Are Children Required to Have a Lobster Report Card?

September 18, 2008

Question: My son and I will be fishing the lobster opener together (a family tradition) with hoop nets and then cooking up whatever we catch on the barbecue that night for friends and family. Since my son is just 15 years old I know that he still doesn’t need a fishing license, but what about this new lobster report card? Will he need to buy his own report card? Or can he wait until next year when he buys his own fishing license? Or should he list any bugs he catches while with me on my card? Thanks. (Daniel C., Oceanside).

Answer: Both lobster report cards and abalone report cards now require that everyone pursuing either of these invertebrates must now purchase their own report cards. This now even goes for those under 15 years of age who are not required to have a California fishing license.

In addition, opening day of lobster season this year (Sept. 27) also falls on the DFG’s second free fishing day of the year when people may fish without having to buy a sport fishing license. While no license may be required on this date, everyone who will be pursuing spiny lobsters, sturgeon or abalone must still have or purchase the respective report cards and fill them out as usual when pursuing any of these species.