confused about rockfish opener

I'm trying to make sense of all the rockfish posts. It sounds like up north is all closed for yelloweye protection and the south area (Santa Cruz etc) is going to have bad wind. Am I getting this right? Is anyone going for sure and where? 

Try reading the fishing regulations:  http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/pdfs/oceanfish2008.pdf particularly the groundfish map and tables. 

One of the other rockfish threads now says the restrictions aren't going to start till next year. Has this been confirmed?

Sure, but they were referring to the MLPA restrictions, which is a different set of regulations for fish conservation.  But the basic opener dates and limits are in the Sport Fishing Regulations guide.  So if you read the groundfish map, you will see what opens, and when, based on location along the California coast. 

In addition to that information, you need to know what parts of what areas are closed for conservation (MLPA).  Those regs are listed here: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/  or http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/maps.asp

Let me break it down for you.  Me and a bunch of south bay guys are heading to Carmel for the RF opener. 

We are below the Pigeon Point area, and anything south of that area is open on May 1st (see dfg reg. guide). 
Others are heading to the north, above the Cape Mendecino area, which also opens May 1st.  Between CM and PP is CLOSED until June 1st, get it?
 
But it also has MPA closures in parts of the area to protect Yellow Eye, Canary, Cowcod, etc; endangered species.  That is a subset of regulations per area, which you can find on the MLPA site: 

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/jpegs/ccmpas/carmellobos_chart.jpg (for Carmel)

Which shows the closed areas (in RED, blue is commercial fishing closures(i believe)).  But you can fish anywhere else that is not RED to my understanding. 

A GPS is essential to avoiding the closed area's.

p.s. 

I think I have this right, but don't quote me on it.  Could be some other stuff I just don't know about yet, and I am not responsible for anyone but myself

I haven't been able to wrap my little noodle around all the different MLPAs & MPAs and where they are located so this is a very good start, thanks Al.

BTW, I liked the disclaimer at the end.  Sad that our society has come to that.

Michael

That's the kind of info I'm talking about!!!!!! Thanks.