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CA Regulations / 2024 Groundfish Regulation Change Summary (Approved on 3/26/2024)
« on: March 26, 2024, 01:52:17 PM »
Fish and Game Commission adopted the proposed in-season groundfish regulation change during the teleconference meeting on March 26, 2024
This is only a partial victory, and we will continue to seek an exception for the Non-Motorized Vessels to provide us equal access time as power boaters. Thank you to all workgroup members and other supporters.
You can watch the meeting video recording: https://cal-span.org/meeting/cfg_20240326/
This change must go through the California and Federal administration process and is expected to be effective in early April 2024. Make sure you verify that the season is officially open prior to going fishing in Apri.
1. Season structure (See Table 1 for the summary)
In the Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco, and the Central-North of 36° N latitude GMAs, the season structure is proposed as:
• closed January through March;
• open seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line for shelf rockfish, slope rockfish, and lingcod in April, October, and December; and
• open shoreward of the newly-established 20-fathom boundary line in May through September, and November.
In the Central-South of 36° N latitude and Southern GMAs, the season structure is proposed as:
• closed January through March;
• open in all depths April through June;
• open shoreward of the 50-fathom boundary line July through September; and
• open seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line for shelf rockfish, slope rockfish, and lingcod October through December.
Downloadable Files
20-Fathom Boundary Line off California: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Groundfish#287201301-20-fm-line
2. Descending Devices: No person shall take or possess any federal groundfish as defined in Section 1.91 and all greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos from any boat or other floating device in ocean waters without having a descending device in possession and available for immediate use to assist in releasing rockfish to the depth of capture.
Three major descending devices are currently available for purchase, and I want to share what I know of them. Some people use homemade ones, too.
SFD™ (Shelton Fish Descender™)
It is low-cost and simple to use
I attached a large snap swivel to attach the weight
User instruction: https://www.sheltonproducts.com/SFD.html
Purchasing options:
https://www.sheltonproducts.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C7UJYB2/?coliid=ID1N08HIMJUZ6&colid=2IP2SHYUKL6Z5&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
eBay
SeaQualizer Descending Device
More advanced options to preset release depth (Shallow - 30'-50'-70', Standard - 50'-100'-150', Deep - 100'-200'-300')
Recommend the Shallow model
User instruction: https://seaqualizer.com/technology/
Purchasing options:
https://seaqualizer.com/product/seaqualizer-descending-device/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R2BLV3Z/?coliid=I1YJYBRWPNZKC2&colid=2IP2SHYUKL6Z5&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Fishsaverpro Descender
User instruction: https://fishsaverpro.com/how-to-use-guide/
Purchasing options:
https://fishsaverpro.myshopify.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083NN7Z2K/?coliid=IDRPRRN6CQ87Y&colid=2IP2SHYUKL6Z5&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
3. Quillback no take – 0 Bag limit
Quillback Identification Flyer: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=197176&inline
4. Vermilion limit reduction to 2-sub bag limit in all areas except Northern Groundfish Management Area, which has a 4-sub bag limit.
Visit the Non-Motorized Vessel Petition Website for additional information: https://paul95255.wixsite.com/non-motorized-vessel
Full Revised Proposed Regulatory Language - March 22, 2024: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=221409&inline
Staff Summary for March 26, 2024, FGC Meeting-Recreational Fishing Regulations for Federal Groundfish: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=221407&inline
This is only a partial victory, and we will continue to seek an exception for the Non-Motorized Vessels to provide us equal access time as power boaters. Thank you to all workgroup members and other supporters.
You can watch the meeting video recording: https://cal-span.org/meeting/cfg_20240326/
This change must go through the California and Federal administration process and is expected to be effective in early April 2024. Make sure you verify that the season is officially open prior to going fishing in Apri.
1. Season structure (See Table 1 for the summary)
In the Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco, and the Central-North of 36° N latitude GMAs, the season structure is proposed as:
• closed January through March;
• open seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line for shelf rockfish, slope rockfish, and lingcod in April, October, and December; and
• open shoreward of the newly-established 20-fathom boundary line in May through September, and November.
In the Central-South of 36° N latitude and Southern GMAs, the season structure is proposed as:
• closed January through March;
• open in all depths April through June;
• open shoreward of the 50-fathom boundary line July through September; and
• open seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line for shelf rockfish, slope rockfish, and lingcod October through December.
Downloadable Files
20-Fathom Boundary Line off California: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Groundfish#287201301-20-fm-line
- 20fa GPX file - Download and import to your fish finder
20fa-dfg-track https://fe8d0049-436b-45ce-aebe-f95064da1bb8.filesusr.com/ugd/da58b5_6987c4e5f11e450b9af90109b67bf6af.gpx?dn=20fa-dfg-track.gpx
50fa GPX file - Download and import to your fish finder 50fa RCA Line GPX https://fe8d0049-436b-45ce-aebe-f95064da1bb8.filesusr.com/ugd/da58b5_65b1bf19c0d1457aa7a9d07153954350.gpx?dn=50%20Fathom%20RCA%20Line.gpx
50fa GPX file (Navionics) - Download and import to Navionics App.
https://fe8d0049-436b-45ce-aebe-f95064da1bb8.filesusr.com/ugd/da58b5_584022fec9fa43009d264fc46147c618.gpx?dn=50fa_gpx_file-Navionics.gpx
2. Descending Devices: No person shall take or possess any federal groundfish as defined in Section 1.91 and all greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos from any boat or other floating device in ocean waters without having a descending device in possession and available for immediate use to assist in releasing rockfish to the depth of capture.
Three major descending devices are currently available for purchase, and I want to share what I know of them. Some people use homemade ones, too.
SFD™ (Shelton Fish Descender™)
It is low-cost and simple to use
I attached a large snap swivel to attach the weight
User instruction: https://www.sheltonproducts.com/SFD.html
Purchasing options:
https://www.sheltonproducts.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C7UJYB2/?coliid=ID1N08HIMJUZ6&colid=2IP2SHYUKL6Z5&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
eBay
SeaQualizer Descending Device
More advanced options to preset release depth (Shallow - 30'-50'-70', Standard - 50'-100'-150', Deep - 100'-200'-300')
Recommend the Shallow model
User instruction: https://seaqualizer.com/technology/
Purchasing options:
https://seaqualizer.com/product/seaqualizer-descending-device/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R2BLV3Z/?coliid=I1YJYBRWPNZKC2&colid=2IP2SHYUKL6Z5&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Fishsaverpro Descender
User instruction: https://fishsaverpro.com/how-to-use-guide/
Purchasing options:
https://fishsaverpro.myshopify.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083NN7Z2K/?coliid=IDRPRRN6CQ87Y&colid=2IP2SHYUKL6Z5&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
3. Quillback no take – 0 Bag limit
Quillback Identification Flyer: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=197176&inline
4. Vermilion limit reduction to 2-sub bag limit in all areas except Northern Groundfish Management Area, which has a 4-sub bag limit.
Visit the Non-Motorized Vessel Petition Website for additional information: https://paul95255.wixsite.com/non-motorized-vessel
Full Revised Proposed Regulatory Language - March 22, 2024: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=221409&inline
Staff Summary for March 26, 2024, FGC Meeting-Recreational Fishing Regulations for Federal Groundfish: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=221407&inline