Be careful when kayak fishing/diving at Sea Ranch

I heard a report from a friend, that they went to Sea Ranch a couple weeks ago.  He and two other buddies were there kayaking and diving from a beach access site, and a Sea Ranch resident was scoping them out and called the ranger and sherriff and told them that he saw some kayak divers that were taking alot of abalone.  It turns out that they only had three abs from one guy, the other two were only out for a paddle and the sherriff sited the one guy for not having his abalone punch card filled out when he got to shore.  He was completely legal with licence and punch card, but got nailed for not having it punched before he got to shore.  They made him punch his card and sited him, then took his abs.  He said that he had a pen but lost it during the time out in the water.  Just a word of warning, that the Sea Ranch residents are looking for reasons to nail anyone that isn't a resident.


George AKA:Divndc

Something wrong with that account. It is printed right on the card "Immediately upon bringing an abalone ashore or aboard a boat, make a hole and completely remove the punched section".

Seems to me that if you have the hole punched and then need to get a pen, you are within the law. If it did happen as stated, then he can beat that ticket in court.

Something wrong with that account. It is printed right on the card "Immediately upon bringing an abalone ashore or aboard a boat, make a hole and completely remove the punched section".

Seems to me that if you have the hole punched and then need to get a pen, you are within the law. If it did happen as stated, then he can beat that ticket in court.

I assume that a kayak is a boat, and thus as soon as you get on your yak you're required to punch it.  I would still go to court, as you will get your fine reduced by explaining your story to the judge.

Seems like they just don't mess around with the rules on abalone.....

Now I might have a few kind words for a resident that falsely accused me of poaching however......

MolBasser

the whole north coast is open season on poaching so if anyone suspects anyone of it they will definitely tell. heck, in all honesty, i would also report anyone if i suspected something weird was happening. its our responsibility and it helps protect our resources. being that i opened my mouth on this, i have also been checked by game wardens and by just bystanders who were acting like wardens. this annoys me yes, but the fact that i am within the law and licensed makes it fun to whip the card out and flag em in the face with it.

if you are legal, don't mind getting checked.

there have also been days i was out on the kayak diving and spearing at fort ross and the dfg helicopter comes and buzzes overhead a few times. thats pretty annoying. then when i get out i get checked. being asian i think the dfg folks draw some kind of conclusion whatever it may be and i do get checked regularly. im not pointing fingers or what not but its my duty to be prepared to show i am doing it legally.

i make it a point to fill the card out now before heading in. if its rough then i fill it out before hand and know that i dont have to worry.

it seems with the north coast i can understand the fear of poachers and all with the abalone action but when i get faced off by a mother earth protector that does not know what the laws and fish rules are in carmel or monterey bay i really get frustrated. still i explain and ask them what their rules they think are and try not to get pissed. its hard, its good to protect resources, but definitely people should be ready to defend their right to fish. especially when they are doing it within the law.

I was visiting a friend last week up in southern Humboldt near Petrolia. He goes ab diving regularly and says he has seen DFG guys hiding in the bushes on shore waiting for ab divers. They pounce on the divers when they come ashore and write them up if they exceed the limit. Apparently, there is a lot of poaching up there. They come up in boats in the dark, catch a bunch, shell them, and take off by dawn. My friend has seen huge piles of shells on the beach. DFG doesn't catch those guys, so it's the divers that take the heat.

Yeah, filling out my punchcard this weekend the pen wasn't working great with everything wet, so it ended up unintelligible, I guess if they want people to fill out the cards on the water they'll get what they ask for in quality.  I think it'd be better if they defined 'boat' to be 'vessel requiring registration'.  Anything that doesn't require reg doesn't have the range, capacity or the multi-day trip capability to be used for much shenanigans to poach abs.

I don't mind reporting poaching.  I've done it.  However, I was damn sure I knew the guy was poaching and had good reason to call.

If you see someone ab diving, that is not license to think they are poaching and to harrass them.

I have no issue with showing dfg my license or catch, as I'm very careful about regs.  There is a big difference between enforcing regulations and outright harassment though.

The above case appears to be one of a dfg (or sherriff) officer writing a ticket to justify them coming out to bust a non-poacher.  The regs did appear to be broken, but in the most innocuous of ways that could have been dealt with without a ticket, but I bet the reporting resident was right there looking pissy and so the officer felt they had to do something or lose face.

Like I said, take it to the judge and get the fine reduced.



MolBasser

He definitely said that he was going to fight this in court.  He also said that the DFG and the Sherriff felt obligated to the home owner for calling them out there.  (I feel that's harassment)  I myself seen and have reported poachers to 1-800-CALL-DFG, but unfortunately, that doesn't get them all.

Thanks for all the great responses,

George AKA: Divndc

He definitely said that he was going to fight this in court.

Good!

  He also said that the DFG and the Sherriff felt obligated to the home owner for calling them out there.  (I feel that's harassment) 

I agree.

I myself seen and have reported poachers to 1-800-CALL-DFG, but unfortunately, that doesn't get them all.

Thanks for all the great responses,

George AKA: Divndc

Cheers!

MolBasser

Unfortunately if you're on a yak, its considered a boat, and you have to fill it out BEFORE landing on the beach.  I have been checked for this MANY times.  Filling it out on the water can be a PITA so sometimes I fill it out before I go out.  Sorry to hear you had a dream date with a nice warden.

It's a good lesson to learn, but luckily it wasn't me. 

The DFG officer might consider a kayak a boat when they are citing you, but is it really, as defined by California state law? I thought kayaks fell into that same grey area as float tubes and surfboards. What happens if you use a longboard and a paddle. Is that now a kayak or a surfboard?

Regards,
Scott

I'll ask my warden.

kayak & boats = "vessel"

VESSEL - Every kind of water and air craft or other contrivance used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, or on water and in the air, as well as any ship, boat, barge, or other water craft or any structure capable of floating on the water.

therefor pool noodle = boat