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Recreation
- Details
- Written by: California Fish and Game Commission
The pintail daily bag limit has returned to two, and there have been some changes to accommodate a longer late season for white-fronted geese in the Northeastern Zone.
The commission also created a Special Management Area in the Klamath Basin, which is exempt from this change.
The following is a summary of the regulations:
Duck seasons
Northeastern Zone will be open for ducks from Oct. 6, 2018 through Jan. 18, 2019. Scaup season will be open from Oct. 6, 2018 through Dec. 2, 2019, and from Dec. 22, 2018 through Jan. 18, 2019.
Balance of State, Southern San Joaquin Valley and Southern California zones will be open from Oct. 20, 2018 through Jan. 27, 2019. Scaup season will be open from Nov. 3, 2018 through Jan. 27, 2019.
Colorado River Zone will be open from Oct. 19, 2018 through Jan. 27, 2019. Scaup season will be open from Nov. 3, 2018 through Jan. 27, 2019.
Bag limits
Seven ducks per day, which includes no more than two hen mallards (or Mexican-like ducks in the Colorado River Zone), two pintail, two canvasback, two redheads and three scaup (which may only be taken during the 86-day scaup season).
The possession limit for ducks is triple the daily bag limit.
Goose seasons
In the Northeastern Zone, the season will be open for white geese and white-fronted geese from Oct. 6, 2018 through Dec. 2, 2018, and Jan. 5-18, 2019 (except in the new Klamath Basin Special Management Area). The season will be open for large Canada geese from Oct. 6, 2018 through Jan. 13, 2019. In the Klamath Basin Special Management Area, the season will be open for white geese and white-fronted geese from Oct. 6, 2018 through Jan. 18, 2019.
Balance of State, Southern San Joaquin Valley and Southern California zones will be open from Oct. 20, 2018 through Jan. 27, 2019.
Balance of State Zone will also be open for early large Canada geese from Sept. 29, 2018 through Oct. 3, 2018 (except in the North Coast Special Management Area).
Balance of State Zone will also be open for late season white-fronted and white geese from Feb. 9-13, 2019.
Colorado River Zone will be open from Oct. 19, 2018 through Jan. 27, 2019.
Bag limits
Northeastern Zone, 30 total geese per day, which may include 20 white geese and 10 dark geese, of which only two may be large Canada geese.
Balance of State and Southern San Joaquin Valley zones, 30 total geese per day, which may include 20 white geese and 10 dark geese.
Southern California Zone, 23 total geese per day, which may include 20 white geese and three dark geese.
Colorado River Zone, 24 total geese per day, which may include 20 white geese and four dark geese.
The possession limit for geese is triple the daily bag limit.
The complete regulations will be posted at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
This will open all commercial rock crab fishing from 40° 00.00 ' N. Lat. south to the California/Mexico border.
On Nov. 8, 2016, upon the recommendation of the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, or OEHHA, CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham submitted to the Office of Administrative Law an emergency rulemaking to close the commercial rock crab fishery north of Pigeon Point, San Mateo County.
Since that time, new authority established in the Fish and Game Code, section 5523, allowed the Director to open portions of the fishery upon the recommendation from the Director of OEHHA.
The fishery was last modified in March 2018, when it was opened between Salt Point, Sonoma County and the Sonoma/Mendocino County line.
State and federal laws prohibit the commercial distribution of seafood products that contain domoic acid levels above the federal action level of 30 parts per million in the viscera.
The recreational fishery for rock crab remains open statewide with a warning from the California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, to recreational anglers to avoid consuming the viscera of rock crab caught north of the Mendocino/Humboldt County line to the California/Oregon border.
Closure of the commercial rock crab fishery north of 40° 00.00 ' N. Lat. near the Mendocino/Humboldt County line to the California/Oregon border shall remain in effect until the Director of OEHHA, in consultation with the Director of CDPH, determines that domoic acid levels no longer pose a significant risk to public health and recommends the fishery be opened.
CDFW will continue to coordinate with fishermen, CDPH, and OEHHA to test domoic acid levels in rock crab within the closure area of the coast.
Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin that can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates and sometimes fish. It causes illness and sometimes death in a variety of birds and marine mammals that consume affected organisms.
At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and can in some cases be fatal.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Crappie is a sport fish common throughout California and most of North America. The bag limit for crappie is 25 fish per day.
In one case, a wildlife officer contacted three anglers in Madera County in the early morning hours of April 12 as they pulled their boat from a local lake. They were in combined possession of 404 crappie. Subtracting out a legal limit of 25 fish each, they were in possession of a combined overlimit of 329 crappie.
The three subjects are charged with a gross overlimit of crappie, possession of more than three times the bag limit and failure to show catch upon the demand of a wildlife officer.
If convicted, they each face a possible jail term, fines that will potentially range between $5,000 and $40,000, forfeiture of seized fishing equipment and suspension of their fishing privileges,
In total, wildlife officers issued a total of 10 crappie overlimit citations in the last week for 636 crappie in excess of the bag limit.
“We are pleased to see excellent conditions for crappie fishing right now and many honest anglers are catching a limit,” said CDFW Assistant Chief John Baker, who oversees the Central Enforcement District out of Fresno. “These gross overlimit cases are a prime example of poachers taking advantage of good conditions and depleting our state’s limited resources. This behavior should outrage the honest anglers who abide by the law.”
Anyone who believes they are witness to unlawful poaching or pollution activity is encouraged to call CalTIP, CDFW’s confidential secret witness program, at 888-334-2258 or send a text to tip411.
Both methods allow the public to provide wildlife officers with factual information to assist with investigations. Callers may remain anonymous, if desired, and a reward can result from successful capture and prosecution.
- Details
- Written by: California Natural Resources Agency
The report, delivered to the Legislature and Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., recommends adding five Mokelumne River segments to the system due to their extraordinary recreational and scenic resource values.
It also recommends special provisions to address local concerns, including protecting existing water rights and allowing future local water development projects if they will avoid adverse impacts to the river segments.
AB 142 (Bigelow) of 2015 directed CNRA to evaluate the suitability of five segments of the upper Mokelumne River’s main stem and North Fork for inclusion in the state system.
The segments cover about 37 miles from below Salt Springs Dam to just upstream of the Pardee Reservoir flood surcharge pool near Jackson.
CNRA released a draft study report in January 2018, held two public meetings, and received extensive public comment.
The process marks the first time a river has been assessed for addition to the California Wild and Scenic Rivers System since 1994.
If approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor, legislation to designate the Mokelumne a California Wild and Scenic River would preserve the segments in their “free-flowing state” and prevent construction of new dams or impoundments on the designated segments. Current water and land uses would continue.
Local water agency managers and conservation groups expressed support for the report’s recommendations.
“We're really happy to see the Mokelumne get the recognition it deserves as one of California's extraordinary rivers,” said Katherine Evatt, president of the Jackson-based Foothill Conservancy. “We hope it will lead to legislation that will protect our beautiful river for future generations to use and enjoy."
“We have worked very hard to utilize the study process for its intended purpose to ensure that our local communities have continuous access to safe, reliable water supplies for human consumption and fire protection for years to come,” said Dave Eggerton, general manager of the Calaveras County Water District. “Assemblymember Bigelow and the Natural Resources Agency are to be commended for their leadership and efforts that will benefit generations to come.”
“The Mokelumne River study report presents valuable information on the river and Amador County water needs, and it recommends special provisions to protect local water rights and the river,” said Gene Mancebo, general manager of the Amador Water Agency. “We appreciate the leadership and efforts of the California Natural Resource Agency addressing the concerns of water agencies in the study.”
“The Mokelumne River is one of the hardest working rivers in the state, providing water supply, hydroelectricity, and flood protection for hundreds of thousands of Californians,” said Eric Wesselman, executive director of Friends of the River. “This report shows we can protect the extraordinary scenic and recreation values of the river while it continues to provide these valuable services.”
CNRA received over 1,700 letters and comments on the draft report, with the overwhelming majority supporting the report’s recommendations.
The final study report includes revisions based on public.
The study report is available for review at http://resources.ca.gov/programs-projects/wildandscenic.