Green Notes

Fish & Game more questions-answers

2011-11-08T23:35:29Z

Marine biologist Carrie Wilson of the state Department of Fish and Game produced this Question and Answer feature. She can be contacted at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: Do you have a phone number for someone from Fish and Game to come get a rattlesnake out of my yard? I don't want it killed.

A: Sorry, but DFG staff members will not come out to your house to remove or relocate rattlesnakes residing in your yard. However, if you can muster up the courage to deal with it yourself, you will not need a license to kill or trap it. If not, and you have no neighbors, friends or family members willing to help you move the rattlesnake, your best option will be to contact a professional pest control service to do it.

For the future, here are some helpful hints from DFG Associate Wildlife Biologist Nicole Carion on how to discourage rattlesnakes from taking up residence near your home.

1. Don't let feed from bird feeders overflow and build up on the ground to attract rodents.

2. Don't allow high rodent populations to occur near your house.
Rattle-snakes are great population managers for ground squirrels and other rodents, so try to keep their numbers down.

3. Always be mindful when working in or around wood or rock piles. Don't stack these materials near your house.

Also, for the safety of your pets, remember to keep them indoors, especially at night.

Q: I live on the California/Oregon border. I have both California and Oregon fishing licenses. My primary fishing is in the surf for redtail perch. California's limit for perch is 10 per day. Oregon's limit is 15 per day. If I legally take my Oregon limit in the Gold Beach area, is it legal for me to bring them home to California? Can I certify the catch as being caught in Oregon at the agriculture check station upon re-entry into California?

A: It is legal to import the redtail surfperch taken in Oregon in excess of California's limit of 10, but you cannot take any redtail in California until you have fewer than 10 in your possession (that means either consume them or give away the extra). Prior to bringing them into California you will need to fill out a Declaration for Entry form. They are available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/enforcement/docs/declaration_form.pdf or in the 2011 Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet on page 79.

Q: Someone recently asked what can be done with a nuisance bear that has been vandalizing garbage cans, threatening animals and making everyone nervous. You said they could only shoot the bear if the bear hunting season was open and they had a hunting license and bear tag, or if they had already qualified for a Depredation Permit. Well, what about if the bear gets more aggressive and wants more than a garbage can, and it actually breaks into someone's house? What if it actually goes after their pets or their livestock? What should the owner do, call the DFG or the local Sheriff's Department for help?

A: The bear problem in the previous Q&A concerned a "nuisance bear" that was essentially looking for an easy meal by raiding unsecured garbage cans for discarded human food. The problem you describe, though, is more serious.

According to DFG Bear Program Manager Marc Kenyon, if the bear is immediately threatening human safety by chasing someone, attacking someone or even entering an occupied dwelling - essentially a "nuisance bear" that has elevated itself to a "public safety animal" - then the bear can be killed immediately without a tag or permit. Also, if a bear is discovered while in the act of injuring, harassing or killing livestock (including honeybees, oddly enough) or a pet, then the owner or tenant of the land or property may legally shoot the bear immediately without a tag or permit (Fish and Game Code, section 4181.1). They will then need to report the killing within 24 hours to DFG.

However, in any situation where you believe a wild animal is threatening human life or safety, immediately call 911 or your local law enforcement agency. They are equipped to respond to such situations and in many instances can provide a much faster response time.

Q: I saw a man fishing with a remote-controlled helicopter and he caught a fish with it. Is this legal or not?

A: It is legal as long as the remote-controlled vehicle is used only to move an angler's line around while the angler maintains control of the line attached to the terminal tackle.

Fish & Game answers more questions

2011-10-29T00:45:24Z

Marine biologist Carrie Wilson of the state Department of Fish and Game produces this Question & Answer feature. Contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: Is it legal to use noise suppressors (mistakenly called silencers) on rifles and handguns? I know that porting, venting, flash collars and muzzle brakes are okay to use at target ranges and while legally hunting in California. Can a noise suppressor that is attached to the front end of the barrel, or that slides over the front end of the barrel, be lawfully used at a target range or while legally hunting anywhere in California?

A: No, stay completely away from silencers. It is a felony for any person, firm or corporation within the state to possess a silencer (California Penal Code, section 12520). Upon conviction, punishment includes imprisonment in the state prison or a fine not to exceed $10,000, or both. A silencer is defined as "... any device or attachment of any kind designed, used or intended for use in silencing, diminishing or muffling the report of a firearm." This definition and law also applies to any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a silencer (California Penal Code, section 12500).

Q: Why do most, if not all, boats for hire ban taking beer or liquor aboard? I have worked as a deckhand and fully understand the safety concerns, as well as what large amounts of space coolers full of beer for up to 70 people on a half-day trip might take up. What I am wondering though is whether there are any U.S. Coast Guard or DFG laws against it that I can quote for people who ask. Many of the anglers I've spoken with over the years get angry because they think the boat is just trying to make a buck.

A: There is no DFG law prohibiting alcohol aboard a boat. However, there is a Harbors and Navigation Code law (section 655) that prohibits a person from operating a vessel while intoxicated, similar to the prohibitions for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Q: Some say if you are duck hunting on a refuge and you have some lead quail loads in the truck (because you're going quail hunting on the way home in the afternoon), a game warden could ticket you for having lead shot in possession. Other friends say that as long as the lead shot is secured in the truck and not in your actual possession while hunting, then you're not in violation. It seems to me this situation would be like the 25 shell limit in the field. As far as I know you can have additional shells in your truck as long as you only have 25 or less in your possession while hunting. If you run out then you can return to the truck for more. Who's right?

A: You are. As long as the lead stays in your truck, you should have no problem.

Q: Earlier this season I was diving a low tide looking for big abs. I happened to find a nine-incher. He was really clamped down and a lot stronger than the clickers I'm used to. In the process of popping him off, the shell broke into pieces. Since I did not know the legality of keeping an ab with a broken shell, I had to leave it there. It haunts me every day. Did I do the right thing?

Ar: First of all (as you probably now know), before trying to pop any abalone off their substrate, be sure to first insert the abalone iron correctly under the animal to be sure you have the appropriate leverage to pop the animal off without injuring it. If the animal is clamped down too tightly to where you can't get the ab iron under the animal correctly without harming the animal, then you should leave it alone and come back later once the animal has relaxed and you can remove it properly. A better idea would be to pursue another abalone that is not locked down to the rocks.

Regarding your situation, you did the right thing as the law requires that abalone are in a whole condition and attached to the shell. It is impossible to measure an abalone with a fractured shell and often the abalone is no longer attached to the shell once you fracture it. Next time try to leave a clamped down abalone alone and choose another that may be more easily harvested.

]]> Marine biologist Carrie Wilson of the state Department of Fish and Game produces this Question & Answer feature. Contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: Is it legal to use noise suppressors (mistakenly called silencers) on rifles and handguns? I know that porting, venting, flash collars and muzzle brakes are okay to use at target ranges and while legally hunting in California. Can a noise suppressor that is attached to the front end of the barrel, or that slides over the front end of the barrel, be lawfully used at a target range or while legally hunting anywhere in California?

A: No, stay completely away from silencers. It is a felony for any person, firm or corporation within the state to possess a silencer (California Penal Code, section 12520). Upon conviction, punishment includes imprisonment in the state prison or a fine not to exceed $10,000, or both. A silencer is defined as "... any device or attachment of any kind designed, used or intended for use in silencing, diminishing or muffling the report of a firearm." This definition and law also applies to any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a silencer (California Penal Code, section 12500).

Q: Why do most, if not all, boats for hire ban taking beer or liquor aboard? I have worked as a deckhand and fully understand the safety concerns, as well as what large amounts of space coolers full of beer for up to 70 people on a half-day trip might take up. What I am wondering though is whether there are any U.S. Coast Guard or DFG laws against it that I can quote for people who ask. Many of the anglers I've spoken with over the years get angry because they think the boat is just trying to make a buck.

A: There is no DFG law prohibiting alcohol aboard a boat. However, there is a Harbors and Navigation Code law (section 655) that prohibits a person from operating a vessel while intoxicated, similar to the prohibitions for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Q: Some say if you are duck hunting on a refuge and you have some lead quail loads in the truck (because you're going quail hunting on the way home in the afternoon), a game warden could ticket you for having lead shot in possession. Other friends say that as long as the lead shot is secured in the truck and not in your actual possession while hunting, then you're not in violation. It seems to me this situation would be like the 25 shell limit in the field. As far as I know you can have additional shells in your truck as long as you only have 25 or less in your possession while hunting. If you run out then you can return to the truck for more. Who's right?

A: You are. As long as the lead stays in your truck, you should have no problem.

Q: Earlier this season I was diving a low tide looking for big abs. I happened to find a nine-incher. He was really clamped down and a lot stronger than the clickers I'm used to. In the process of popping him off, the shell broke into pieces. Since I did not know the legality of keeping an ab with a broken shell, I had to leave it there. It haunts me every day. Did I do the right thing?

A:: First of all (as you probably now know), before trying to pop any abalone off their substrate, be sure to first insert the abalone iron correctly under the animal to be sure you have the appropriate leverage to pop the animal off without injuring it. If the animal is clamped down too tightly to where you can't get the ab iron under the animal correctly without harming the animal, then you should leave it alone and come back later once the animal has relaxed and you can remove it properly. A better idea would be to pursue another abalone that is not locked down to the rocks.

Regarding your situation, you did the right thing as the law requires that abalone are in a whole condition and attached to the shell. It is impossible to measure an abalone with a fractured shell and often the abalone is no longer attached to the shell once you fracture it. Next time try to leave a clamped down abalone alone and choose another that may be more easily harvested.

Fish & Game encourges sturgeon safety rules

2011-10-28T23:37:58Z

The Department of Fish and Game asks anglers to use special techniques and extra vigilance to help conserve California's green and white sturgeon.
Both species are caught by anglers in a popular sport fishery centered in the San Francisco Estuary, but anglers need to be aware of special regulations in place to protect the long-term health and growth of the species.
White sturgeon are a substantial management concern and green sturgeon are a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act, according to DFG officials.
"The state's anglers are on the front line of saving the ancient green sturgeon in our waters," Marty Gingras, DFG supervising biologist, said in a prepared statement. "Together we can grow their populations, save a threatened species and continue year-round sturgeon fishing in California."
Sturgeon can be caught year-round and must be carefully measured, DFG officials said. White sturgeon need to be between 44 and 66 inches. Smaller or larger sturgeon must be released immediately.
Green sturgeon may not be kept.
Strict regulations are designed to conserve older sturgeon and ensure that they survive catch-and-release as well. The effectiveness of catch-and-release depends in large part on angler technique.
It is common practice for anglers to remove sturgeon, including those that are oversized, from the water for measurement. This stresses the fish, particularly females, and may lead to ovarian follicular atresia, which means they absorb their eggs rather than spawn them. Egg-laden females are routinely caught and egg loss can take several years to recover from.
In 2010 California anglers reported catching 5,446 white sturgeon (most were undersized) and 151 green sturgeon.
Another 73 sturgeon were reported as caught but not identified by species, officials said.
DFG officials encourage anglers to use high-strength fishing line to reduce duration of the fight, in-water techniques for measuring fish size and single-barbless hooks to facilitate quick release.
Anglers should leave oversize sturgeon in the water at all times and know how to identify an endangered green sturgeon.
Data on the sturgeon fishery can be found at ftp://ftp.delta.dfg.ca.gov/Adult_Sturgeon_and_Striped_Bass/2010%20Sturgeon%20Card%20Complete%20Draft%20Version%201.pdf.
A flyer on identifying green sturgeon is at ftp://ftp.delta.dfg.ca.gov/Adult_Sturgeon_and_Striped_Bass/Green%20Sturgeon%20flyer%202-3-11.pdf.
For complete fishing regulations see http://dfg.ca.gov/Fishing.

Fish & Game academy aps due Nov. 4

2011-10-19T23:59:20Z

Applications are now being accepted for the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Warden Academy at Butte College in Oroville.

The academy will begin in January 2013 and is scheduled to end in September 2013. The application deadline is Nov. 4.

Game wardens are charged with ensuring public safety, investigating illegal sales of wildlife, protecting the state from pollution, enforcing habitat protection laws, fighting illegal drug trafficking, keeping the homeland secure and responding during natural disasters.

Successful lateral academy applicants will enter a 30-week program, followed by at least three three-week long training assignments where they will work with a seasoned field training officer.

DFG's academy at Butte College is Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified. Cadets are trained to be police officers with specific emphasis on working as wardens.

For more details and applications, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/enforcement. Applications are now being accepted online and must be postmarked by the due date.

Fish & Game: rockfish flaoting problems

2011-09-21T20:44:07Z

Marine biologist Carrie Wilson produces this Q&A feature for the state Department of Fish and Game. If you have a question, contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: Whenever I pull up one of the rockfish species that is not legal to keep, its swim bladder is usually so full of air that even if I throw it back it will still die. What's the point in throwing them back if they're just going to die anyway?

I've heard that pulling the fish slowly up to the surface minimizes the pressure change damage and gives the fish the best chance of survival when thrown back. If the fish is too inflated, we poke it with a needle in its side to relieve the gas pressure and the fish always goes right down again. Is this the best way to get an over-inflated fish back down so it will survive to be caught another day?

A: Rockfishes brought up from depth often arrive at the surface with an inflated swim bladder. When released, they are too buoyant and cannot freely swim back down. Even slowing the speed of the retrieve will not increase the likelihood of survival of a released rockfish.
According to DFG associate marine biologists Ed Roberts and John Budrick, rockfish take a considerable amount of time to transfer gases from the swim bladder (buoyancy compensating organ) through their blood stream and out through their gills. The rate at which a fish would have to be brought up from depth to alleviate the effects of barotrauma (pressure-related injuries) would be far slower than any angler would be willing to reel. Instead, the best solution is to bring them up as fast as possible to minimize stress on the fish. Then, using a descending device, get the fish back down to the bottom or a minimum of 100 feet within two minutes of arriving at the surface. Mortality rates double for every 10 minutes beyond the first two minutes according the research conducted at Long Beach State (Jarvis and Lowe, 2008).

A simple release tool consisting of a heavy weight, line and barbless hook can be used to send a fish suffering from barotrauma back down to a depth where the increased pressure will compress the bladder gases that expanded at the surface, and thus allow the fish to swim away. This is a handy piece of tackle that all conservation-minded anglers should consider adding to their tackle boxes. You can make your own release device or purchase a commercially made device at many tackle stores.

Another option is an inverted milk-type crate, with a rope attached to the top (what was previously the bottom) and weights at each corner. This creates a bottomless cage-type contraption which allows the fish to equalize and swim out of the bottom, which happens nearly as soon as the cage reaches the depth where the fish was caught. Research conducted at Long Beach State indicates that rockfish from the Southern California Bight returned from a depth of 200 feet to a depth of 350 feet using a cage had an 83 percent survival rate after five days (Jarvis and Lowe, 2008). Similarly, research by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on yelloweye rockfish caught in waters as deep as 600 feet showed more than 95 percent survival of the fish returned to depth (Hochhalter et al, 2010). The significant decrease in mortality rates from nearly 100 percent of fish released at the surface in depths greater than 180 feet to the vast majority of fish surviving when a descending device is employed is very encouraging.

Anglers can contribute greatly to the recovery of overfished prohibited species and small fishes that would otherwise die by using a descending device. Don't just let them go, let them grow!

One important note: Please do not attempt to vent the expanded gases by puncturing the fish. Many anglers will take a knife or other sharp object and poke a hole in the organ protruding from the mouth. This is the stomach, not the swim bladder! Puncturing the stomach decreases the fish's odds of survival, and may introduce infection-causing microorganisms. Some anglers attempt to deflate the swim bladder by inserting a hypodermic needle into the side of the fish to vent the gas. This is not recommended. Even if you insert the needle in the correct location, you may end up puncturing an organ like the liver, heart or other structures that will kill the fish. Also, unless you are using a sterile technique, your efforts may result in an infection that kills the fish. If no descending device is available, rockfish may be better off floating at the surface rather than suffering a mortal injury or infection from a well-meaning but untrained angler. Just because a punctured fish swims off does not necessarily mean it will survive - it may die later of injuries or infection.

As to why specific fish must be released, harvest quotas for overfished species are so small that there is no allowance for directed take. Allowing anglers to keep fish that are caught incidentally while fishing for other species may result in unethical anglers intentionally targeting these species, thus jeopardizing the plans to rebuild these populations.

Bottom line ... To increase survival, use descending devices to return the fish to the bottom or a minimum depth of 100 feet within two minutes of being brought to the surface. This method does not carry the risk of infection or injury and greatly reduces mortality relative to leaving fish at the surface to perish due to sun exposure or predation.

For more on how to help fish survive barotrauma, go to www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/groundfishcentral/barotrauma.asp.

Fish & Game: More questions & answers

2011-09-21T19:20:58Z

Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the state Department of Fish and Game. She produced this Q & A feature, and she can be contacted at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: I fish out of Morro Bay for halibut but there's no live bait available this year. Because of that, I'd like to try ball bouncing for halibut and am thinking about trolling a Rapalla fishing lure as bait. I have two Rapalla lures with three galvanized treble hooks attached to them. I know the limit is only two hooks for most ocean fishes. Can I use these lures as they are designed or do I have to cut a set of hooks off them to be legal?

A: There are no hook restrictions for halibut, so the lure you have described would be legal to use. However, according to our halibut program expert, Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Associate Marine Biologist Travis Tanaka, you should remove one of the treble hooks. There are two reasons for this. First, a hooked fish would be safer to handle because you wouldn't have the additional hooks (not hooked in the fish) possibly hooking your clothing or skin. Second, short fish would be easier to release because again you wouldn't have to worry about the additional hooks catching where you don't want them to.
Tanaka says many anglers will also use a rig similar to that used for salmon, basically a hoochie/flasher trolled on the bottom. He's also caught halibut drifting frozen anchovies.
We recommend a soft, knotless landing net. Sublegal-sized halibut landed with this type of net don't fin split (damage their fins) and they will have a greater chance of survival when you release.

Q: Can you direct me to a legitimate site to book a hunting trip? How can we hunt on government land? What are the costs?

A: DFG makes no recommendations in support of any particular guide or hunting service. Hence, your best bet is to contact other hunters to ask about their experiences in order to help you decide which guide service to go with.

According to DFG's Bear, Mountain Lion and Wild Pig Programs Statewide Coordinator Marc Kenyon, you can hunt on certain government-owned (public) lands in California. Public lands in Californiaare primarily owned, operated and maintained by DFG, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Department of Defense or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Each of these agencies has developed rules and regulations for the lands they administer. They provide details of which lands are open to public access for outdoor recreational activities (including hunting), and the time of year they are open. Some of these lands are open year-round with no access fees, but some lands are open only certain times of the year with an access fee. Moreover, some public lands are entirely closed to all public use, mostly for protection of certain plant and animal species.

Generally speaking, most big game mammal hunting occurs on DFG, BLM, military or Forest Service lands. Small mammal and varmint hunting occurs on BLM and Forest Service lands. Waterfowl and upland game bird hunting occurs on DFG and USFWS lands.
For the regulations governing the use of DFG lands, please go to www.dfg.ca.gov/lands. Please contact the other land management agencies for rules or regulations concerning their lands.

Q: Is it legal to gaff a keeper salmon in the ocean instead of using a net?

A: In ocean waters it would be legal to gaff a legal size salmon pursuant to the California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 28.65(d), but you must still have a landing net that is at least 18 inches in diameter on board to land any undersize fish. In inland waters, CCR Title 14, section 2.06 makes it illegal to use or possess a gaff throughout California with one exception, which is a section of the Sacramento River below the Deschutes Road Bridge where gaffs three feet or less in length may be used to land legal sized fish. This exception only applies to anglers fishing from a boat.

West Nile cases found in Long Beach

2011-07-16T00:23:09Z

LONG BEACH -- Health officials Friday warned that the West Nile Virus has been detected in two dead crows in the city for the first time this summer.
No human cases have been reported in Long Beach this year, but the virus has been detected in 12 counties in California, including positive birds and mosquitoes in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The California Department of Public Health saod this is the first sign of the virus in Long Beach this year.
The virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Signs and symptoms of the virus may include fever, body aches, rash, nausea, vomiting and headache.
Most people infected have no symptoms, health officials said, adding that about one in 150 may develop more serious disease, such as brain inflammation or paralysis. Persons with these symptoms should seek immediate care.
The onset of summer weather results in an ideal environment for mosquito breeding.
Long Beach Health Officer Dr. Helene Calvet encourages all residents to take the following precautions:
-- Avoid mosquito-infested areas, especially at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
-- Mosquitoes breed in standing water. Eliminate standing water on your property by draining water from neglected ponds, birdbaths, fountains, buckets, old tires.
-- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
-- Use mosquito repellant containing N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Residents should follow repellant instructions on the label. Consult with your child's pediatrician for appropriate concentrations of DEET to be used on children under the age of 2.
-- Keep tight-fitting screens on doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering homes and check window screens.
-- Maintain all swimming pools in a clean and sanitary manner, with all circulation and filtration equipment operational and chemical levels within recommended guidelines; drain water from pool covers.
-- Limit the watering of lawns and outdoor plants to twice a week to avoid run off to gutters and around sprinklers. Do not over water plants or lawns to avoid creating pools of standing water.
-- Report dead birds and dead tree squirrels to the California Department of Health Services by calling 1-877-WNV-BIRD or online at http://www.longbeach.gov/www.westnile.ca.gov.
For more details, contact the Long Beach Health Department's Vector Control Program at 562.570-4132 or visit online at http://www.longbeach.gov/health/wnv_info/resource.asp.

"Science Shack" to open Saturday for weekends

2011-07-13T17:38:24Z

Friends of Colorado Lagoon has opened the Wetlands and Marine Science Education Center at the Colorado Lagoon to the public for the weekends this summer.

The center will be Open 2-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the 'Science Shack' is staffed by FOCL naturalists exhibiting the marine life found within the wetland habitat of the Lagoon, including amazing fish species, sea snails, sea slugs, crabs and shrimp.

Learn about the diversity found in Alamitos Bay.

Science Shack Hours are free.

The Colorado Lagoon is at the corner of Appian Way and Colorado Street. For more information, visit http://coloradolagoon.org, coloradolagoon.org, or email education@coloradolagoon.org, education@coloradolagoon.org.

Activist's appeal rejected by Commission staff

2011-07-06T00:53:13Z

The staff of the state Coastal Commission is recommending a thumbs-down decision on an appeal by community activist Laurence B. Goodhue.

The commission is scheduled to vote on Goodhue's appeal July 14 during a meeting in San Rafael.

Goodhue challenged Long Beach's application for a Local Coastal Development Permit, allowing for the expansion of a fence enclosure and the replacement of an electrical switchboard and feeders that service public restrooms and lighting in Marina Vista Park, 5350 Colorado Street .

The staff determined that the local coastal development permit approving the upgrades to the park's electrical system does not raise a substantial issue with respect to the provisions of Long Beach's certified Local Coastal Program (LCP) or the public access policies of the Coastal Act.

Goodhue filed the appeal May 31, contending that the facility consumes public park space and should be relocated out of the city park. The appeal also asserts that the facility should be relocated out of the tsunami flood zone.

The City-approved project constitutes an upgrade to an existing facility that provides electricity for the restroom and lighting in a public park. It is a minor project that does not conflict with the policies of the certified LCP or the public access policies of the Coastal Act, the staff asserts.

"In this case, the city-approved project does not conflict with any ... public access policies or LCP provisions as the City-approved project will not adversely affect public access, public safety, or the public's use of Marina Vista Park.

"The proposed project is necessary to provide amenities in the public park. In response to the appellant's local appeal, the city considered relocating the facility and determined that relocation is not a feasible alternative at this time because of the significant cost.

"The city states that the current condition of the state of the electrical facility is a public safety issue and its repair should not be further delayed. In regards to the tsunami threat, the existing facility is a minor uninhabited structure similar to existing structures in Marina Vista Park and Marine Stadium such as restrooms," the staff report declares.

Fish & Game: More questions & answers

2011-07-05T23:15:40Z

Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the Department of Fish and Game. She produces this Question & Answer feature, and questions can be sent to her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: My question is about possession of waterfowl when processed. A friend shot more than 250 ducks (recently) ..., so I asked him if he was breaking the law by having more then 14 ducks in possession. He said no because he had them regularly processed into duck sausage, and once processed they're considered out of your possession. Is this correct? Another friend saves all his ducks throughout the 100-day duck season and then gives them all to a butcher to process into sausage. He contends if you process the meat through a meat grinder, then it's not considered part of the possession limit anymore because it's now processed.

If you smoke your ducks or process them through a meat grinder and put them in your freezer, are they then out of your possession? A clarification of the "in possession" rule would be greatly appreciated.

A: Your friends are mistaken and could be cited for possessions of overlimits. Generally, the daily bag limit is seven ducks, and the possession limit is two daily bag limits. Possession is defined as "fresh, frozen or otherwise preserved ..." (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 1.17). Making sausage only preserves the birds; they are still in possession until eaten or given away.

By the way, not only are your friends in violation for possessing overlimits, but so is the butcher if he accepts more than a possession limit from either of them for processing. No matter what condition the ducks are in (whole, quartered, ground-up, smoked, processed, etc.), a duck is a duck and all ducks count toward the limit. Ducks, like all other fish and game, are in someone's possession until consumed, regardless of the condition in which they are stored.

If the hunter has other family members living in the same home, the hunter can gift their daily limits to other members of the household during the season and hold them for processing. However, none of the family members can ever have more than the possession limit.

Q: For years I have used an abalone iron for removing mussels from the rocks but was just told that I can't use any tools. Is this true? How can mussels be removed from the rocks without an ab iron or something similar? Please clarify what tools, if any, can be used to take mussels from ocean rocks.

A: You may take mussels only by hand without the aid of any tools (CCR, Title 14, section 29.10). Taking mussels by hand one at a time is far less harmful to a mussel bed than prying them off with ab irons, crowbars, screwdrivers, hoes or hammers. When people use tools they have a tendency to pry off large chunks of the mussel clusters and then pick out the desirable ones to eat, wasting the rest. Many people use a tough pair of garden gloves to pry them off. Give those a try.

Q: While living back East, we used to use "dough balls" for trout. We made them out of corn meal, flour and water or fish meal, flour and water. Is this a legal bait for trout in California?

A: Processed foods may be used in California's inland waters where bait is legal. Where bait is legal, dough balls would be legal.

Fish & Game: More questions & answers

2011-07-01T22:03:35Z

Carrie Wilson, a marine biologist with the Department of Fish and Game, produced this Question & Answer feature. If you have a question, contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: My daughter and I love to swim and play in waters wherever we find them. While in French Gulch (Shasta County) last year, we decided to play around in Clear Creek. The creek was running pretty high, but when my daughter and I got out we had these black, worm-like things hanging off us. Our first thought was leeches, which got us out of the water quite quickly! Someone told me they were rock worms and wouldn't hurt us. We haven't returned there though because we're still too scared they were leeches.

We also stopped at Eagle Lake (Lassen County) to go swimming and ended up with these tiny little round slime balls on us. When picking up these slimy things in question, they flattened out on our hands and started slithering like a leech across our hands. This was another trip where my daughter and I ran screaming out of the water to rinse off under the faucet! There were lots of people swimming in the lake who either didn't seem to notice or else knew something we didn't.

Clear Creek was a very cold creek, but Eagle Lake was very warm, so I could understand Eagle Lake possibly having leeches. Do these leeches suck human blood? Are they harmful to humans in any way? I love the outdoors and swimming, but too many encounters with creepy leech-like things are making me leery about the safety of it.

A: Without pictures, it's tough to say, but it sounds like you encountered two different invertebrates. According to DFG Associate Fish Pathologist Garry Kelley, Ph.D., the organism at Clear Creek was likely a free-living caddisfly larvae (Genus Rhyacophila), commonly known as a rock worm. This type of caddisfly crawls around rock bottoms in search of food and is commonly eaten by trout. Caddisflies are not at all harmful to humans.

The organism at Eagle Lake might be a leech based on the "slithering" swimming motion you described. There are many types of leeches and most are fluid feeders. Leeches are either scavengers or are parasitic (i.e., they feed on other organisms). Some species of leeches suck blood from vertebrates (humans, waterfowl, fish, etc.) while others feed on insects, mollusks, oligochaetes or dead animal matter. Kelley suspects the organism described at Eagle Lake was non-parasitic in nature because bloodsucking was not indicated.

Q: If we're fishing in Mexican waters and catch a cowcod, can we legally bring it back into a California port as long as we have all of the proper licenses and the Declaration for Entry form properly filled out? I'd just like to know for sure as we fish Mexican waters frequently targeting rockfish and I'd like to avoid a citation.

A: No. Cowcod may not be imported or even possessed in California regardless of where caught (Fish and Game Code, section 2353(a)(2)). Broomtail groupers and canary, yelloweye and bronzespotted rockfishes are also illegal to be possessed or imported into California under this regulation and under California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 28.55(b)(1), even if they were taken legally in Mexico.

Q: I'm going out of town on a three-day turkey hunt and need some clarification on the possession limit. If my buddy and I each get a turkey each day (total of six) and get stopped by a warden on the way home, will we be legal? I heard that you can't have more than one bird with you at a time, but the regulation states possession limit is three birds per hunter for the season. I want to make sure I am legal. Otherwise I will have to travel back and forth after each successful day and it's about a two-hour drive each way. Any information you could give me would be appreciated.

A: The daily bag limit for turkeys during the spring season is one bearded turkey per day and you can take three per season. According to retired DFG Capt. Phil Nelms, you may have three bearded turkeys in your possession as long as you only take one per day. You do not have to return home after taking a bird on any one day.

Q: When fishing for sanddabs, how many hooks can be attached to the line on a single rod?

A: You may fish for sanddabs with as many hooks as you like on a single rod, unless rockfish, lingcod or salmon are on the vessel or in possession, in which case special restrictions apply (Fish and Game Code, section 28.65).

Hot tips to keep cool and safe

2011-07-01T21:16:48Z

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is advising residents to take precautions against hot weather.

Practice precautions to protect yourself from heat-related illness and injury, especially while participating in outdoor activities.

The elderly, people with chronic illnesses, infants and young children are at greater risk for heat-related conditions. All those who spend time outdoors should take precautions to reduce the risk of heat related illness and injury.

Precautions include:

-- Remain hydrated by drinking water before, during, and after outdoor activities;

-- Take frequent breaks while working or playing outdoors;

-- Wear loose-fitting, light clothing; wear a wide-brimmed hat to cover the face, ears and neck if you'll be outside;

-- Apply sunscreen (at least SPF 15) 15 minutes before going outdoors and re-apply at least every two hours - sunscreen prevents skin cancer.

-- Drink plenty of fluids, but avoid beverages that have caffeine or alcohol;

-- Plan strenuous outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day; limit time outside during peak heat;

-- Pace physical activities, starting slowly and picking up the pace gradually;

-- Wear sunglasses that provide 100 percent UVA and UVB protection. Chronic exposure to the sun can cause cataracts.
-- Seek air-conditioned environments during peak heat at stores, malls, theaters, etc.;
-- Check on frail elderly or home-bound individuals to make sure they are not affected by the heat;

-- Move to a cooler location at first sign of heat illness (dizziness, nausea, headaches, muscle cramps); rest and slowly drink a cool liquid;

-- Never leave a child or pet in a parked car or asleep in the direct sunlight;

-- Make sure pets have plenty of shade and water to drink.

-- Prevent children from drowning by providing adult supervision at all times and having an entry-proof barrier that surrounds the pool or spa.

-- Apply mosquito repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of eucalyptus, or IR 3535 according to label instructions. Mosquitoes can carry diseases such as the West Nile virus. Mosquitoes usually bite in the early morning and evening so it is important to wear repellent during these times.

For more information, visit the Health Department's website at www.longbeach.gov/health.

Fish & Game: More questions & answers

2011-07-01T20:54:33Z

Carrie Wilson, a marine biologist with the Department of Fish and Game, produced this Question & Answer feature. If you have a question, contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: I'm a 100 percent disabled war veteran and have a canine companion dog (yellow lab) that goes with me everywhere as my hearing dog. I lost most of my hearing in the war from enemy fire. Is it legal to take a companion dog to turkey or deer hunting? Can my dog go turkey hunting on a leash, not as a hunting dog but as a hearing dog? My dog has never been trained to hunt and he won't be part of that life. He wouldn't be chasing game but because he is my second set of ears, can he be used for hearing?

A: Yes, you can use your dog in the situations described. Generally, there's no prohibition against using dogs (having them with you) while bird hunting, but there is a one dog per hunter limit during general deer season. No dogs are allowed during archery deer season or while hunting with an archery-only tag (California Code of Regulations, section 265).

Q: While bank fishing in the Delta recently, I watched some people nearby land a legal-sized sturgeon. They took some pictures and were about to release the 63-incher when a family came running up and asked if they could keep it for dinner. It appeared to me that the catch-and-release fisherman felt compelled to give it to them, and he did. I could not tell if the sturgeon was properly tagged prior to the transfer of ownership because the family left pretty quickly. I thought I might offer one of my tags as I am also a catch-and-release fisherman who has never landed a sturgeon and would never need three tags, but I am wondering if this would be legal. Not knowing, I decided not to give up my tag. My question is, can someone donate a sturgeon tag to another fisherman?

A: No, that is not legal. According to DFG Lt. Scott Melvin, all fishing licenses, tags, permits and report cards are issued to a specific user and the DFG Code expressly prohibits their transfer to another person. To emphasize this, "non-transferable" precedes the words "report card" in both the general report card requirements and the white sturgeon regulations in the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.

Although the tags are removed from the card to tag a fish, sturgeon tags are uniquely correlated to one specific report card and may not be transferred to another user.

Q: My wife and I are heading to Dillon Beach for some camping and clamming for horse neck clams. I was told the limit is 10 clams per day per person. I was also told it would not be legal to dig clams for another person who is back at the campsite. I want to confirm that I can indeed do the digging for both my wife and myself as long as she is right there with me. Digging four feet or deeper into the wet sand would be difficult for her. This will be the first time we've done this. Please let me know if there are any other "gotchas" we should be aware of before we go. We don't want to break any rules.

A: No gotchas here. Horse neck clams are more correctly referred to as gaper clams. Gaper clams are often harvested with Washington clams so the limits are 10 of each species. Due to the fact that their shells are often broken during harvest, the first 10 of either species taken must be retained.

As with any other fish or shellfish you pursue and harvest in California, you may only take one bag/possession limit per day for yourself. Taking an additional limit for someone else is not permitted. One thing you can do is if you plan to be there for more than one day, you may take a bag limit the first day and give it to your wife. Then on the following day you can harvest another bag limit for yourself. By doing it this way, you and your wife can still have your maximum possession limits.

Q: What do I need to do to legally bring into the state a cougar hide and meat that was legally taken in Nevada during the current 2011 season?

A: You can't. It is illegal to import any part of a mountain lion since the passage of Proposition 117 in 1990, which created section 4800 of the Fish and Game Code.

Fish & Game: Caution tips on black bears

2011-07-01T20:06:15Z

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds campers that it is illegal to intentionally feed wildlife in the state.

People enjoying the Lake Tahoe Basin, for instance, should take precautions to avoid black bear encounters. This area is prime black bear habitat, and many of these wild animals are not afraid of humans, according to DFG officials.

Recently, the DFG reported, a bear had to be killed after a man in his tent was injured as the bear tried to break in.

It is important for everyone to avoid creating odors that attract bears, the DFG warned. They are attracted not only to food but also perfume, cologne and containers that once held food.

"It's unfortunate when a bear becomes a threat and has to be killed because people either haven't learned how to appropriately store food and trash, or simply don't care," Marc Kenyon, DFG statewide bear program coordinator, said in a prepared statement.

California's growing black bear population is now estimated at more than 30,000.

Bear-human encounters are not isolated to wilderness settings, according to the DFG.

When wild animals are allowed to feed on human food and garbage, they lose their natural ways - often resulting in death for the animal, the DFG said.

Feeding wildlife provides unnatural food sources, and can change animal behavior from foraging for food in the wild to relying on human food sources in or near urban areas, which can lead to bears breaking into cars or houses to seek out food, the DFG emphasized.

Visit www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/bear.html for details.

Precaution tips:
-- Keep a close watch on children and teach them what to do if they encounter a bear.
-- While hiking, make noise to avoid a surprise encounter with a bear.
-- Never keep food in your tent.
-- Store food and toiletries in bear-proof containers or in an airtight container in the trunk of your vehicle.
-- Keep a clean camp by cleaning up and storing food and garbage immediately after meals.
-- Use bear-proof garbage cans whenever possible or store your garbage in a secure location with your food.
-- Don't bury or burn excess food; bears will still be attracted to the residual smell.
-- Garbage should be packed out of camp if no trash receptacles are available.
-- Never approach a bear or pick up a bear cub.
-- Do not attempt to attract a bear to your location; observe the animal and take pictures from afar.
-- If you encounter a bear, do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to appear as large as possible.
-- If attacked, fight back.
-- If a bear harms a person in any way, immediately call 911.

Fish & Game: Taking close look at "whirling" trout

2011-06-30T23:41:13Z

Marine biologist Carrie Wilson with the Department of Fish and Game produced this Question & Answer feature. If you have a question, contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

Q: We were fishing Hot Creek in Mono County last weekend, and my friend caught a rainbow trout that looked unhealthy. We thought it might have Whirling Disease. (See photo at http://californiaoutdoors.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/rainbow-whirling-disease.jpg)

Based on the picture, is this a likely case of whirling disease? Have fish with this disease been found in Hot Creek before? Assuming this was a case of whirling disease, what should we have done? We never keep fish and Hot Creek has zero-kill regulations, but it would seem wise to remove a whirling-diseased fish from the stream to give to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) for examination. Since we were unsure, we released it. In the future, what would be the best practice for maintaining the health of the fisheries in the watershed if we knew this was a diseased fish? Could we have collected this fish to turn over to the DFG for evaluation?

A: This may be a case of whirling disease (WD), but it's impossible to make that determination based on the photo alone. Whirling disease afflicts juvenile fish causing neurological damage and skeletal deformation. Afflicted fish may not be able to swim in a normal manner. When startled, they "whirl" rather than darting away as a normal fish would. Survival rates for infected fingerlings are low (~10 percent), and those that do survive have difficulty feeding and become easy prey for predators. Humans cannot be afflicted with the disease.

According to DFG Senior Fish Health Coordinator Dr. Mark A. Adkison, whirling disease has a tropism for the cranial cartilage (e.g., the cranium appears turned or twisted). The disease is carried by the aquatic oligochaete Tubifex tubifex (a segmented worm) wherein spores (actinospores) develop and are released into the environment. These spores infect fish through the skin. The parasite develops in the skin for a few days and then travels through the nerves and spinal cord, eventually emerging from the nerves into the cranial cartilage where it grows and develops into its final spore stage (myxospores).

As part of the development process in young fish, the parasite consumes and deforms the cartilage. This causes the cranial deformities such as a sloped head, crooked jaw and shortened operculum so commonly seen in WD-infected fish. Since the fish in the photo does not have the characteristic cranial deformities that typically accompany such severe spinal deformities, the deformities may be due to some other cause.

Other possibilities include nutritional deficiencies or coldwater disease (CWD) which can also cause spinal deformities like the ones seen in the fish in the photo. Flavobacterium psychrophilum is a bacteria present in most, if not all trout waters of the state and is the causative agent of CWD. This disease is not a problem in the wild. It is a disease of concern in our hatcheries and it's fairly easy to control by reducing fish densities and antibiotic treatment. Mortalities are typically acute.

Whirling disease is probably present in Hot Creek since it flows into the upper Owens River, and the upper Owens River is positive for WD. Therefore, it is likely that Hot Creek is positive for WD. The only way to tell for sure if a fish has WD is to test the fish for the presence of the WD parasite (myxospores) itself. The test is a terminal one though and not something you could do visually or perform stream side.

DFG Associate Fish Pathologist Dr. Garry O. Kelley adds that once Myxobolus cerebralis (which causes WD) is established in a natural system, it's there for good. There's strong evidence that suggest WD prevalence in the wild may be reduced by eliminating susceptible or infected salmonids and by reducing habitats for the other host, the aquatic oligochaete.

Reducing WD prevalence will help recruitment efforts since the parasite prefers the young of the year. If the regulations allow bag limits, then removing any deformed fish would be welcomed. Just keep in mind that a fish that grossly appears WD-positive may actually be negative, even in WD-positive waters. Specifically, the deformities could be genetic, an injury or some other pathogen (e.g., cold water disease).

As far as what to do with a diseased fish, from a biological point of view, if the fish was infected with WD to the point where it had severe deformities, it would probably be good to remove it from the creek to decrease the WD spore load in the environment. However, from the enforcement side, if it's a no kill zone then it's up to enforcement as to whether they would cite the fisherman for not returning the fish to the stream.