Fish & Game: sport fishing licenses required

The state Department of Fish & Game has issued a reminder for anglers to purchase a new sport fishing license before casting a line this year.

 Licenses are required of any person 16 years of age or older when taking any fish, shellfish, reptile or amphibian in the state.

Sport fishing licenses, stamps and report cards are valid for one calendar year. Information about the specific license types and fees is available at DFG's Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/fishing/fishdescrip.html.

The Fish & Game Commission voted in December to rescind a long-standing requirement that fishing licenses be worn above the waist. This decision will go into effect March 1. Until then, all licenses purchased online or from an agent must still be displayed above the waist and clearly visible while fishing.

All resident and non-resident sport fishing licenses, both annual and short-term, and selected stamps and report cards are available for purchase. Anglers can find a list of sales offices and business hours or look up license agents in their area at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/.
Anglers with Internet access can also purchase a sport fishing license and selected stamps online at www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/ols/intro.html.

The purchaser can print out a one-day or two-day license, or a temporary annual license. Non-residents can also purchase a 10-day license.

Licenses purchased online may be printed at home for immediate use; annual license purchasers will receive a permanent license in the mail within 10 days. Report cards must still be obtained from one of the 1,800 authorized license agents throughout the state or at a local Fish & Game license sales office.

Fish & Game sells about 2 million sport fishing licenses, generating more than $62 million in revenue annually. One-third of the revenue generated by these sales is earmarked for hatcheries and fish planting facilities; the rest supports fisheries management and protection.