News Release: For Immediate Release
June 24, 2005

DFG Creates an Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations Hotline

Contact: Ed Roberts, Marine Biologist, (562) 342-7199

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is making it easier
for sport anglers to stay informed about current ocean fishing
regulations with the introduction of a new hotline. Thanks to this new
service, most of California's ocean bottomfishing regulations are now
just a phone call away.

DFG has developed the Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations
Hotline at (831) 649-2801. Using a touch tone keypad, anglers can now
get the latest groundfish regulations information over the phone, and
with a cell phone, it's possible to get this information while at sea.
To use the hotline, anglers simply need to know where in the state they
plan to fish, and the groundfish species or species groups they will be
targeting or are likely to catch.

"The department is committed to keeping the information found on this
hotline current at all times so that anglers will have a dependable
source for finding the latest groundfishing regulations," said Gary
Stacey, manager of the Marine Region. "This new service is now
available to everyone 24 hours per day, seven days a week."

In-season changes to ocean sport fishing regulations can make it tough
for fishermen to keep up with current fishing rules. While the DFG
provides information on its Web site, at www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd, to help
anglers stay informed about regulation changes, those without computers
and Internet access have found it more difficult to get current
information.

The hotline does not present complete groundfish regulations
information, and is not intended to take the place of the regulation
booklet or supplement. It does present regulations that are the most
likely to change during the season, including openings and closures,
depth restrictions, and size and bag limits.