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Recreation
Would you like to help protect California's rare, threatened and endangered species?
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites you to do that by making a voluntary contribution to the Rare and Endangered Species Protection Program and/or the California Sea Otter Fund on your California income tax return.
Just enter the dollar amount you wish to donate on lines 403 and/or 410 of your tax return (form 540).
If you itemize deductions, you can deduct the amount you donate on next year's return.
“Donations to these funds have helped CDFW study species that are in trouble, determine what they need to thrive and develop ways to improve their health and populations,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “Californians continue to show they understand and care about threatened and endangered species, and the need to protect their habitat.”
One of CDFW's tax donation funds facilitates recovery of the southern sea otter, which is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and as a Fully Protected Species under state law.
A 2014 survey indicated there are fewer than 3,000 sea otters in California waters – a fraction of their historic numbers.
This small population is vulnerable to oil spills, environmental pollution, predation by white sharks and other threats.
Donations to the California Sea Otter Fund support research by CDFW scientists, who are currently studying 15 years of sea otter mortality information and recently discovered viruses not previously known in sea otters.
These studies should provide a better understanding of mortality causes and contribute to population recovery efforts.
Donations to the Rare and Endangered Species Protection Program support numerous conservation projects for California's rare, threatened and endangered species, including:
– Santa Cruz long-toed salamander: Known to exist in only a few locations in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. CDFW works with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District to create and enhance habitat for this species on preserves that have been set aside for its conservation.
– Island fox: Small foxes that live on the Channel Islands off of Southern California. CDFW has worked with public and private partners to increase the number of foxes on all of the islands from a few hundred to more than 5,800 foxes.
– Yellow-billed cuckoo: Rare and secretive birds that have declined markedly with the destruction of riparian habitat in California. CDFW is working with multiple partners to survey and monitor them and to implement recovery actions.
– Giant garter snake: A highly aquatic snake whose marsh habitat in the Central Valley has likely been further reduced in some areas by drought. CDFW has been working with the multiple partners to ensure water is delivered to important areas for the species' survival.
– California tiger salamander: The vernal pools that this species typically breeds in have also likely been impacted by the drought in some areas. CDFW is working with multiple partners to coordinate studies of these colorful salamanders and to protect their habitat.
CDFW biologists have been able to achieve important recovery milestones to conserve vulnerable species, thanks to California taxpayers like you.
More information about how CDFW uses funds in the Rare and Endangered Species Protection and Sea Otter programs is available at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Tax-Donation and www.facebook.com/SeaOtterFundCDFW .
If someone else prepares your state tax return, please let him or her know you want to donate to the California Sea Otter Fund on line 410 or the Rare and Endangered Species Protection Program on line 403.
If you use Turbo Tax, when you're near the end of your tax return it should ask if you want to make a voluntary contribution to a special fund. Click “Yes” and go to lines 403 and 410.
The state has listed more than 200 species of plants and 80 species of animals as rare, threatened or endangered.
Money raised through the tax donation program helps pay for essential CDFW research and recovery efforts for these plants and animals, and critical efforts to restore and conserve their habitat.
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- Written by: Editor
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is seeking public input to inform the development of a red abalone fishery management plan (FMP).
A new online survey to collect public opinions on red abalone management can be accessed on the CDFW Web site at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Invertebrates/Abalone/Survey .
Those wishing to complete the survey by mail instead of through the Web site can write to CDFW, Attn. Jerry Kashiwada, 32330 North Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg, CA 95437 or call 707-964-5791 to request the survey forms.
The survey will run until March 6, so interested parties should complete the survey as soon as possible.
The red abalone FMP will build off current management of the northern California red abalone sport fishery as outlined in the Abalone Recovery and Management Plan, as well as meet requirements for fisheries management in the Marine Life Management Act.
The initial phase of FMP development included four public workshops in 2014 that identified key areas of interest.
The current online survey is based on results from the workshops and is intended to reach a broader audience and help ensure the abalone management framework developed under the FMP addresses the interests and concerns of the public.
More details about abalone management and the FMP process can be found on the CDFW Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/invertebrate/abalone.asp .
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- Written by: Editor
Are USDA checks of wild waterfowl a bad sign for hunters?
Question: On the last day of hunting at Modesto Reservoir we had a lady from the United States Department of Agriculture that swabbed our ducks and geese for parasites, etc.
I asked her why she was doing this, and she just smiled at me.
So then I said, “Is it that Foster Farms has been having problems with viruses?”
She just smiled again and nodded her head.
I can't help but wonder what Foster Farms is up to but can bet they are up to no good for hunters.
They had problems with their chickens in Livingston and other places so I can't help but wonder if they are trying to tie this to our waterfowl.
I think there is a good story here for somebody who wants to take the time to make the phone calls and dig it out! (Ron W.)
Answer: While this is an interesting question, Ron, there’s no conspiracy going on here against waterfowl hunters.
I asked Krysta Rogers, avian specialist and environmental scientist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and here’s what she had to say:
“In response to the recent detections of avian influenza in Washington in December 2014, the United States Department of Agriculture and United States Geological Survey, in coordination with state wildlife agencies, initiated active surveillance through swab sampling of hunter-harvested waterfowl in several states, including California. Avian influenza viruses naturally circulate in wild bird populations, primarily in species that are associated with an aquatic habitat. Therefore, monitoring wild waterfowl for avian influenza activity is one of the most efficient surveillance tools for determining what viruses are circulating worldwide. Between 2006 and 2011, CDFW participated in similar surveillance efforts to aid in the detection of avian influenza viruses. As with the previous surveillance, state and federal wildlife agencies do not foresee any impacts to wild waterfowl populations or to hunting.
“Recently, in the western United States, two main viruses have been detected, H5N2 and H5N8. Both viruses have previously been found in other parts of the world. While these viruses are not known to cause significant disease in wild waterfowl, they can cause high mortality in domestic poultry. Surveillance of hunter-harvested waterfowl has resulted in additional detections of these viruses in California, Oregon, Utah and Idaho. The H5N2 virus has been detected in backyard poultry flocks in Washington and Idaho while the H5N8 virus has been detected in a backyard poultry flock in Oregon and a commercial turkey flock in Stanislaus County, California.”
Managing multiple fishing rods on the Sacramento River?
Question: If two anglers are anchored on the Sacramento River bait fishing for sturgeon and both have second rod validations allowing them to fish with four rods collectively, if one person then hooks up, is it legal for the other person to reel in the other three rods while that person is fighting the fish?
In other words, is it legal for the person not trying to reel the fish in to clear the other three rods? (Monty R.)
Answer: Yes, provided the anglers are fishing in a location where the second rod validation is operative.
Legally, since each fisherman is only authorized to fish with up to two fishing poles, the fisherman trying to bring in the other three poles would have to first secure one of his fishing rods so that it is no longer being used to fish.
That would leave two fishing poles to reel in, which would be within the angler’s legal authority to do.
Dead heads
Question: I've been up shed hunting and have recently found a couple mountain lion kills.
Can I legally take the dead heads?
How do I prove it’s a dead head and not a poached deer? (Brice R.)
Answer: You should avoid picking up anything that is fresh but it is not illegal for someone to pick up bleached antlers.
In addition, you can sell sheds that you have found but they must have been manufactured into products or handcraft items, or have been cut into blocks or units which are to be handcrafted.
You cannot sell whole antlers with heads attached (Fish and Game Code, section 3039(c)).
Selling sea urchin jewelry
Question: Is it legal to use legally harvested/farmed California uni biproducts for jewelry to be sold in retail?
I have a local fish market that sells large amounts of the purple urchins they obtain from Catalina Seafood. I obtain the eaten shells and use the spikes for crafts.
Is it legal to sell them in California as well as globally? (Alexandra F.)
Answer: Commercially-taken sea urchin spines can be sold in jewelry, but sport-harvested marine resources may not be sold, bartered, traded, etc.
Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Anderson Marsh State Historic Park continues to hold monthly guided nature walks.
The next walk is scheduled Saturday, Feb. 14.
Come to the Park on Valentine’s Day for a visit with the “birds and the bees.”
There will be no tour of the Historic Ranch House Museum in February.
Park docent and AMIA volunteer Billy Gear will lead the walk.
The plan is to hike the Cache Creek Nature Trail, with an option to do the Ridge Trial, if the trail across Anderson Flats is dry enough.
The theme of the walk will be “Early spring – flowers, buds, birds and insects.”
Bring binoculars and meet at 8:15 a.m. in the parking lot for time to experience the early morning wildlife to be found in the Ranch House and Barn complex yard. The walk will begin at 8:30 a.m.
Many of the trees are “naked” in the winter, making it easier to see birds.
Some of the birds recently seen in the park have been wood ducks, phainopepla; acorn, Nuttall’s and Lewis’s woodpeckers; red-shafted flickers; cedar waxwings; spotted and California towhees; cormorants; white-tailed kites; red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks; great egrets and great blue herons; kingfishers; red-winged blackbirds and robins.
This also is the time of year that snipe, white-throated sparrows, a bobcat and deer have been seen off the boardwalk on the Cache Creek Nature Trail.
Heavy rain will cancel the walk.
There is no charge for those attending.
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is located on Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake.
For more information about the walks, email
For information about how you can help support AMIA’s campaign to keep the park open to the public and thriving, please visit www.andersonmarsh.org or contact them by telephone or email.
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- Written by: Editor