Sculpin Season

[DockRat]

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will close both the commercial and recreational fishery for California scorpionfish (Scorpaena guttata) on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 12:01 a.m. The fishery will remain closed statewide through the end of the year.

Based on recent catch estimates from the sport fishery and landing receipt totals from the commercial fishery, CDFW projects that the 2014 annual catch limit (ACL) for California scorpionfish will be exceeded unless the fishery is closed.

The latest estimates indicate over 110 metric tons of California scorpionfish have been taken to date. The ACL specified in federal regulation for 2014 is 117 metric tons. Pursuant to the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, sections 27.20(e) and 52.09, CDFW has the authority to close the fishery at the time the total allowable catch is exceeded, or expected to be reached.


For more information regarding groundfish regulations, please visit the CDFW Marine Region Groundfish Central website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/groundfishcentral.

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc195/fishinaccomplished/IMGP0249.jpg (http://media.photobucket.com/user/fishinaccomplished/media/IMGP0249.jpg.html)

[Ifishtoolittle]

I hope the DFG doesn't close the perch season too.

Honestly though, we need slot limits and seasonal limits on our major species.

[bobabocker]

Pretty crazy, I've seen so many of these guys taken in the last 4 years off of the sport boats. It's insane that they would still target them this year especially with the awesome off-shore season we had. You would think that they would go big game hunting instead.