Post
by Aerotus » Tue Oct 07, 2003 9:18 pm
How lucky can those guys get!
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September 5, 2003
Contacts: Carrie Wilson, Marine Region Communications, (831) 649-7191
Robert Treanor, Executive Director Fish and Game Commission, (916) 653-4899
NOAA Fisheries approved the recommendation made in June by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) to move the maximum depth fishing line from the 20 fathoms (120 feet) out to 30 fathoms (180 feet) in waters south of Pt. Conception. State and federal regulations allowing sport anglers to fish in deeper waters in southern California took effect Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, respectively, and will last until Dec. 31.
Because groundfish species are managed by the Council PFMC but occur in both state and federal waters, the California Fish and Game Commission also needed to conform the state’s fishing regulations to the federal regulation changes made for the current sport-fishing season.
The Commission approved the conformance regulation at its Aug. 1 meeting in Long Beach. Federal and state fishery managers recommended easing fishing restrictions for rockfish mid-season in response to new science showing an increase in the overfishi ed bocaccio rockfish, which occupies the same ocean waters as healthy stocks targeted by saltwater anglers.
“The Commission took this action to provide some relief to fishermen and there will be further refinements and additional relief in 2004,â€Â
