From: TIM GRAHAM <gigadive@...>

Date: September 7, 2008 10:44:46 AM PDT

To: Steven Trainoff <strainoff@...>

Subject: RE: [Paradise_Dive_Club] Info about new Lobster Diving regulations

Steve,
 
This new F&G regulation is ridiculous. Are Lobster's endangered? And, if they are, would this be the point of documenting your Lobster catch? To help manage the Lobster fishery? I want to see the data that shows a decline in Lobster population and request that we get the F&G over for a presentation at our club meeting night. What say you?
Furthermore, I won't be buying a fishing license or the silly Lobster report card this year because I can buy Lobster and fish in the Harbor for much less than what I pay for all the stuff (equipment, gasoline, license, and now a Lobster report card) it takes to catch a bug. Sporting fishing just keeps getting worse for us on the West coast and it's simply not worth all the effort, time, and money. 
 
Thanks for distributing this message Steve, it saves a lot of money and hassle. Please disseminate this email to the club as I would like to hear what other club members have to say about the topic.
 

Tim
Life is Full of Choices. 
Today, Yours are Good Ones!

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To: Paradise_Dive_Club@yahoogroups.com
From: strainoff@...
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 20:29:56 -0700
Subject: [Paradise_Dive_Club] Info about new Lobster Diving regulations

Hi All,

As you are probably aware, the regulations regarding bug hunting have changed this year.  We are now required to fill out a "Spiny Lobster Report Card" that records when, where, and how many bugs are taken. According to the fish and game web site (http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/sportfishing_regs2008.asp  and http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/faqindx.asp#spinylobster) the report cards should cost $7.90 per card.  They are SUPPOSED to be available wherever fishing licenses are sold, but when I went to Big 5 Sporting Goods, they were extremely confused.  They didn't know what I was taking about when I asked for the Spiny Lobster Report Card and they kept insisting that I didn't need one.  Another report was that the Sea Landing had them but wouldn't sell them because they hadn't been "trained on how to sell them".  

One interesting thing I just learned about today is that you MUST fill out the time and date BEFORE you start your dive.  Even if you don't catch anything you are supposed to report the attempt.  The relevant verbiage from the F&G site is 

Regulations require that prior to 
beginning fishing activity the cardholder must record the month, day, 
location, and gear code on the first available line on the report card. 
When the cardholder moves to another location, or finishes fish- 
ing for the day, he or she must immediately record on the card the 
number of lobster kept from that location.

I have included the a page from one the F&G documents below.  I also included a handy guide that describes the proper way of measuring and handling bugs.  Remember bug season opens at 12:01AM Saturday October 27.  We are meeting at Butterfly beach around 11:30 PM on Friday, Oct 26 for the opener dive.  On Saturday night Gretchen and I are hosting a Lobster Bake for all successful hunters and a Chicken Broil for everyone else.  Everyone (including non hunters) is invited.  Please arrive around 6:30pm.

...STeve

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