CDFW Introduces License Application for Mobile Devices

The new application allows residents and nonresidents to display California sport fishing licenses and validations on their mobile phones and other mobile devices in lieu of a physical license.

You can download the "CDFW License" app from your App Store and install it.  It took me about 5 minutes to install, verify, and link to see my license information.

For additional information, visit CDFW site: https://wildlife.ca.gov/LicenseApp?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#603364102-what-is-the-cdfw-license-app

Paul

This is awesome! Thanks for the info Paul

This is awesome! Thanks for the info Paul

I also associated my wife's account and was able to display her license information.
Hopefully, someone can develop a fish identification app linked to the applicable regulations.
By taking a photo of a fish, it can tell species, size, (automatically capture GPS coordinate and date) and tell me if I can keep the fish or not and how many.
May be an excellent joint retirement project.

Update: NVM, App works offline 

What do you do if you have no signal? Is screenshot of your license sufficient enough? Just installed the app.

This is awesome! Thanks for the info Paul

I also associated my wife's account and was able to display her license information.
Hopefully, someone can develop a fish identification app linked to the applicable regulations.
By taking a photo of a fish, it can tell species, size, (automatically capture GPS coordinate and date) and tell me if I can keep the fish or not and how many.
May be an excellent joint retirement project.

I'm not exactly a Luddite, but this is a bridge too far.  GPS punch tags, sure.  ODFW already does this.  But fish ID with instant regulation information?  How about learn how to target and ID fish yourself?

Pretty soon there will be apps where we can take a photo of a potential partner we meet and learn all about them.  Credit score?  Infidelity? STDs?  Is she even 18? 

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.  I'm going to go yell at clouds now.

A screen shot of the fishing license is good enough since I was asked and shown it to a game warden the day I caught my PB Halibut.

A screen shot of the fishing license is good enough since I was asked and shown it to a game warden the day I caught my PB Halibut.

That's great.

Update: NVM, App works offline 

What do you do if you have no signal? Is screenshot of your license sufficient enough? Just installed the app.

Here is the offline instruction:

While connected to the internet and viewing the Welcome screen, tap Click here to refresh located in the upper right corner of the screen. This ensures your current licenses and validations are saved within the app and are available for offline use.

No. Pictures or screenshots of licenses are not valid. Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 700.4(f)(opens in new tab), licenses displayed electronically must be displayed through the CDFW License App. However, the CDFW License App stores licenses within the app for display when there is no internet connectivity via cellular service or wi-fi.

Here is the link to the detail instruction: https://wildlife.ca.gov/LicenseApp?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#603364115-will-a-screenshot-of-my-fishing-license-displayed-on-the-cdfw-license-app-be-acceptable-when-there-is-no-cell-phone-service

Paul

Hopefully, someone can develop a fish identification app linked to the applicable regulations.
By taking a photo of a fish, it can tell species, size, (automatically capture GPS coordinate and date) and tell me if I can keep the fish or not and how many.

This would be a great project for one of my CS students, I'll try to pitch it and see if I can get any takers. It would be interesting to see how accurately fish can be ID'ed from pictures. I suspect there would be quite a few ambiguous cases, but at least the app could then tell you what to look for to distinguish between the possibilities...

Hopefully, someone can develop a fish identification app linked to the applicable regulations.
By taking a photo of a fish, it can tell species, size, (automatically capture GPS coordinate and date) and tell me if I can keep the fish or not and how many.

This would be a great project for one of my CS students, I'll try to pitch it and see if I can get any takers. It would be interesting to see how accurately fish can be ID'ed from pictures. I suspect there would be quite a few ambiguous cases, but at least the app could then tell you what to look for to distinguish between the possibilities...

We might start by collecting rockfish photos. If we make serious progress, we might be able to pursue grants from CDFW, PFMC, or CCA.  Additionally, it could provide a fishing log function.  I know ESRI/Survey123 has a fishing log app.  I want to assist people unfamiliar with CDFW regulations, which are overly complicated.  As I stated before you need a PhD to understand our regulations.

Paul

Thanks for posting this Paul. The app is a great backup but I think I will still keep my paper copy to avoid having to hand my phone to the warden while bouncing in the ocean. Usually just waving it at them is good enough.

Hopefully, someone can develop a fish identification app linked to the applicable regulations.
By taking a photo of a fish, it can tell species, size, (automatically capture GPS coordinate and date) and tell me if I can keep the fish or not and how many.

This would be a great project for one of my CS students, I'll try to pitch it and see if I can get any takers. It would be interesting to see how accurately fish can be ID'ed from pictures. I suspect there would be quite a few ambiguous cases, but at least the app could then tell you what to look for to distinguish between the possibilities...

We might start by collecting rockfish photos. If we make serious progress, we might be able to pursue grants from CDFW, PFMC, or CCA.  Additionally, it could provide a fishing log function.  I know ESRI/Survey123 has a fishing log app.  I want to assist people unfamiliar with CDFW regulations, which are overly complicated.  As I stated before you need a PhD to understand our regulations.

Paul

There’s an app called Fish Legal already has a lot of the information you’re talking about. Maybe you can talk to them and build off of what they already have. Might be easier to add to their system then to start one from scratch.

Update: NVM, App works offline 

What do you do if you have no signal? Is screenshot of your license sufficient enough? Just installed the app.

Here is the offline instruction:

While connected to the internet and viewing the Welcome screen, tap Click here to refresh located in the upper right corner of the screen. This ensures your current licenses and validations are saved within the app and are available for offline use.

No. Pictures or screenshots of licenses are not valid. Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 700.4(f)(opens in new tab), licenses displayed electronically must be displayed through the CDFW License App. However, the CDFW License App stores licenses within the app for display when there is no internet connectivity via cellular service or wi-fi.

Here is the link to the detail instruction: https://wildlife.ca.gov/LicenseApp?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#603364115-will-a-screenshot-of-my-fishing-license-displayed-on-the-cdfw-license-app-be-acceptable-when-there-is-no-cell-phone-service
Paul

I had my fishing license in my wallet under my dry suit and a screen shot of it on my phone.  Guess the game warden trusted me with the screen shot 

Nice but why can't California just use Apple Wallet?  I now have a D/L app and a CDFW app.  Neither are compatible with Apple wallet.  It would be nice to be able to show your fishing license on the Apple Watch.

While fishing for Kings at Folsom lake a few weeks back we were approached by the Wardens in a boat. We asked if they wanted up to stop and reel in our lines. The said, No keep fishing. We'll just pull along side and keep pace with you. The asked us to hold up our licenses so he could see them with their Binoculars. We did. They thanked us and moved off. There's no way that they could have seen them if we had them on our phones.