are they coming for our hoop nets?

I received an email from CDFW about proposed changes to recreational crab gear regulations and a webinar on Sept 20th. One item in particular seems like a concern: "Include northern hoop nets as gear evaluated for entanglement risk". To me it seems like this will lead to them shutting down hoop nets too. Anyone have any insight into this? I pasted the full text of the update below.




Webinar: Discussion of Proposed Recreational Crab Gear Regulation Changes

Date: Friday, September 20, 2024
Time: 11:00a.m. – 1:00p.m.

The Department is inviting the public and California Native American Tribes to learn more about a proposed rulemaking to amend recreational crab gear regulations, Sections 29.80 and 29.85, Title 14, of the California Code of Regulations. The proposal was recently presented at the July 2024 Marine Resources Committee. If you are interested, have questions, or would like to provide feedback, please join us on September 20, 2024 for a presentation regarding the proposals and a discussion on proposed regulation changes.

The following recreational crab gear regulation changes are being considered:

    Add a separate Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel crab trap validation stamp.
    Add a hoop net tampering prohibition.
    Clarify surface gear requirements for northern hoop nets.
    Update the marine life entanglement evaluation process to:
        Add an entanglement trigger;
        Add two additional management actions to include a gear reduction and depth restriction;
        Include northern hoop nets as gear evaluated for entanglement risk.
    Prohibit the use of line marks or colors from other West Coast fisheries.

For Questions, contact: WhaleSafeFisheries@wildlife.ca.gov.
Please join the Department at the following
Join the Meeting Now  >
Meeting ID: 282 752 513 655
Passcode: BRvLE4
Or call in (audio only) (916) 535-0984
Phone Conference ID: 379 003 810#
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Does that look like a commercial consideration, which would still be a blow…

Does that look like a commercial consideration, which would still be a blow…

What do you mean by "commercial consideration"?

From the original post ... "proposed rulemaking to amend recreational crab gear regulations".

-Allen

It looks to be written under the commercial phrasing.

I did not see the sentence above the commercial paragraph.

Bummer

It looks to be written under the commercial phrasing.

I did not see the sentence above the commercial paragraph.

Bummer

What "commercial paragraph"?

And, we need to distinguish between commercial crabbers and commercial passenger fishing vessels.

-Allen

It looks to be written under the commercial phrasing.

I did not see the sentence above the commercial paragraph.

Bummer

What "commercial paragraph"?

And, we need to distinguish between commercial crabbers and commercial passenger fishing vessels.

-Allen

My eyes of denial cannot imagine any of the entanglement act provisions to apply to our sport equipment.

Entanlgement trigger$$$.   I guess if the whales are as close as they are at Pacifica now not sure the purpose or how to respond to a trigger going off.
Gear reduction and depth restriction.  I can only handle 3 hoops on a yak and will rarely pull from 60-7ft.
Tampering prohibition.  I thought tampering was across the board an assumed no no like pots.   Poachers gonna poach. I stay on my line pretty much the whole session.
What about southern(conical) hoop nets , not sure what a Northern hoop net(flat) is vs. a hoop net.  I guess I could look it up.
Prohibit colors?  High viz is quite essential. 

I guess I've lumped commercial with commercial passenger vessel  of which I am neither.

This is just my brainstorming thought process. 

If ambush traps weren't lumped in with actual rings/hoop nets, then legitimate, active ring fishing probably wouldn't be scrutinized for prohibition.

Call a trap a trap.