ID your crab traps.

[jnthn]

I'm thinking of dropping some traps next time I go to Linda Mar.  I think I'll put my fishing license number and phone number on the buoy.  I got this from Coastside's Warden McKiver:

Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (Party Boats) are required to put their F&G Vessel Registration number on their buoys. Other sport fishing traps are not required by law to have identification numbers. That’s because sport fishing gear is not supposed to be left unattended. I tell people to put their name, address and phone number or vessel CF number on their sport traps if they are not going to closely attend them. Otherwise, if I or other wardens find them, we have to assume they are illegal commercial or illegal party boat traps and by law have to remove them.

“FG§ 9007. Trap Without Buoy or Marking
Any trap used without a buoy, or with a buoy which is not marked pursuant to Section 9006, is a public nuisance and shall be removed from the waters of this state by any person authorized to enforce this code.”

Also if another person finds a trap that is not marked identifying who it belongs to then they could take whatever they want to from the trap or take possession of the trap and claim it as their own. They would not be breaking any laws. It would be like finding a $100 bill floating in the ocean; finder’s keeper’s.