UPDATE FROM THE MARINE CONSERVATION MEATING IN SANTA BARBARA TODAY

Hey all I just got off the phone with the president of Sonoma County Abalone Network AKA "SCAN"  Milo Vukovich, he just relayed to me that at the marine conservation commission meeting in Santa Barbara the the Marine Commission baord were suggesting 2 things that affect us abalone divers and rock pickers on the north coast. They are recommending removing 2 months from the season for the Fort Ross site only and a no dive/start time before 8am in the morning. There reason for this is to try and limit the impact of the rock pickers; I know Milo is working hard on writting a reg to address's this issue and I will keep you all up to date as things develop.

If they're trying to limit the impact of rock pickers why do the proposed new regs include divers? 

That is why SCAN and Milo are working on the wording of the regs. the big question is how do you decpher who is or what is rock picking versus diving / diver ?

That is why SCAN and Milo are working on the wording of the regs. the big question is how do you decpher who is or what is rock picking versus diving / diver ?

"Abalone may only be taken by breathold freediving. shore picking or wading is not allowed before 8 am or in the months of XXX and XXX"

That is why SCAN and Milo are working on the wording of the regs. the big question is how do you decpher who is or what is rock picking versus diving / diver ?

"Abalone may only be taken by breathold freediving. shore picking or wading is not allowed before 8 am or in the months of XXX and XXX"

so what about if I am in 4ft of water floating make a dive get my abalone then stand up what is that diving or wading ? it is a grey area and leves room for interpatation Milo and company have there work cut out for them on this one. feel free to keep the idea's and sugestions comming I will pass them on to Milo.

Definition of WADE
1: to step in or through a medium (as water) offering more resistance than air


Its not that grey, if you are standing up then you are wading and not diving. 

Also, we're already differentiating between scuba and freediving via equipment, can't we define a freediver as wearing a mask, snorkel and fins. 

Also, we're already differentiating between scuba and freediving via equipment, can't we define a freediver as wearing a mask, snorkel and fins. 

ok what about the guy who puts on a weight belt with only 1 pound puts a mask on his forehead and puts one fin on or even just holds them in his hands ? is that a diver or rock picker ?

he's drunk!

Do rock pickers really have that large of an impact on the population? i woulda never thunk it.

Also, we're already differentiating between scuba and freediving via equipment, can't we define a freediver as wearing a mask, snorkel and fins. 

ok what about the guy who puts on a weight belt with only 1 pound puts a mask on his forehead and puts one fin on or even just holds them in his hands ? is that a diver or rock picker ?

Holding fins is not wearing fins and Fins is plural, that means two fins. Is he standing?  


I think we can go all day with potential loopholes, theoretically, as it is, I can dive with a 15' snorkel and a 50lb weightbelt and still be freediving but darwin has a way of sorting that stuff out for us.  I have no doubt somebody would slap in some churchill fins and wade around the tidepools.....broken ankles and getting beat up in the surge oughta sort that out before people wise up.

he's drunk!

who is ?

he's drunk!

who is ?

The kook popping short abs in 3 feet of water with fins on his hands and a mask around his neck. 

Yup, that guy just a joke, was a funny visual.

Iv'e seen what i call pickers outfitted exactly like divers as they enter the water. I think the main differences are. The zone they are working, and how much the Tide affects them.

The real question is why all the hate towards shore pickers? There seems to be some form of resentment towards shore-bound harvesters by ab-diving purists. I've seen it expressed on a few different sites and I think it's lame to make broad generalizations against these groups. But whatever, maybe I'm totally misinformed.