Contact(s):
Carrie Wilson, Information Officer, (831) 649-7191
Ed Roberts, Marine Region, (562) 342-7199

California's recreational anglers and divers will be glad to hear that,
beginning May 1, the nearshore rockfish sub-bag limit required during 2003
and early 2004 will be abolished, the California Department of Fish and Game
(DFG) announced. The regulation change will eliminate the sport fishing
sub-bag limits for shallow nearshore rockfish, and establish the same bag
limits for rockfish, cabezon and greenlings statewide.

The shallow nearshore rockfish bag limit until now placed tighter
restrictions on the take of five species of rockfish - black -and-yellow,
China, gopher, grass, and kelp rockfishes - within the Rockfish, Cabezon,
and Greenling Complex (RCG Complex) bag limit. Data from late 2003 indicated
that the take of these species was not successfully limited by the
regulation, as anglers were forced to discard dead and dying fish while
rounding out their daily bag limit with other rockfish species. May 1
regulation changes will provide more flexibility for fishermen taking the
10-fish RCG Complex bag limit.

In addition, the RCG Complex regulations will apply coastwide starting May 1,
including northern California, which had a different bag limit structure that
contributed to recreational catches being too high for cabezon and black
rockfish especially.

"Fishery managers recognize that regulation changes sometimes create
hardships on various members of California's fishing community," said Marija
Vojkovich, Marine Region Southern California Ecosystem Manager. "We try to
balance the mandated obligations to protect federally designated overfished
species, while still providing anglers and divers with fishing
opportunities."

While trying to provide fishing opportunities, managers must also consider
the need to protect vulnerable fish species. Establishing the RCG Complex bag
limits in northern California should reduce the take of nearshore rockfish,
cabezon and greenlings and help to meet statewide recreational allowances for
2004.

In March, the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the California Fish and
Game Commission took action to reduce the sport harvest of lingcod statewide,
including raising the minimum size limit, reducing the daily bag and
possession limit, and reducing the fishing season by two months. These
regulations went into effect on April 1. Earlier this month, the Council and
Commission made additional in-season adjustments to reduce the take of black
and canary rockfishes in the northern and central portions of the state.
These changes will become effective May 1.

"All of these regulation changes are designed to protect overfished species
and keep bycatch within federally established targets," said Vojkovich. "The
goal is to provide vulnerable species with a chance to rebuild their
populations, and to ensure their long-term sustainability."

Below are sportfishing regulations in effect beginning May 1 for bottom fish
and are summarized by area. These regulations apply to all federally managed
bottom fish as well as California sheephead, ocean whitefish, California
scorpionfish, rock greenling, some flatfishes and some sharks.

CA-OR Border to 40º10' N. lat. (near Cape Mendocino):

* Fishing is allowed year-round (except for lingcod and black rockfish; see
below)

* Fishing is allowed only in waters less than 180 feet (30 fm).

* Black rockfish may be retained from June through August only. There is no
minimum size limit for black rockfish; bag limit: 10 fish per person; also
included in the 10-fish aggregate RCG Complex bag limit.

* Rockfish Cabezon and Greenling (RCG) Complex regulations are scheduled to
become effective in this area as of May 1. The RCG bag limit is 10 fish in
combination (including all species of rockfish that are not prohibited or
restricted, cabezon, and greenlings) with the following sub-limits: bocaccio
- two fish; cabezon - three fish; greenlings - two fish in combination (see
regulations for more information).

* Lingcod may be caught from May through October. Minimum size limit: 30
inches total length; daily bag limit: one fish

* The sanddab sport fishery is open year-round at all depths. See federal and
state regulations for gear requirements.

* To view a table of regulations in this area, go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/bfregs2004_north.pdf

40º10' N. lat. (near Cape Mendocino) to 36º00' N. lat. (near Lopez Pt):

* Fishing is allowed during August, September and October only.

* Fishing is allowed in waters less than 120 feet (20 fm)

* RCG Complex regulations remain unchanged (except for the elimination of the
shallow nearshore sub-limit. See regulations for more information).

* Lingcod may be caught during August, September and October. Minimum size
limit: 30 inches total length; daily bag limit: one fish

* The leopard shark sport fishery inside San Francisco Bay is open from May
through December at all depths. Outside of San Francisco Bay, regulations
enacted May 1 apply.

* The sanddab sport fishery is open year-round in all depths. See federal and
state regulations for gear requirements.

* Shore-based anglers (anglers fishing from beaches, banks piers, jetties,
breakwaters, docks, and other manmade objects connected to shore) are exempt
from the May 1 regulation changes. Shore-based anglers may continue to fish
under current regulations.

* Divers (spear fishermen entering the water either from the shore or from a
boat or other floating object) are exempt from May 1 regulation changes.
Divers may continue to fish under current regulations.

* To view a table of regulations in this area, go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/bfregs2004_nc.pdf

36º00' N. lat. (near Lopez Pt.) to 34º27' N. lat. (near Pt Conception):

* Fishing is allowed during every month except July (except for lingcod; see
below)

* From September through December, fishing is allowed in waters less than 120
feet (20 fm)

* RCG Complex regulations remain the same (except for the elimination of the
shallow nearshore sub-limit. See regulations for more information)

* Lingcod may be caught in May and June, and from August through October.
Minimum size limit: 30 inches total length; daily bag limit: one fish

* The sanddab sport fishery is open year-round at all depths. See federal and
state regulations for gear requirements.

* Shore-based anglers (anglers fishing from beaches, banks piers, jetties,
breakwaters, docks, and other manmade objects connected to shore) are exempt
from the May 1 regulation changes. Shore-based anglers may continue to fish
under current regulations.

* Divers (spear fishermen entering the water either from the shore or from a
boat or other floating object) are exempt from May 1 regulation changes.
Divers may continue to fish under current regulations.

* To view a table of regulations in this area, go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/bfregs2004_sc.pdf

34º27' N. lat. (near Pt Conception) to the CA-Mexico Border:

* Fishing is allowed year-round (except for California scorpionfish and
lingcod; see below)

* During September and October, fishing is allowed in waters less than 180
feet (30 fm) only.

* Cowcod Conservation Area regulations remain the same.

* RCG Complex regulations remain the same (except for the elimination of the
shallow nearshore sub-limit. See regulations for more information).

* California scorpionfish may not be retained from May through Oct. Minimum
size limit for California scorpionfish: 10 inches total length; daily bag
limit: five fish.

* Lingcod may be retained from May through Oct. Minimum size limit for
lingcod: 30 inches total length; daily bag limit: one fish.

* The sanddab sport fishery is open year-round in all depths. See federal and
state regulations for gear requirements.

* To view a table of regulations in this area, go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/bfregs2004_south.pdf

All fishery regulations are subject to in-season change. Fishermen are
advised to check the Marine Region Web site, www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd, send an
e-mail to AskMarine@dfg.ca.gov or call your local DFG office for the latest
information.

For more information on regulation changes, check the following Web sites:

* To view tables listing bottomfishing regulation changes by area and
species, go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/bfregs2004.html

* To view the DFG press release describing federal bottom fishing changes, go
to
www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news04/04035.html

* To view the DFG press release describing April 1 lingcod regulation
changes, go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news04/04032.html

* For a full list of federally managed bottomfish (groundfish), go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/groundfish_fedlist.html

* DFG Marine Region Web site: www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd

* Pacific Fisheries Management Council Web site: www.pcouncil.org

* California Fish and Game Commission Web site: www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm

* For a description of new and proposed regulations, go to:
www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm/2004/proposedregs04.htm

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i. Federally managed bottom fish (groundfish) include: all rockfishes,
California scorpionfish, cabezon, kelp greenling, lingcod, and some species
of sharks, rays, and flatfishes. For a complete list, go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/groundfish_fedlist.html