Posted by Finfan on February 24, 2004 at 12:23:54:
In Reply to: What is the rationale for size limits? posted by Elaine on February 22, 2004 at 22:11:32:
Part of the reason is because by requiring a larger size fish it takes that fish a longer number of years to reach that size and therefore the fish is in the breeding cycle for a greater number of years. Case in point, if it takes a whole year for a lingcod to gain the additional size limit then that fish has made it through one complete breeding period and contributed to new hatchings that season, if it takes two years then it is expoential, since there young get the extra time. I don't know what lingcod are specifically but any additional size requirement should have some positive impact. SIze and bag limits alone however, will never keep up with fishing technology. The DFG also needs to improve or at least protect the structure and habitat used by the offspring to really achieve optimum results from bag and size increases.