Dec 14 FGC Meeting - Non-Motorized Vessel Petition (Groundfish)

Thanks Paul and crew for the work and commitment.
I truly believe this is not only good for the kayak fishing community, but good overall.

Thanks again,
Brian.

Thank you to all NCKA members who supported the behind-the-scenes.
The next steps will be to continue communicating with CDFW staff and prepare for the next FGC Meeting at Sacramento on February 14, 2024.
FGC staff complemented our group for how well we were organized to cede time to the designated speakers.

Paul

Thanks for all that spoke at the meeting. I feel you guys brought good valid points. Too bad Mark didn't get to speak. I don't know what happened. I guess some ppl who were supposed to cede their time were no show.

Thanks for all that spoke at the meeting. I feel you guys brought good valid points. Too bad Mark didn't get to speak. I don't know what happened. I guess some ppl who were supposed to cede their time were no show.

Mark did speak at the end for 2 minutes.

Here is the video of the Dec. 14 FGC Meeting Summary related to our issue: https://youtu.be/reXjgGR3Gb4?si=mkJiQDtJFbN-OozL

Paul

Thank you Paul and team for representing many of us kayak anglers and bringing our community to the attention of DFG. I think you are doing a great job and it sounds like they are listening. I was not able to attend the meeting but I should be able to attend the meeting on Feb 14th virtually and would be happy to cede time to anyone who wants to speak.

I ended up after the large group a speakers pushing for extending the size of the MPAs. After they finished speaking, and I finished the commissioners questioned them hard on their cherry picking the data, and stated it would be a very high bar to get over for the petition to pass. We need to mobilize on this one too.

Chuck Bonham director said something pretty interesting. The commission has no control over making the rules. The quillback limits are set at the federal level and they set a limit this year of only 1 metric ton of quillback.  He said the system is not “keeping up with reality and doesn’t know what to do about it”. The data comes from the federal level and he has to work with Washington and congress. CDFW is one piece of the puzzle but doesn’t have a lot of control on change. The data is collected from what commercial says they catch and the recreational fishing surveys.  Paul, thanks for recording the YouTube recording and showing up.

PFMC sets the quota, CDFW sets the regs the support meeting the quota.  Although CA Halibut are not federally managed, probably because the they are mostly caught in state waters.

-Allen

Great job 123engineering and the others who spoke up. Kudos for all your hardwork.