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CA Regulations / Re: RF Reg. Petition - Rockfish Nearshore Draft Petition
« on: September 09, 2023, 03:15:54 PM »Where are the regulations for the Northern division?
Northern Management Area doesn't have a published 50-fathom rule, and we didn't know how to include it in the petition.
We hope CDFW will apply a similar rule when they accept our petition. If you have detail petition language, please let us know.
Paul
We certainly do have a 50 fathom rule since our nearshore season was shut down before your nearshore was . I’m not talking about the beginning of the season. The groundfish laws aren’t permanent. They change or amend them often during the season. We used to be only 120ft depth limit then they upped to 180ft. It used to only be open to October 31st then gave us till the end of the year. They gave us all depth after October 31st for the 4 or 5 years, but only once or twice did we actually get all depth because they would say the limit had been reached on incidental yelloweye take and keep us at 180ft which so so stupid cause there are plenty of yelloweye in 180ft of water. We also don’t have much reefs deeper than 180ft anyways. Really my main concern is salmon and pacific halibut because if I really wanted rockfish or lingcod it’s almost as easy to just go catch some from shore since they aren’t a sportfishing and are some of the easiest fish to catch. I wish y’all luck with this venture, but I have my doubts that CADFW will change whatever their plans are for the season. Having the opportunity to fish Cape Mendocino for nearshore is about the only place that will get me to target rockfish and let ngs specifically.