problems with a Volvo D-4 or D-6 Diesel contact me. I too am having problems. E-mail me at tdboat@ojai.net |
T D (Boatman)
New member
Username: Boatman
Post Number: 1
Registered: 2-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 9:43 am: | |
Is anyone having trouble with a New Volvo D-4 or D-6 Diesel engine??? I am having extensive electrical / computer problems with mine. Neither Volvo nor the dealer have been unable to fix the problems after many attempts to correct them over many weeks. Three software programs have been loaded, still not working. |
FISHHUNTER (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 12:48 pm: | |
HEY MEL ,WHERE DID YOU CATCH YOUR LINGCOD AT? |
Mike Blackstone (Blackie)
New member
Username: Blackie
Post Number: 21
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 7:52 pm: | |
I do belive I detect snow in the crevasse in yonder mountains, could this be an alaskan ling? NICE FISH |
Tuna Killer 805 (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 5:01 pm: | |
Nice Ling!! Is that you mel. Thanks for the hard work.
Tuna Killer |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 24
Registered: 9-2003
Rating:
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 11:31 am: | |
There out there Boys!
Mel. |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 23
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 10:18 am: | |
Friends:
Here are three IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:
1. Oral argument on appeal in Ventura on lawsuit of CCFCC vs. Dept. of F&G and Fish and Game Commission is set for 1:30 p.m. on FEBRUARY 10, 2004.
2. 2nd Annual Morro Bay CCFCC Fundraiser Dinner is set for February 21, 2004 at 6:00 p.m. at the Morro Bay Community Center. This will be an old fashioned fish-fry with door prize, auctioon and many good raffle prizes. Cost is $25 per ticket. Call CCFCC office at 544-2424 for tickets or get tickets at Virg's Landing or Patriot Sportfishing or Four Season's Outfitters in SLO.
3. Oral argument on CCFCC motion for attorneys fees concerning lawsuit against Fish & Game concerning rockfish closure at end of 2003 is set for 9:00 a.m. on February 24, 2004 at the Veterans Building in San Luis Obispo.
Melvin de la Motte, Jr.
President of CCFCC
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Bob Hather (Windfall)
Moderator
Username: Windfall
Post Number: 28
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 8:53 pm: | |
We went rock fishing at 2:15pm Tues afternoon at Point Buchon and had good catches of reds by 4:00. We used 7 in plastics on 2 oz lead heads in 100 ft of water. We also threw back 7 or short lings. Thanks Mel for your report below on the DFG meeting. By the way, Darby said that this week they had two 35 pound halibut caught on their party boats by rock fishermen.
Bob Hather |
Jack / Valhalla (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating:
Votes: 5 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 4:13 pm: | |
I thought this might be of interest to those who have not seen it. F & G regs.
The 2004 Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations Book is now available online
(at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/sportfishing_regs2004.html ). As a
courtesy, we've attached it here for those of you who would like to
download it to your computers for easy reference. The PDF version of
the
2004 Regulations Book has each Section bookmarked to facilitate looking
up some of the more heavily referenced sport fishing regulations.
Also online are supplemental color plates and diagrams that will be
included in the printed version of the 2004 Ocean Sport Fishing Book
(listed below):
State Record Sport Fishermen (Cover of the printed booklet)
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/sportfishing_regs2004photos.html
Important Rockfishes
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/sportfish_regs/rockfishes.pdf
Map of Channel Islands Marine Protected Areas (updated by Gina Wade)
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/sportfish_regs/ci_mpa.html
Measurement Methods for Finfish and Invertebrates
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/measurement.pdf
Selected Nearshore Fishes of California
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/sportfish_regs/nearshore_fishes.pdf
We hope you find these online publications helpful!
The Marine Region Communications Team
Attachment
2004_California_Ocean_Sport_Fishing_Regulations_with_Bookmarks.pdf
.pdf file
Scan and Download Attachment
Scan and Save to my Yahoo! Briefcase
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Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 22
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: 
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 12:04 pm: | |
Friends:
Okay, the meeting is over and things were just as bad (if not worse) as we anticipated. Here is a summary of the meeting and the current prognosis for the 2005-2006 season.
Steve Moore and I met with the staff-marine biologists for DFG in Los Alamitos on December 16, 2003. Over an entire day, we hammered out the key needs and concerns of recreational and commercial fishing in California.
Here they are:
1. We need to reduce the 50% "precautionary" reduction factor which has cut our annual harvest quota in half and the fishing season in half.
2. We need to eliminate in-season adjustments that lead to closures mid-season. Other fishing and hunting seasons are not faced with closures when certain quotoas are met.
3. We need to eliminate the 60-20 rule and adopt the federal 40-10 rule. (This is a complicated issue about stock rebuilding that I will not waste time on here because the issue will not come up for at least 15-20 years from now).
Okay, so how did DFG respond to our key needs.
At the meeting in Oakland yesterday (January 26)they essentially said there is absolutely no flexibility on their part and we are stuck with these rules indefinitely. I ended up walking out of the meeting. So did Steve Moore. The long range ramifications are even worse.
In 2005-2006 it is likely that despite the continuing good health of the nearshore fishery the DFG will continue to suppress fishing quotas to HALF of the amount allowed in the late 1990s. That means we will probably use up the harvest quota in 4-6 months every year for the foreseeable future.
The MLMA legislation madates that the DFG monitor and regulate 18 fish species in the nearshore waters. They are suppose to complete fish-stock surveys on all 18 species under the legislation. Since the legislation went into effect (1998), DFG has ONE SINGLE fish-stock survey on Black Rock Fish. (And that was completed by the federal government ... the DFG did not pay a dime for the study). Yesterday, the representatives of the DFG said that there MIGHT BE 2 more studies completed by the end of 2004. I asked what the projection was for future studies. We were told that DFG is hopeful to complete about one per year. At that rate, they will complete the fish stock surveys on the 18 species FIFTEEN YEARS FROM NOW ... let me repeat that ... 15 years from now. In the meantime, they will be in a "data-poor" situation and will suppress fishing by a 50% factor EVERY SINGLE YEAR FOR THE NEXT 15 YEARS!!!!!
They did not show any flexibility on this issue at all .... ZERO. By current DFG projections, every single fishing landing that has any reliance on rockfishing will be bankrupt long before the process is done.
IS THERE ANY HOPE ... EVEN A GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE?????????
Yes, here are my thoughts:
1. The new Director is suppose to be a friend of fishermen. When he sees what is happening, I think that he may see that the 50% reduction factor taken our of the Nearshore Fishery Management Plan is the real problem. He already put the MLPA on the "back burner". That was the program aimed at creating "marine preserves" up and down the coast. Maybe he will put the whole Nearshore Fishery Management Plan also on the "back burner" because most of the plan will never be funded by the state. The NFMP anticipated that all 18 species would have fish stock surveys immediately. It is not fair to "cherry pick" the repressive policy guidelines and ignore the mandate to do the fish stock surveys. Put the whole project on the back burner and go back to regs and harvest quotas for 1998 (the year the MLMA was enacted). This is one real options. If left wing extremists believe that the nearshore fishery is threatened, then they can pay for the fish stock surveys to prove it.
2. The local Cal Poly on-board fishing study is a real glimmer of hope. We have received real support for this project statewide and I think that it would provide good science that would show the health of the nearshore fishery. If we can get the unequivocal endorsement and support of the DFG in this endeavor, then we can get essential fishery information right way in the next couple years that can be used for setting reasonable harvest levels.
3. It may be that the last recourse in more law suits against the DFG. We learned a lot in our last two lawsuits. We will be much better prepared. We know their legal weaknesses. We think our chances are much much better this time around. We will have much better and more ammunition to attack the federal data collecting program called MRFSS which is the root cause of the low harvest levels and the cause of seasonal shut-downs. If we could get each fishing landing up and down the state to contribute $2,000 to be named as a plaintiff, we could raise about $200,000 for this lawsuit. It is definitely being considered for later this year if things continue to deteriorate.
Friends: We are locked in a battle to save recreational fishing. We cannot put our heads in the sand. If the DFG had their way, we would have only gotten 4 1/2 months of rockfish angling last year. They may be talking about a closure this year in July or August for the entire rest of the year ....
THE CCFCC HAS A BIG FUNDRAISER SET FOR FEBRUARY 21, 2004 AT THE MORRO BAY COMMUNITY CENTER. COST IS ONLY $25 PER TICKET. BE THERE. IT WILL BE A FUN EVENT AND YOU WILL BE UPDATED ON ALL THE FISHING POLITICS. STARTS AT 6 P.M. CALL ME FOR TICKETS (544-2424)
One thing you need to think about. If you would normally go bottom-fishing 10 or 15 times per year ... then you need to get those 10-15 trips in before July ... because there is no assurance that we will get past July. Most people in the state think that we will be able to go on rockfish trips until December of 2004 ... that is unlikely. Now that you are educated on the potential closure this year, you know that you need to get your rockfish angling in early.
Mel.
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Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 21
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 11:11 am: | |
Friends:
Steve Moore (Patriot Sportfishing) and I are going to Oakland for a task force meeting on the proposed 2005-2006 fishing regulations. The meeting starts tomorrow at 10 a.m. So far, the documents they have been sending us do NOT LOOK GOOD! All of our efforts to get them to drop the 50% reduction in harvest level (to account for their own ignorance and lack of data) seem to have come to naught.... they say this reduction is mandated by the Nearshore Fishery Management Plan. This plan has not been funded ... but they pluck this out of the plan to suppress our fishing efforts.
We will report back to you later this week.
Mel. |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 82
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 6:00 pm: | |
Salmon Season opens April 3rd this year and no punchcards are required for ocean caught Salmon in this area. |
Mike Blackstone (Blackie)
New member
Username: Blackie
Post Number: 20
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 5:13 pm: | |
I dont think you need punch cards for ocean run salmon, and I think it opens in March
Blackie/Killer Bs |
Bill McGadden (Reel_magic)
New member
Username: Reel_magic
Post Number: 2
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 11:03 am: | |
when does salmom season start? Where do we get the salmom punch cards? |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 81
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 23, 2004 - 6:16 pm: | |
It's official ! The 2004 regs have cleared the OAL and are available on the DFG website. They are 48 pages and I will be printing a copy this evening. |
Steve+@+Patriot (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 6:01 pm: | |
In my opinion, you can thank Arnold for the fact that WE ARE FISHING. Almost every year the OAL does not get the current season made into law by the 1st of the year. It usually does not matter because the current year is worse than the previous. This was not the case this year as this years season is much better than last year. I think that Arnold told the Dept. LET THEM FISH. Steve at Patriot |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 80
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 3:11 pm: | |
ROCKFISHING IS OPEN !!
FISH AND GAME HAS DIRECTED THE WARDENS TO OPERATE UNDER 2004 REGS.
SO GO GET UM !
This came from Warden Dennis McKiver on the Coastside Fishing Club website. |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 79
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 2:46 pm: | |
Technically it is closed because the 2004 regs are not filed with the OAL (?) dept yet !! The 2003 regs are in effect. This came from DF&G. Are they writing citations ? Don't know . Just be thankfull we don't get all the government we pay for. |
Eric R. (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 1:54 pm: | |
I'm confused! Are rockfish open or not? DFG website says no ... http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mapregs4.html
Eric |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 78
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 12:25 pm: | |
The new director of the Department of Fish and Game promised to bring state agency back to its roots.
Ryan Broddrick, who will be introduced formally today, is the first DFG director in history who is a former game warden, wildlife scientist and DFG executive, as well as a fisherman and hunter.
"The first thing I am going to do is re-establish that you have a director who will engage with employees and the public," Broddrick said. "Of course I will take a hard look at the budget. I don't want to pay for programs now that can't be sustained. What we decide by May and June will set the course for the next three years."
Broddrick is a former chief deputy director of the DFG who quit the past administration three years ago to work as a wildlife scientist for Ducks Unlimited. He's also a former state game warden based in the Bay Area who once jumped into the bay in full uniform and swam after an illegal gill-netter.
By appointing Broddrick, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger fulfills a pre- election promise he made to the California Sportfishing Coalition that he would select a qualified director who would emphasize fishing and hunting. In the Davis Administration, biodiversity programs and studies swelled to 41 percent of the DFG budget while the state's 2.3 million anglers paid for the highest-priced fishing licenses in the nation.
Broddrick met with the Gov. Schwarzenegger on Thursday to finalize the appointment.
Broddrick said environmentalists should not feel disenfranchised at the direction the DFG will take.
"There are folks who still want us to do $72 million of habitat resource work, but we're not going to have the general fund money to support it," Broddrick said.
Yet if the legislature orders a mountain-lion-habitat study or a detailed timber review, for instance, Broddrick said the work still would be done, providing the legislature paid for it with general fund money, not by the sales of fishing licenses.
Broddrick also said he immediately would order an analysis of state lands administered by the DFG purchased by bond money.
"We've got these huge landscapes that have been purchased through the Wildlife Conservation Board, well over a billion dollars (from Props. 12, 13, 40, 50 and 206)," Broddrick said. "I don't want to be in a position where the department can't provide access to the public for the state lands they have paid for."
E-mail Tom Stienstra at tstienstra@sfchronicle.com.
©2004 San Francisco Chronicle | Feedback | FAQ
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Anonymous
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 5:33 am: | |
I just read an article in Western Outdoor news where CFG warden Carrie Wilson said if you do not cooperate with the fish surveys you can have your fishing license revoked. Can they force us to cooperate like that? |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 20
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 2:00 pm: | |
Friends:
Everyone should read Steve Moore's most recent post. He is right on target. An anonymous writer is worthy of little concern ... he or she is a coward who will not stand behind his/her position.
I repeat what Bob Hather said ... the fundraiser last night was fantastic. I SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CCFCC IN THANKING BOB HATHER FOR HIS TIRELESS WORK ON THIS PROJECT. HE PULLED OFF THIS VERY SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER ALMOST SINGLEHANDEDLY ... GOOD WORK BOB ... AND GOOD LUCK TODAY WITH THE FISHING.
[By the way, there will be another fundraiser at the Morro Bay Community Center on February 21, 2004. Look for more info here. Tickets will be available at Virg's, Patriot, and other Board of Director members ... or by contacting the CCFCC office at 544-2424.
Mel. |
Bob Hather (Windfall)
Moderator
Username: Windfall
Post Number: 27
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 5:59 am: | |
Thanks to all who supported the CCFCC fund raiser at the Avila Yacht Club last nite. We had the room packed to capacity and netted $13,750 in proceeds and it was a lot of fun. I'm fishing off of Cambia today for reds and lings and will post when I return.
Bob Hather |
John Carvour (Agent_86)
New member
Username: Agent_86
Post Number: 4
Registered: 8-2003
Rating:
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2004 - 2:13 pm: | |
Anonymous reveals its true identity |
Darby Neil (Darby)
New member
Username: Darby
Post Number: 23
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: 
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2004 - 10:42 am: | |
Gale warning in effect!! It's blowing awful hard around here.
Note: When you're going to call someone a girl, be man enough to put your name on it!!
Girls rule! 42 lb. BF
 |
Anonymous
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 10:28 pm: | |
Here... |
Anonymous
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 10:25 pm: | |
You guys are a bunch of girls. |
Steve+@+Patriot (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 8:09 pm: | |
I would like to comment to the previous two post. First , while I do not agree with Mel on whether or not to talk to the observer in our area, I do agree with him on his assesment of Recfin. This is a data base as stated. The way that it is used however is criminal. We have never had a problem with the actual data collected dockside, but how it is used when it reaches its MRFSS estimates. The list of examples of how this data has been skewed would take me longer than the previous post. Trust me, it is absolute evil garbage.
Next, to our obiously informed of how the process works previous poster. First , I wish you would reveal yourself. While yes, you seem to understand how the process works, I do not beleive that all the space you used to describe it really means much. When dealing with the 19 species of nearshore rock fish that inhabit State waters, there has never been a stock assesment of any of these species. So, please explain to me how we have an O.Y.? How do we figure a TAC or how does the GAP or the SSC have any input into what the catch and the season should be regarding these fish? What about the fact that the MLMA put into law by the State in 1998 requires that the State know what is in its waters? Interestingly enough, all of the State bioligist involved in the 1988 to 1998 Party Boat survey which is the closest thing to any kind of nearshore assesment ever done, was killed by the F and G directorate so that these same bioligist could work on the MLMA. I as well as the CCFCC and other groups got together with Cal Poly this year and restarted the Party Boat Survey. Apples to Apples. And guess what? The CPUE over 15 years did not change dramatically either up or down. So why are we being regulated out of business? As far as those species that have had assesments. Let's take the Boccaccio as an example. In 2002 Dr McCaul of NMFS tells us Boccaccio will need over 100 to 300 years to rebuild. All of us who spend any time on the water are shocked. We cannot stay away from this fish. Some of us take your advise and go to the council meeting and tell them what a crock this is. The coucil tells Dr. McCaul to do the survey again. 2003 The new survey shows boccaccio everwhere.I do not disagree that we have to become involved in the process, (which, obviously I have) but I after attending all of these meetings and sitting in with the GMT, the SSC, and the GAP I still do not have any faith in the system. There is an underridding current that is wrecking the process. We have watched it happen the last four years, yet we will not give up. As you said , the resource belongs to all of us and I intend the protect my rights to access that resource forever, No one more than a fisherman needs a fish in the water. We will fish responsibly. Yet we will fish. Steve at Patriot |
Anonymous
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 4:09 pm: | |
Fishery regulations have recently increased dramatically. New methods of measuring the health of fisheries have evolved, and the framework in which fishery managers must operate has been more narrowly defined. More than ever, fishermen need to understand the biological basis of regulation as well as the regulatory process. Well-informed fishermen can become an integral part of the process rather than the objects of regulation.
Fish are a common property resource. Many fishermen, frustrated by unwanted regulation, wonder why government officials have the right to tell them how much they can catch, where and when they can catch it, and how they can catch it. For example, in the case of common (public) grazing areas in England, grass soon disappeared as citizens put more and more sheep on the land held in common. Everyone lost as "the commons" became overgrazed and this became known as "the tragedy of the commons." To prevent this, most common property resources are held in trust and managed for the people by state or federal government agencies. Fish living in public waters are such a common property resource. The government has the responsibility of managing the fish for the benefit of all citizens, even those who do not fish.
Fishery managers are directed by elected officials. Managing fishery resources is ultimately the responsibility of elected officials. Elected officials in most states and in the federal government, however, have delegated much of that responsibility to resource agencies that employ people trained in the sciences of fishery biology, economics, and natural resource management. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is the federal government agency with primary responsibility for managing marine fish from three miles to 200 miles offshore. Coastal states are responsible for inshore waters and offshore waters out to three miles and for adopting regulations which support higher level management.
Legislation directs and organizes managers and officials. The Magnuson Act created eight regional fishery management councils. Each council develops fishery management plans (FMP’s) for the stocks in their geographical region. Each council is made up of representatives from the agencies that are in a council's region. Council members who vote include: each state's director of marine fisheries or equivalent, a person knowledgeable or experienced in recreational or commercial fishing, or marine conservation, from each state who is nominated by the governor and selected by the Secretary of Commerce, at-large members from any of the states in the region and who are selected by the same process as above. Councils also have a Scientific and Statistical Committee and Advisory Panels to help formulate FMPS. The Scientific and Statistical Committee is usually made up of university and government (state and federal) professionals knowledgeable in technical areas such as statistics and fishery biology. Advisory Panels consist of people knowledgeable in commercial and recreational fisheries or who represent other interests.
The Magnuson Act requires management plans. The legislation that directs how the NMFS manages the nation's fisheries is the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, also known as the Magnuson Act. The Magnuson Act created the eight regional fishery management councils. The councils produce fishery management plans (FMPS) with public input that describe the nature and problems of a fishery along with regulatory recommendations to conserve the fishery. After approval by the Secretary of Commerce, regulations that implement management measures in the FMP become federal law and are enforced by NMFS and are usually adopted by the states.
Management plans require conservation to prevent overfishing. Fishery management plans contain a great deal of information on the biology of the stock (or stocks) as well as the fishery (landings, gear, fishing grounds, processing, markets, etc). A plan identifies problems in a fishery and proposes management measures in the form of fishing regulations that will correct the problems. Conservation and management measures work to prevent overfishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield for each fishery. Conservation and management measures are based on the best scientific information available and take into account and allow for variations among fishery resources and catches. Plans define overfishing, outline actions to prevent overfishing and, when overfishing already exists, recommend actions to rebuild the stocks in a specified period of time.
Conservation is usually required for optimum yield. Optimum yield means the amount of fish which will provide the greatest overall benefit to the nation with particular reference to food production and recreational opportunities. If fishing effort is too high, it usually means that there are too many boats or anglers in the fishery. Fishery managers sometimes call this over-capitalization. This means more has been invested in boats and/or gear (fishing power) than the fishery can support. If no new boats are added to a fishery, but each boat doubles its fishing power by carrying twice as much gear or anglers or using new technology (sonar, GPS, etc.) the new effort can have the same effect as doubling the number of boats. The basic goal of fishery biology is to estimate the amount of fish that can be safely removed (total allowable catch - TAC) while keeping the fish population healthy. These estimates may be modified by political, economic, and social considerations. Optimum yield is based on the maximum amount of fish that can be harvested safely, but is modified by economic, social, and ecological factors. This may include the goals of providing seafood to consumers and recreational fishing experience and its contribution to the economy.
Conservation for optimum yield is controlled by regulations. Regulation strategies have developed over time to control access and catch sizes which minimize the impact and cost on fishermen and managers. Sometimes these regulations can seem unreasonable to fishermen when the details of the plan or mechanism or action are unknown. Most regulations are aimed at reducing overall annual catch rate. In order to calculate catch rates, fishery biologists divide the yearly landings by the fishery “effort” to calculate the catch-per-unit effort (CPUE equals catch rate). For example, 30,000 pounds of rockfish caught by 6,000 days of fishing effort gives a catch-per-unit of effort of 5 pounds per day. In a longline fishery, the effort might be called hook-hours while in a recreational fishery is called angler days. The catch-per-unit effort is directly related to the amount of fish in the stock. A decline in CPUE usually indicates a decline in the stock. Management efforts are usually aimed at the total catch by making it more difficult to take fish, but sometimes they limit effort directly to make the remaining effort more efficient. Limiting effort results in fewer fishing days but increases catch per day.
Optimum yield is determined by stock assessment. One of the simplest stock assessment methods requires almost no knowledge about the biology of the stock. However, good information about the fishery is required. In this assessment, the manager only needs to look at the history of landings for the stock and the effort expended to catch the stock. The key word here is effort. Landings data (the amount of fish caught and landed per year) alone are not very useful. Landings data are often used to suggest that there are problems in a fishery. Declines in landings or increases in landings are signals that something has changed in the fishery. In either case, the effort by fishermen to catch the stock must be considered. The catch-per-unit effort is the appropriate way to evaluate changes in catch because CPUE is an indicator of stock abundance. Problems arise in measuring effort over time in a fishery that may have changed from sailboats pulling one net to diesel-powered vessels with sophisticated electronics pulling multiple nets. When both the catch and the catch-per-unit effort decline, it is an indication that the stock is probably overfished. This means too much effort is being applied for the stock to maintain itself. The obvious solution is to reduce the amount of fishing until the catch-per-unit effort returns to the earlier stages of the fishery. The problem is that by the time there is a clear decline in catch-per-unit effort; stocks may be well overfished, even to the point of collapse.
Stock assessment is based on catch, effort and biology. Stock assessment is all of the activities that fishery biologists do to describe the conditions or status of a stock. The result of a stock assessment is a report on the health of a stock and recommendations that would maintain or restore the stock. Stock assessments often consist of two nearly separate activities. One is to learn as much as possible about the biology of the species in the stock. The other is to learn about the fishing activities for the stock. Even in the best stock assessments it is rare that everything that should be known about a stock is known. Assessments proceed with the assumption that the best available information (data) will be used. Fishery managers respond that they are obligated to protect the stocks, and in the case of federal fishery management, are mandated by law to use the best available data. The best available data principle sometimes creates a conflict for fishermen. In the past, when managers have asked for more and better data from fishermen, the result has usually been more regulations. The data appear to have been "used against the fisherman." From the managers point of view the data were used to ensure that the fishery could continue. When fishermen don't provide good data then the fishery will be managed on the data available, which may be incomplete. This can result in overly restrictive management which is wasteful or can result in continued overfishing and declining catches. In either case, fishermen are the losers. It is in the long-term interest of fishermen to provide the best data possible.
Catch and effort are estimated from the fishery
When the data is collected by examining the landings of fishermen, it is called fishery-dependent data. When a sample of the landings is examined, the total landings are “estimated” from the samples. Samples are used in many ways to estimate what is going on in a fishery. For example, fishing mortality can be estimated from a tagging study. After a lot of fish from a stock are tagged, the percentage of tagged fish that are caught and reported is an estimate of the fishing mortality. Another procedure is to obtain fish from fishermen, age them, and then compare the length and weight and age of the fish. You cannot tell the age of a fish by looking at it because they grow at different rates. Fish are normally aged by examining samples of bony parts such as otoliths (ear bones) that contain a record of growth like rings on a tree. Once it is established that each ring truly represents a year, then the age of a fish can be determined. We expect that the younger fish will be the more numerous and there will be fewer fish at each subsequent age due to fishing and natural causes. Often, fishermen are not catching one-year-olds in proportion to their abundance. The one-year-olds may not be in the same areas as the older fish, or they may not be caught by the fishing gear, or they may be thrown back. When fishery biologists see this, they say that the one-year-fish are "not fully recruited" to the fishery. The first year a fish is readily harvested in a fishery it is referred to as a recruit. Harvesting some fish before they spawn does not automatically doom the stock, but it is something that needs to be evaluated. Declining landings or declines in average size of fish are signs of possible problems. Determining the age of spawning and the age of the fish being caught is one step toward management.
Fishery biology is studied within and outside of the fishery. Any reliable information about the fishing process or the biology of the stock contributes to the stock assessment. Among the basic biological information that fishery biologists find most useful are the age structure of the stock and the relation between fish length and age. Once this is known, then important characteristics of the stock such as growth rate and death rate (mortality) can be determined. This information is used to create a picture of the stock which describes the current status of the stock. The age structure of a stock is a sort of historic picture of the stock. It reveals something about the current status of the stock as well the past history of the stock. The picture by itself does not reveal how much fish can be caught but provides information which leads to the answer. When fishermen appear to be catching fish before they have a chance to spawn and there are other signs of trouble in the fishery, the usual management response is to protect small fish. Protection most often comes in the form of length limits or gear restrictions that favor the catch of larger fish. Unfortunately, protecting small fish does not necessarily get at the larger problem of overfishing. Overfishing can still occur on the remaining fish in a stock even when the small fish are protected because small fish produce fewer eggs than large fish. The principle being that enough fish have to “survive to spawn” and replenish the stock at a sustainable level. One way of looking at the effect of fishing mortality is to compare the fished stock to what it would be without fishing. Fishery management plans attempt to define a rate of fishing mortality which, when added to the natural mortality, will lead to the rebuilding of a stock or the maintenance of a stock at some agreed upon level. If the remaining spawning population is below the level considered necessary to sustain the stock, then fishing mortality needs to be reduced.
Growth, age and death of fish populations are studied. Knowing the age of first spawning and the age of fish being caught is an important aspect of fishery assessment. Size limits, gear restrictions and catch restrictions can be put in place to protect fish so that they have a chance to spawn more then once. Fish die from either natural mortality or fishing mortality. Once fishing mortality and natural mortality are known, they can be used to examine the effects of fishing on the stock. Sometimes the number of fish caught from a “year class” is known for each year of fishing in the life of a fish. Year class refers to the group of fish born in the same year. Using the number caught each year from a year class and the mortality rate, the size of the year class (number born) can be reconstructed. If the natural and fishing mortality rates are known, then the number of fish born to produce the catch of fish can be calculated. The reconstructed year class can then be tested with different rates of fishing mortality to see what the affects might be. The information can also be used in other calculations such as determining the “spawning stock biomass” which is the weight of all fish in a stock old enough to spawn. Results of these studies are considered when determining the number of spawning fish necessary to sustain the stock and the total allowable catch.
Allowable harvest may be allocated among fishing groups. In a simple world we would just decide how much fish can be caught (total allowable catch) and divide it by the amount of fish that would provide an average fisherman with a reasonable catch. The result is the number of fishermen that the fishery can sustain and the number of licenses that should be allowed and the size of the “reasonable catch”. However, most U.S. fisheries had been open-entry or open-access fisheries. Anyone who could afford a boat and the equipment could pursue a living or enjoyment by fishing. When the harvest of a stock is restricted by management, the different groups of fishermen that use that stock often find themselves in conflict. The conflict occurs because each user group realizes it could harvest more fish if the other group did not exist or if the other group was restricted even further. These disagreements in allocation occur among different kinds of commercial fishermen or between commercial and recreational fishermen. The determination of total allowable catch and the allocation decisions have not always been separated. However, there is a movement to keep them as separate as possible. With this in mind, fishery biologists determine the total allowable catch based on the scientific information available. Then the fishery management councils make the allocation decisions in federal fishery management. Similar boards or commissions are often responsible at the state level.
Fishing groups give advice to managers and officials. The technicalities of fishery assessment and the regulatory process may seem overwhelming. Fishermen are constantly involved in the process and provide valuable advice to managers and elected officials. The advisory fishermen, council staff, the director of marine fisheries from your state, your state representatives, and panel members are human beings just like you, not faceless bureaucrats. They will respect your questions and your interest in management if you treat them with common courtesy. Mutual respect can lead to mutual understanding and cooperative management. There are a few simple steps fishermen can take to begin getting involved:
Call the council that is responsible for your region.
Ask for a copy of the fishery management plan that regulates your fishery.
Ask to be put on the mailing list for notices of public hearings and fishery plans.
Ask for the name and telephone number of your state's representatives on the council.
Also find out who is on the advisory panel that might represent your interests.
Read over the fishery management plan.
Call your state's representatives on the council. Ask questions. Express your concerns.
Contact advisory panel members and find out what their views are.
Attend public hearings, make comments or submit written comments and talk with your representative.
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Mike Blackstone (Blackie)
New member
Username: Blackie
Post Number: 19
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 3:44 pm: | |
Canarys;
The canarys also have a very distinct lateral line, which is gray when you put them side by side with the coppers there is a big difference
Blackie/Sr |
Robert Philip (Ophiodon7789)
New member
Username: Ophiodon7789
Post Number: 1
Registered: 1-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 3 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 3:13 pm: | |
I agree with Steve in terms of cooperating with the CRFS sampler, regardless of where the data goes. If we do not cooperate with CRFS samplers and let them examine our fish, then the only choice the state will have in the future will be to refer to the old MRFSS data.
Yes we may be screwed this year because there is no CRFS data, but if we don't cooperate with them where else are they going to get catch data?
I asked who the sampler worked for when I encountered her. She works for PSMFC. PSMFC (PSMFC.org) is a goup that assists states in common fishery related issues. So, this reactionary nonsense about fed money or state money is quite childish.
Additionally all Pacific Coast states contribute fishery information to RecFIN. It is a database.
Not some evil machination. California makes all there estimates based on the numbers that come from this database.This isn't likely to change anytime soon. If there is no CRFS data, then how can CDFG make acurate decisions about what is actually happening?
Money? Do you acctually think that California has enough funds to pay for a entire state survey for recreational fish without federal support? Though we all wish the Feds would not be involved, they are.
So, overall my point is this. If you don't cooperate, the state will be forced to use the crappy MRFSS data and result will be even shorter seasons if a season at all.
Thank you for reading
Mack |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 19
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 10:46 pm: | |
Blackie Jr./Killer Bees/ Steve Moore:
I am not sure that I agree with Steve, Blackie. This girl is paid by the federal government. She may also be paid by the state to start the data collection for CRFSS. I would ask her point blank if she is providing this data to the federal government. The data bank that collects the info for the feds is called RecFin Data Bank. If she is collecting for this data bank, then I would not cooperate with her.
DFG just sent out a memo saying that "in season adjustments" will not be based on CRFSS this year (2004). That is a BIG SHOCK to everyone, since they told us less than a month ago that CRFSS was going to the the data base for adjustments starting on January 1, 2004. Now they are backtracking on that.... I must tell you that IF THEY ARE NOT USING CRFSS DATA GATHERING FOR IN-SEASON ADJUSTMENTS ... THEN THERE IS ONLY ONE OTHER "GAME IN TOWN". THAT IS THE DREADED MRFSS SYSTEM WHICH IS THE "DEVIL INCARNATE" ... THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHORTENED SEASONS AND THE CLOSURES. DON'T COOPERATE WITH THEM!!!! THEY ARE EVIL TO THE CORE!!!
The key is to ask the girl (or guy) point blank whether this data is going to the federal government in any way. If the person says yes, then I would not cooperate with them ... end of story.
If they say they are working "EXCLUSIVELY" for the State of California, then I would go ahead and cooperate. That is my personal opinion.
What do you think, Steve??????
Mel. |
Peter A (Pete) (Aloha_kai)
New member
Username: Aloha_kai
Post Number: 4
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 10:14 pm: | |
Following up on Steve's comments regarding Canary Rock Fish, I was shown by one of the F&G wardens how to tell the difference between the Canary and a Copper I had brought in last weekend: When you rub your finger along the bottom jaw of the Canary, it should be smooth, where the Copper has a rough patch, like sandpaper. Colors also vary, so good idea to study the pics and other information to avoid trouble.
Pete |
Steve+@+Patriot (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 5:48 pm: | |
The girl that you met is named Trisha, and although last year she was the MRFFS girl, this year she is the CRFFS girl. You do want to co-operate with her. Also, please beware, there are a few Canary Rock fish around. I have seen several at our cleaning table at the Port. Do what you have to do to figure out the difference between this and a Red Rock Fish. The O.Y. is so low on this fish this year (the bag limit is 0) that even a few observed could spell disaster for us later this year. Take a picture along on your boats if you have to. Or, if in doubt, throw it back. Steve |
Bob Hather (Windfall)
Moderator
Username: Windfall
Post Number: 26
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 5:07 pm: | |
This Saturday's CCFCC fundraiser dinner at the Avila Yacht Club still has a hand full of tickets available. Please support their effort to keep rock fishing open. These guys are to be given your support for all the effort they put in to fighting attempts to close fishing. Call me at wk:782 6682 or home:541 4992.
Bob Hather |
Blackie Jr / Killer B's (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 11:15 am: | |
Mel, Can you clarify the groups who are conducting the fish counts. Last week we were met by the blond girl at the dock. She was wearing an ID badge the said Pacific States Fishery Management Coalition or something similar to that. The logo on her jacket said California, Oregon & Washington. Is this the group, or a branch of the group that is using the data against us? She is a nice enough gal but I don't want to provide the wrong group with the ammo to shut us down. Thanks |
Mike Blackstone (Blackie)
New member
Username: Blackie
Post Number: 18
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 9:01 am: | |
My son and I made a similar trip only we went north to Cambria limits of lings big fish at 9# lots of reds and coppers, like bob we turner back at least 20 short lings, I was using a salt an pepper jumbo gitzit , he was using a fire tiger 3 oz jig , the girl was checking fish at the Morro bay launch as well as the local game warden checking licences.
Was a great day on the ocean lots better than opening day.
Blackie Sr KILLER B,s |
Bob Hather (Windfall)
Moderator
Username: Windfall
Post Number: 25
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 7:45 am: | |
I heard from both landings that the rock fishing has been fantastic so we decided to try it ourselves on Saturday at Buchon.
We caught mostly reds and lingcod with the biggest ling at 15lbs. Using only larger scampi tails, the smaller fish stayed away from our hooks. We turned back at least 15 legal lings. It was great fun using light gear. There were lots of grey whales to watch as well.
Bob Hather |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 18
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 3:20 pm: | |
Friends:
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
I have been on vacation for the last couple weeks. It looks like 2004 should provide better rockfish angling than last year. I thought I would give you a little summary of what is on the table for the coming year ... and 2005-2006.
1. 2004 Regs say we get to fish for rockfish in Jan-Feb and then April-December (10 months). We get the same 10-fish sack limit, plus 2 lingcod with a minimum length of 24 inches. We get to fish out to 30 fathoms in Jan., Feb., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. The other four months we only get to fish out to 20 fathoms. (The reason that we are kept in closer to shore than So. California fishermen is because they say we catch a few canary rockfish and that fish is one of the "overfished" species.)
2. Many of the party-boat operators up and down the state are very concerned about exceeding our total tonnage limit. We have the same tonnage limit for recreational fishermen this year as last year for nearshore rockfish. However, because we get to fish in deeper waters, we will be catching more deep-water fish that are not a part of the 18-species nearshore rockfish group. Last year we exceeded our tonnage quota in about 4 1/2 months. So, many landing operators are VERY WORRIED that we will get shut down right in the middle of the summer. THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE!!!! Some people think that they told us we would get 10 months and let us fish in January and February just so that they could sell the fishing licenses right off the bat in January and collect the money. Once they have the money in their pocket, if they close us down it's just TOO BAD! Steve Moore and I spent a lot of time in December meeting with DFG administrators and biologists. We are more optimistic that we will be able to fish the whole 10 months. Maybe that is wishful thinking.
3. There is a new data-collecting group called CRFSS (California Recreational Fishing Statistics Survery). You should all cooperate with them when you see them at the docks. I do not plan to cooperate with the Federal surveyors (MRFSS). I plan to tell them that their data is such garbage that I will not cooperate with them. Some of these surveyors will say that they are employed by both agencies. If I were you, I would ask to see their STATE OF CALIFORNIA IDENTIFICATION CARD. If they only work for the federal agency (MRFSS), I wouldn't cooperate with them. Those are the turkeys that shut us down this year. Everyone has agreed that we will cooperate with the State agency that is gathering data. They cannot be as bad as the federal agency.
3. Steve Moore and I spent a whole day working with DFG marine biologists down in Las Alamitos in December on the 2005-2006 regulations. They are going to have regulations for a 2-year period of time in 2005-2006. It looks like the tonnage quota number may be near the same. The big issue is the "cautionary adjustment" figure which has been 50% in 2003 and 2004. We are trying to convince them that the adjustment should be zero or not more than 10-15%. That would give us a much larger quota of rockfish. At least they are LISTENING TO US. Representatives from all the fishing groups were at this one-day meeting in Las Alamitos. I think it was somewhat productive. One big problem is that there are a few left-wing biologists who really don't care whether we get to fish or not. It is clear that some of them think that fishing is "politically incorrect". We will be attending meetings during the first part of this year that will end up setting the regs for 2005-2006. We are fighting for more fish and longer seasons. Steve Moore and I will keep you posted.
4. It looks like the only chance we have of showing the DFG what a healthy nearshore fishery we have in this area is to get them to accept the work done by our on-board survey program that was completed this last summer by our local MIG group. There is a lot of support for this program and we want the DFG to give its blessing to this data collection effort. We would like to see this program exported to other areas of California. The guys in No. Calif. and So. Calif. are not interested in pushing this program unless DFG gives assurance that the data will be used to set harvest levels. We are working diligently on this issue.
5. The CCFCC is having a nice fund-raiser dinner at the Avila Bay Yacht Club. It will be a nice steak dinner. I think beer and wine is complimentrary. It is $100 per ticket and there will be nice raffle prizes and auction prizes like last year. This group really needs your financial support. I really believe this group is the best voice for recreational fishing interests on the Central Coast. Contact Bob Hather at 543-2878 or me at 544-2424 for tickets.
You have a great year ... and we'll see you out there on the water. My call sign is "Spirit of San Luis" ...
Mel.
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Blackie Jr / Killer B's (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 7:09 am: | |
Anyone have any input on the conditions for this weekend. It looks to me like there may be a window on Sunday according to the Diablo report. I'm a little concerned about the southerly wind. I think that is what caused the conditions last week to get scary in a short time. Anyone have any other ideas? |
Steve@Patriot (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 6:57 pm: | |
A quick report from Patriot Sportfishing in Avila. Rock Cod fishing the first eight days of 2004 have been incredible. Being able to fish out to 180' for the first time in two years is really helping out. The areas to the south which by the way, do not have any areas deeper than 120' are also producing really good. I am seeing more reds and quality Ling Cod than I have seen in a long time. Lets hope that the DFG does the right thing and lets us fish the whole "on paper" season this year. Happy New Year. GO FISHING. Steve
SUPPORT CCFCC |
Terry (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 7:25 pm: | |
Went out of Morro Bay today and the ocean was like a lake. My fried Tony and I went north up off the Abalone farm and fished in 160 to 180 feet of water. Got our limits of Rockcod with some nice reds and a nice keeper ling. We also released a group of short halibut that were along the edges of the rocks in 170 feet of water. |
Bob Hather (Windfall)
Moderator
Username: Windfall
Post Number: 24
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 05, 2004 - 4:50 pm: | |
CCFCC's annual fund raiser dinner at the Avila Yacht Club is Saturday, Jan 17th. Call me if you whish to support this much needed effort.
Hm 541-4992
Bob Hather |
Mike Blackstone (Blackie)
New member
Username: Blackie
Post Number: 17
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 5:21 pm: | |
Thanks Son MY praises to the skipper , he got us home safe .
The RADON performed as its designed to do what a rough water boat , glad we were in it.Andrew Dunn buy the color you will be much happier than with the gray scale.
Blackie / SR KILLER /B,S |
Blackie Jr./ Killer B's (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 6:25 pm: | |
Went out of MB on the first for rock fish and took a beating from the wind wave and the southerly seas. The wind was howling by 0900 and the conditions got worse as the day got later. We left Cambria at about 1000 and it took about four hours to get back to MB with the seas comming from the south. We did get one keeper ling and a real nice red. The guys on the Admiral said the were at about half limits but most were small gophers and blues since the stayed south of Point Estero. It's nice to be able to fish but I could have done without Mr. toads wild ride on the high seas. I will watch the bouy a little closer next time. |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 77
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 5:36 pm: | |
Tim:
Check my post a couple down and go to the "link" and print out the summary regs. It is all there ! |
Tim (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 2:22 pm: | |
Could anyone set us straight as to the ling cod classification?I think it is two fish,not to be included in the ten rockfish count.He says someone told him different (yadda-yadda-yadda).Thanks in advance for that! |
Andrew Dunn (Drew_2452)
New member
Username: Drew_2452
Post Number: 1
Registered: 12-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 12:30 pm: | |
I want to go out on the 1st for some rockcod and im going to buy a new gps but i need some input (garmin 182c 5' color screen) or (garmin 232 7'grayscale sceen any help or recomendations please. |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 76
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 10:45 am: | |
Thought this might answer some questions. It was posted by warden Dennis Mc Kiver:
Except for the Rockfish/Lingcod regulations the remainder of the 2003 regulations remains in effect until April 1 2004. The new regulations will be available before then. I don't know if they will have printed booklets or not, but they will be up on the website. This is nothing new. New printed fishing regulations have never been available before March as long as I can remember. If you look back in the archives you will see I answered these same questions in January 2003. The new fishing regulations always take effect April 1 (like the new "Boat Limit" law) unless otherwise noticed, like the rockfish regulations this year. Summaries of the rockfish regulations are posted on the DFG website. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/bfregs2004.html |
Mike Blackstone (Blackie)
New member
Username: Blackie
Post Number: 16
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 4:27 pm: | |
WE ARE GOING IF THE WEATHER LOOKS LIKE IT IS GOING TO LAY DOWN A LITTLE,DONT NEED MUCH EXCUSE TO GO FISHING, SEE YOU ON THE WATER GOOD LUCK TO ALL , LETS GO GET THOSE DEEP REDS
BLACKIE/SR KILLER B,S |
Kirt Collins (Kirt_collins)
New member
Username: Kirt_collins
Post Number: 1
Registered: 12-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 5:15 pm: | |
Anybody else going out of Port on the 1st? I wouldn't mind a buddy boat if the weather is crazy. Rock cod forever! |
Albie Fever! (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 4:57 pm: | |
Weather looks like it might slightly break for Thursdays opener. A little bumby but the window will be open. Go deep! |
Mike Blackstone (Blackie)
New member
Username: Blackie
Post Number: 15
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 3:17 pm: | |
A? for Mel, I was reading the latest WON and Carrie Fisher said that the opening date of Jan 1st all depends on the Gov signing an ex order, whats up with this , I thought it was a done deal.
I guess I schould know better we are dealing with DFG.I have my new licence , are they going to prorate it and pay me back for the days I cant fish.
Blackie/SR Killer B,S |
Bob Hather (Windfall)
Moderator
Username: Windfall
Post Number: 23
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 9:16 am: | |
I have dinner tickets to this year's CCFCC fund raiser at the Avila Yacht Club for Saturday Jan 17th at 5:30 PM. Tickets are $100 ea. CCFCC needs your support to continue doing its rockfish studies and leagally challenging the closures if the DFG continues to fail in providing good science to base the regs on. For tickets call me at home 541 4992. Thanks and everybody have a happy and safe new year.
Bob Hather |
shane shelton (Shanehotknot)
New member
Username: Shanehotknot
Post Number: 6
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 1:01 pm: | |
would like to take time to wish all of you a very merry christmas and a happy new fishing year(I hope) |
Roger King (Fishtales)
New member
Username: Fishtales
Post Number: 7
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 6:59 am: | |
Here's wishing HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all you fishing Ladies and Gents |
Michael Gorgita (Gdoggsb)
New member
Username: Gdoggsb
Post Number: 4
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 19, 2003 - 7:39 am: | |
FISHING QUESTION...Does anyone know if the squid are still outside of the rock? Is there any halibut or seabass being caught at Morro Bay or anywhere up there because I have a vacation and would love to catch some fat seabass!! Thanks for any comebacks. |
Chris (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 9:32 pm: | |
Dear Mel,
Just a note from your friends down in Santa Barbara. Thank You! We really appreciate the time and efforts you are putting into preserving our right to sport fish, enjoy the ocean and responsably support the resource.
Happy Holidays!
Chris Heimlich
"Sur Reel" |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 17
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 8:44 am: | |
Friends:
I want to correct a statement I made yesterday about the fish-stock assessments underway by the DFG. California Sheephead and California Scorpionfish (sculpin) are both part of the group of 19 nearshore groundfish to be regulated by the DFG under the MLMA. I incorrectly told you yesterday that these two species are not in the nearshore rockfish group. So, DFG is in the process of completing fish-stock assessments on 2 of the 19 nearshore rockfish. Sorry about that misstatement.
Mel. |
Rory Forsythe (Pluto)
New member
Username: Pluto
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 3:52 pm: | |
Keep up the good work, Mel.
My daughter is almost old enough to be a deck hand and a fisherman (person?).
|
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 16
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 12:35 pm: | |
Response to "Blue Boat":
We are looking at Fish & Game Code sections 700-715 which provide the duties of the DFG about spending money we pay for licenses. We are looking at this with an eye for a law suit against DFG for misappropriating funds to improper uses.
It is clear that judges have been unwilling to compel the DFG to follow the law as spelled out in the Marine Life Management Act legislation of 1998. The legislation compels DFG to gather essential fishery information including fish stock surveys on all of the 18 nearshore species enumerated in the MLMA Act. We are frustrated that the DFG can get away with flagrantly breaking the law ... but regular citizens really get slapped down if we ever violate any of their regulations.
Thank you for your suggestion. We are looking at the "spending" of our license money as a basis for a lawsuit.
Mel. |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 15
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 12:08 pm: | |
Friends:
Okay, now that I have you all thoroughly depressed, let me suggest where there might be hope for the future.
The collaborative research project conducted this past summer through Cal Poly is the only bright star on the horizon. This research project had a "baseline" based on an identical study performed during 1988-1998 along the central coast. Our project this summer was funded by the CCFCC, World Wildlife Fund, Steelhead Recovery Project, and the Port San Luis Harbor Commission. The cost was only $15,000 and produced excellent results showing that the nearshore fishery is JUST AS HEALTHY TODAY AS IT WAS 15 YEARS AGO!!!!!
We used a research protocol created by the Dept. of Fish & Game which had baseline dated going back to 1988. This is the only data about nearshore species conducted since 1998. This project can be expanded for use statewide. We have strong interest from people from southern California and Northern California about adopting similar privately funded projects in their areas of the state. If we can gather reliable data from the entire state using this protocol, we would have our first glimmer of hope about adopting reasonable OYs (harvest levels) for recreational fishermen.
The CCFCC will be meeting with Professors Dean Wendt and John Stephens to determine how we can export their project to statewide application. We know that DFG is interested because they would be getting reliable data at no cost to the state.
I will keep you posted on this one shining prospect.
Mel. |
blue boat (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 11:52 am: | |
Mel Could we get a ballot measure to only use our fees for fish and game like it was at one time? Lots of us fisherman and women would sign and vote that way. |
Melvin A. de la Motte, Jr. (Righttofish)
New member
Username: Righttofish
Post Number: 14
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 11:41 am: | |
Friends:
Steve Moore (Patriot Sportfishing & CCFCC director) and I went to Las Alamitos yesterday (South of Long Beach) for a Groundfish Task Force meeting. There were 8 DFG marine biologists present and 18 leaders of fishing groups from all over California. Steve and I were representing the CCFCC. Of the 18 leaders of fishing groups, 12 were from recreational fishing groups and 6 were from commercial groups (mainly live-fishing groups).
The focus of the meeting was the fishing regulations for 2005-2006. Since fishing regulations are going to be in 2-year cycles starting in 2005, this process is starting now for the 2005-2006 cycle. They expect to have the 2005-2006 regulations ironed out and approved by June of 2004.
I guess there is good news and bad news to report. The good news is that it looks like we will continue to get 10 month fishing seasons for groundfish and fishing out to 30 fathoms. However the total tonnage harvest yield for 2005-2006 will increase only slightly above the harvest quota for 2004. Many of the fishermen present were worried that the low harvest level will not allow us to fish for the full 10 months. They may be right. It would be horrible if we got shut down in July, August or September because we had reached our harvest limits. That is what caused us to get shut down on December 8th of this year. If it had not been for the technical error of making a mistake giving proper legal notice, recreational fishing would have been shut down on November 21st of this year. Many fishermen present, looking at what happened this year, are very worried that we will reach our harvest quotas by late summer of 2004. If this happens, it will almost certainly suggest horrible problems for 2005 and 2006 where we will have almost identical harvest quotas.
So, what is the big problem here?????
The problem is simple. The DFG will not get off their asses and perform the necessary fish stock surveys to show that the nearshore fishery is healthy and thriving. Their excuse is that they don't have the money to properly do their job. They have done NO FISH STOCK SURVEYS (like ZERO) since 1998 involving nearshore rockfish. [However, they did spend millions of dollars on a huge management plan known as the Nearshore Fishery Management Plan ... the Plan is so ambitious that it will never be funded ... it was a total waste of time and money. In the meantime, they have done nothing to complete any fish stock surveys on nearshore species] They have zero data about the condition of nearshore rockfish. They admit their total ignorance on this subject. With ZERO data, they take a "precautionary" stance on harvest quotas.
This is exactly how the harvest quota is calculated. The DFG takes the total harvest tonnage for each of the years from 1994 to 1999. They take the mean average of this catch data. THEN, THEY REDUCE THAT ANNUAL CATCH FIGURE BY 50% (in other words, they cut it in half). That is the harvest quota that we were allowed in 2003 and it is the harvest quota we will be allowed in 2004. This is the big problem that causes us to surpass our harvest quota. We told the 8 biologists present that the 50% reduction of harvest quota is the chief problem facing all fishermen statewide. Whether they will address this problem or not is doubtful. They like being ignorant ... so they can keep us fishing at 50% of levels we were fishing at during the 1994-1999 period of time. It seems obvious that they really do no want to know the truth about the health of the nearshore fishery.
Steve and I asked them point blank what fish stock surveys are on the drawing board for the near future. They said that the only fish stock surveys for the foreseeable future involve California Sheephead and Sculpin (both of these species are not counted as a part of the 18 nearshore species that make up our nearshore groundfish quota). So, the straight answer from these scientists is that they HAVE NO PLANS WHATSOEVER TO FOLLOW THE 1998 MLMA LEGISLATION THAT MANDATES THEM TO PERFORM FISH STOCK SURVEYS ON ALL 18 NEARSHORE GROUNDFISH SPECIES.
I took one of the key biologists aside after the meeting and asked what fishermen could do to get the DFG to perform fish stock surveys on nearshore species so that the state will give us reasonable harvest levels in the future. She said she did not know what we could do. She just stuttered and stammered and said that they don't have the money in their budget to do the job.
Well ... that's the way it is. They jack up our license fees and divert the money to other projects and ... then screw us when it comes to evaluating the health and abundance of the nearshore fishery.
I really don't know what to do to get them to use some of our money to do fish stock surveys on nearshore groundfish. Until that happens, they will continue to use outrageously low harvest quotas (because of their own admitted ignorance ... i.e. lack of data)and we may face closures on an annual basis. More lawsuits against DFG about their failure to follow the law may be our only recourse that has any impact.
I will keep in touch.
Mel. |
HARRELL kIMBALL (Catmakai)
New member
Username: Catmakai
Post Number: 75
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 12:36 pm: | |
CFC board posted by Randy Fry (RFA): The F&G commission has approved "Boat Limits" option 2e.
This was also posted by CFC;
"For those that were curious about option 2e, DFG's intent is: crew may fish on a CPFV (party boat), assist passengers, and retain only fish they have personally taken; boat limits applies only to passengers. On private boats, folks, we finally have BOAT LIMITS! The caveat is - at this moment it is unclear if it takes effect January 1 or April 1."
This will be great for Salmon !!
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