Posted by Chris on August 27, 2001 at 17:07:08:
In Reply to: California Lobster Law posted by Chris on August 27, 2001 at 13:48:31:
The previous post was the actual text of the law.
This is from the Fish and Game Sportfishing Pamphlet.
27.15. Multi-Day Fishing Trips.
The following provisions apply to anglers and to boat owners and operators when a Declaration for a Multi-Day Fishing Trip has been filed with the Department of Fish and Game.
(a) Provisions related to the angler: Up to three daily bag and possession limits of saltwater fin fish, lobster and rock scallops and up to two daily bag and possession limits of
abalone are allowed for a person fishing during a multi-day trip in ocean waters from a boat whose owner or operator has filed a Declaration for Multi-Day Fishing Trip, pursuant to
the provisions of subsection (b) below.
(1) The provisions of this section do not authorize any person to take more than one daily bag limit of fish during one calendar day.
(2) The provisions of this section do not apply to the taking and possession of salmon, steelhead, striped bass and sturgeon.
(b) Provisions related to the boat owner or operator who has filed for a Declaration for a Multi-Day Fishing Trip:
(1) The owner or operator of a boat shall mail or deliver to the nearest office of the Department a Declaration for Multi-Day Fishing Trip application form provided by the Department
and a $3.00 filing fee. The applicant shall provide the following information:
(A) Place, date and time of departure of the boat.
(B) Place, date and estimated time of return of the boat.
(C) Name and/or number of the boat, including the number of any Fish and Game registration number plates assigned to the vessel.
(D) Copy of passenger manifest if fishing within 10 miles of the mainland shore of California.
(E) Date and hour Declaration mailed or delivered to the Fish and Game Department office.
(2) The Declaration for Multi-Day Fishing Trip form must be submitted to the nearest office of the Department in order for any person aboard such boat to possess more than one bag
limit of saltwater fin fish, abalone, lobster and rock scallops. If mailed, the form must be received at least 48 hours prior to the date of the boats departure. If the 48-hours advance
notice is not met, the original copy of the form signed by an authorized department representative must be aboard the vessel during the trip. Forms will be accepted for authorization
only during business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
(3) A Declaration for Multi-Day Fishing Trip may not be filed for a trip unless the trip is continuous and extends for a period of 12 hours or more on the first and last days of the trip and
no berthing or docking is permitted within five miles of the mainland shore.
(4) The owner or operator of a boat filing a Declaration for Multi-Day Fishing Trip shall prepare such form in duplicate, and shall require the duplicate to be posted in full view of the
passengers aboard the boat.
(5) All passengers must disembark at place of return stated on Declaration.
29.80. Gear Restrictions.
(a) General: Saltwater crustaceans may be taken by hand. Nets, traps or other appliances may not be used except as provided in this section.
(b) Baited hoop nets may be used to take spiny lobsters and all species of crabs. Between Point Arguello, Santa Barbara County, and the United States-Mexico border, not more
than five baited hoop nets may be fished by a person to take spiny lobster and crab, not to exceed a total of 10 baited hoop nets fished from any vessel.
(c) Crab traps shall have at least two rigid circular openings of not less than four and one-quarter inches inside diameter so constructed that the lowest portion of each opening is no
lower than five inches from the top of the trap.
(d) Crab loop traps may have up to six loops.
(e) Crab trap areas: Crab traps, including crab loop traps, may be used north of Point Arguello to take all species of crabs (see regulations for take of Dungeness crabs in traps from
commercial passenger fishing vessels in Section 29.85, Title 14, CCR).
(f) Shrimp and prawn traps may be used to take shrimp and prawns only. Trap openings may not exceed 1/2 inch in any dimension on traps used south of Point Conception nor five
inches in any dimension on traps used north of Point Conception.
(g) Diving for crustaceans: In all ocean waters, except as provided in Section 29.05, skin and SCUBA divers may take crustaceans by the use of the hands except divers may not
possess any hooked device while diving or attempting to dive.
(h) Hand operated appliances: Spades, shovels, hoes, rakes or other appliances operated by hand may be used to take sand crabs and shrimp.
(i) Dip nets and Hawaiian type throw nets: Shrimp may be taken with dip nets and Hawaiian type throw nets north of Point Conception.
(j) Shrimp trawls: Shrimp beam trawls may be used to take shrimp only in San Francisco Bay waters east of the Golden Gate Bridge, and in San Pablo Bay. The beam trawl frame
from which the net is hung may not exceed 24 inches by 18 inches. The trawl may be towed by motorized vessels but may not be retrieved by mechanical devices. Any fish, other than
shrimp, caught in the trawl must be returned immediately to the water.
29.85. Crabs.
(a) Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister):
(1) Closure: Dungeness crab may not be taken or possessed in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, plus all their tidal bays, sloughs and estuaries between the Golden Gate
Bridge and Carquinez Bridge.
(2) Open season:
(A) Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties: From the Saturday preceding December 1 or December 1 when it falls on Saturday through July 30.
(B) All other counties: From the Saturday preceding the second Tuesday in November through June 30.
(3) Limit: Ten, except in Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties, when fishing aboard a commercial passenger fishing vessel required to be
licensed pursuant to Section 7881 and/or Section 7920, Fish and Game Code, the limit is six.
(4) Not more than 60 crab traps are authorized to be used to take Dungeness crab from a vessel operating under authority of a Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel License
issued pursuant to Fish and Game Code Section 7920.
(5) Traps and trap buoys used by a commercial passenger fishing vessel to take Dungeness crab under authority of this Section and Section 29.80 shall have the commercial boat
registration number of that vessel affixed to each trap and buoy.
(6) No vessel that takes Dungeness crabs under authority of this section, or Section 29.80, shall be used to take Dungeness crabs for commercial purposes.
(7) Minimum size: Five and three-quarter inches measured by the shortest distance through the body from edge of shell to edge of shell directly in front of and excluding the points
(lateral spines); except in Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties, when fishing aboard a commercial passenger fishing vessel required to
be licensed pursuant to Section 7881 and/or Section 7920, Fish and Game Code, the minimum size is six inches measured by the shortest distance through the body from edge of
shell to edge of shell directly in front of and excluding the points (lateral spines).
(b) All crabs of the Cancer genus except Dungeness crabs, but including: yellow crabs, rock crabs, red crabs and slender crabs:
(1) Open season: All year.
(2) Limit: Thirty-five.
(3) Minimum size: Four inches measured by the shortest distance through the body, from edge of shell to edge of shell at the widest part, except there is no minimum size in Fish and
Game districts 8 and 9.
(c) All crabs of the genus Cancer, including Dungeness crabs, yellow crabs, rock crabs, red crabs and slender crabs, may be brought to the surface of the water for measuring, but no
undersize crabs may be placed in any type of receiver, kept on the person or retained in any person's possession or under his direct control; all crabs shall be measured immediately
and any undersize crabs shall be released immediately into the water.
(d) Sand crabs (Emerita analoga): Limit: Fifty.
29.90. Spiny Lobsters.
(a) Open season: From the Saturday preceding the first Wednesday in October through the first Wednesday after the 15th of March.
(b) Limit: Seven.
(c) Minimum size: Three and one-fourth inches measured in a straight line on the mid-line of the back from the rear edge of the eye socket to the rear edge of the body shell. Any
lobster may be brought to the surface of the water for the purpose of measuring, but no undersize lobster may be brought aboard any boat, placed in any type of receiver, kept on the
person or retained in any person's possession or under his direct control; all lobsters shall be measured immediately upon being brought to the surface of the water, and any
undersize lobster shall be released immediately into the water.