Spearfishing for stripers

[Darian]

Did some digging into the bowels of the commissions/departments files on this and find that the proposal to change the reg's was a request by the commission that DFG draft the changes to allow spearfishing in the Valley District. The request was, supposedly, based on suggestions from skin diving and fishing organizations. It was, apparently, unopposed. Check out the link to a pdf that provides a late version of the proposed change:

http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2012/27_85isor.pdf

Note that the Department expressed concerns about making the proposed changes....

Still am unable to confirm whether this has actually been adopted or not....

[Mike McKenzie]

Here are the url's for the pdf files with regard to the inland Code (Sec.2.30) and Ocean (Code Sec.28.75 & 28.90) regulation changes made to allow spearfishing for striped bass...
Inland waters
http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2012/2_30regs.pdf

Ocean waters
http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2012/27_85regs.pdf
Here are the urls for Summary and response by the Commission

http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2012/sfinrec.pdf
Read the bottom of page 14 and the top of page 15 to see who requested the reg. changes

http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2012/sforec.pdf
Read the bottom of page 10 and see the second from the last organization listed and the first on page 11..Eye-opener??

As you read both reg changes had two options;
1- No harvest of striped bass.
2- Harvest of striped bass.

Because there was virtually no spoken or written opposition,The Option 2 (Allow harvest) was approved on a unanimous vote by the Commission on the 7th of Nov. in both the Ocean and the Valley Districts. You can now spearfish for striped in the Ocean the Delta and its tributary rivers except in salmon and steelhead spawning areas.

Here's the list of the waters closed to spearfishing from F&G Code Section 1505
The Sacramento River between Keswick and Squaw Hill Bridge, near Vina.
The Feather River between Oroville and the mouth of Honcut Creek.
The Yuba River between Englebright Dam and a point approximately four miles east of Marysville.
The American River between Nimbus Dam and a point one mile downstream from Arden Way.
The Mokelumne River between Pardee Dam and Lockeford.
The Stanislaus River between Goodwin Dam and Riverbank.
The Tuolumne River between La Grange Dam and the Geer Road (J14)Bridge.
The Merced River between Crocker Huffman Dam and Cressey.

In other words, protection everywhere but where the big striped bass females live..
What the course of action we take will be announced as soon as we can come up a well defined, well informed action. We have to use strong science and well reasoned arguments in what ever we do because knee-jerk reactionary stuff will not work.

Mike

[Darian]

What the hey???? The California Striped Bass Association was a sponsor of this change???? That pretty much dooms any attempt to use them for challenge. I can't believe that CSBA accepts our monetary donations and participates in stuff like this. Any plans to demand an explanation???

[David Lee]

Having a chat w/ the csba on Facebook -

"The decision to support the spear fisherman was more of a political decision. We would then have more alllies in Sacramento when agriculture and DWR attempt to de-regulate striped bass. The reality of the situation is that in the delta and bay where striped bass spend most of their lives, the water is too murky for spear fishing of any kind. Rhe bottom line effect on the striped bass fishery will be minimal while the political effect could be major. I hope this explains the situation and you will continue to support us. Jim Cox President West Delta CSBA."

I think maybe they haven't been swimming or fishing in the American ....

D.~

[Darian]

Interesting rationale. I'm all for building alliances but, unless there was some written agreement involved, don't see how CSBA gained much here. Since many spearfishers are also gear/fly fishers. Where were the spearfishers when DFG attempted to decease the size and increase take/possession limits last year??? The stealthy way the alliance/proposal was brought up for discussion by CSBA prior to adoption, makes me suspicious about the motives involved.

Aside from the obvious problem for large Striped Bass in rivers, I would think that there's going to be some potentially serious conflicts between bankies and divers in places where Stripers congregate (like Shanghai Bend)....

I congratulate the spearfishers in this. They gained something for their membership but I'll be re-thinking why/how, if at all, I support CSBA in the future.

[David Lee]

Using the same 'logic' .... why not get Stripes listed as a commercial fish ? I'm sure the dozen or so folks spreading miles of gillnets out will be great Friends for the resource .....

If populations are down - remove fewer fish . Common sense .

Slot limit - say ..... 2 fish between 20 inches and 38 inches . Leave the dinks to spawn once or twice , and leave the big breeders alone . Common sense .

"The stealthy way the alliance/proposal was brought up for discussion by CSBA prior to adoption, makes me suspicious about the motives involved." - California politics in action !

I think I need to distance myself from this one , what is left of my sanity could use a break before vacation .

D.~

[Darian]

I can't see where making the decision to support this change contributes to conservation and enhancement of Striped Bass as the CSBA website professes to support. One of the statements from the CSBA website encourages all Striper tournaments to use catch & release to reduce impacts and conserve the resource. How hypocritical!!!

[David Lee]

One of the statements from the CSBA website encourages all Striper tournaments to use catch & release to reduce impacts and conserve the resource. How hypocritical!!!

More from my chat w/ csba on Facebook this morning -


"In my home waters of the bay night fishing is not allowed from a boat, like it is east of the Carquines bridge. I could just as easily say that night fisherman have a large effect on the striped bass fishery and should be restricted. Instead I put my efforts into enhancing the opportunity for all fisherman to attempt to catch their legal catch by the means they enjoy, be that fly fishing,bait fishing, trolling, drifting, bait casting, or spear fishing. If all fishermam joined together to fight the real causes of the fisheries decline there would be plenty of fish for all to catch."

--" Instead I put my efforts into enhancing the opportunity for all fisherman to attempt to catch their legal catch by the means they enjoy"-- I have to assume that 'legal catch' means legal LIMIT .

Hook and line harvest the cause of the population crash ?? Nope , that would be water export . That said ..... if populations are down , take fewer . Pretty simple , eh ?

D.~

[Mike O]

I don't support overharvest, but I do support harvest. If one wants to eat a fish, under a legal limit, the one should do do, regardless of gear used. One should not limit out just for limiting's sake.

[Mike McKenzie]

Having a chat w/ the csba on Facebook -

"The decision to support the spear fisherman was more of a political decision. We would then have more alllies in Sacramento when agriculture and DWR attempt to de-regulate striped bass. The reality of the situation is that in the delta and bay where striped bass spend most of their lives, the water is too murky for spear fishing of any kind. Rhe bottom line effect on the striped bass fishery will be minimal while the political effect could be major. I hope this explains the situation and you will continue to support us. Jim Cox President West Delta CSBA."
I think maybe they haven't been swimming or fishing in the American ....
D.~

I talked with the President of the CSBA State Board last night. I asked him if they had thought about the consequences this reg would have on the large female stripers (many of which reside in the tributary rivers to the Delta year around)during spawning and the fact that they could potentially be wiped out within a couple of years. Also, that once the word gets out more than "just a few" divers that like to "hunt" for fish with spear-guns will be doing it. All the folks that are now "subsistence fishing" will be all over this, getting their daily limit of two striped bass and the large females will be the prime target.

The answer I got was "stunned silence" then a bunch of double talk about not "remembering" the exact conversations they had when the State Board voted for supporting this reg change. He said that he'd have go back though their "meeting minutes" and get back to me on Monday. I think Jim Cox's statement (President of the West Delta Chapter CSBA) makes it really clear that they did not think this through at all. Pure stupidity, IMHO! If they think that they'll get any support from the striped bass fishing community there is not rational thinkin' goin' on there!

Mike