Posted by Steve on July 02, 2002 at 07:53:42:
In Reply to: More July 1st closures posted by Captain Tim on July 01, 2002 at 17:01:53:
I read this in the "log" by Zach Thomas:
"The closure was enacted, aaccording to a June 21 release by the California Department of Fish and Game, because the annual recreational harvest limit for bocaccio of 56 metric tons had been exceeded. Recreational anglers had already taken some 60 metric tons of the rockfish by the end of April."
The federal Pacific Fishery Management Council requested the DFG close fishing for all rockfish species as well as lingcod and ocean whitefish "because of the potential to incidentally catch bocaccio while fishing fro other species in those areas." Because their air bladders expand dramatically when they are brought up from deep water, rochfish rarely survive even when immediately released.
They are considering options to rebuild the overfished stock including a 50/50 catch split between commercial and recreational. IMO, this is the type of management needed to protect the resource. Better late then never! If they exceeded the take this year then shouldn't next years take be reduced?
Steve