Contacts:
Jerry Kashiwada, Marine Region, (707) 964-5791;
Carrie Wilson, DFG Office of Communications, (831) 238-2044


The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wants to remind
abalone divers and shore pickers that the northern California
recreational red abalone fishery will be closed during July. The fishery
resumes on Aug. 1, and continues through Nov. 30, 2005.

The primary purpose of the closure is to reduce the overall catch of
red abalone during the summer, a traditional high-take period. The July
closure has been used for this purpose since 1976.

DFG also reminds abalone fishermen 16 years and older that a valid
fishing license and an abalone report card must be purchased when taking
abalone. The report card must be returned to the address on the back of
the card by the end of the season, and can be submitted early.
Regulations require that the abalone card be returned even if no abalone
were taken.

The abalone report card is an important tool that helps DFG manage the
northern California red abalone fishery. Data from the report cards are
used along with other information to estimate landings - information
that helps biologists keep tabs on the health of this recreational
fishery.

The take for 2002 and 2003 estimated from returned abalone report cards
and telephone surveys of abalone card purchasers was 264,000 abalone per
year. Details are available online in the April 2005 issue of Marine
Management News at www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/newsletter/0405.html#abalone.

The California 2005 Sport Fishing Regulations state that red abalone
may be taken from April through June, and from August through November.
The bag limit is three abalone per day, with an annual limit of 24
abalone. The size limit for abalone is seven inches or greater in
diameter. The current state record abalone, taken by John Pepper in
1993, measured 12 1/3 inches across.

Additional information about California abalone is available on DFG's
Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd.