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I don' know if any has a interest in this, I get up dates from the ca. F&G and thought this one was interesting.

At the bottom you can Subscribe to DFG news via email or RSS feed ---{ if you like } ....


California Department of Fish and Game News Release

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 2, 2009

Contact: Patrick Foy, Department of Fish and Game, (916) 651-2084
Ed Hazel, Monterey County District Attorney’s Office,
(831) 755-5070

Poachers Threaten Monterey’s Endangered Black Abalone

California game wardens recently made two new arrests in a series of
black abalone poaching cases in Monterey County. Jerry Jones, 37, of
Monterey, and Terry Callahan, 47, of Seaside were arrested by the
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) on May 13 after being found in
possession of 51 black abalone from Point Lobos State Park. Poaching
charges against the two men are pending.

Commercial fishing for black abalone was banned in 1993. According to
Fish and Game Code Section 5521.5b, possession of 12 or more abalone
is suitable evidence that the individual in possession intends to use
the abalone for commercial purposes. Additionally, on February 13 of
this year, black abalone were formally granted endangered status by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries
Service.

Despite the federally endangered status of the abalone, said Lt. Don
Kelly of DFG’s Law Enforcement Division, wardens are seeing poaching
operations on a much greater scale than in the past. “Poachers are
taking in excess of 90 or 100 abalone at times,” Kelly said.
“Amazingly, many of these poachers have previous convictions. These
criminals are knowingly breaking the law.”

Monterey County abalone have long been declining in number due to a
bacterial condition called wasting disease, as well as a historical
precedent of overfishing in the area. But today, poaching is the
greatest threat to the black abalone population. The animals typically
sell for $50 to $100 each on the black market.

In addition to the abalone taken and killed for sale, others are
mortally injured by knives and screwdrivers in failed attempts to pry
them off the rocks. Whenever possible, wardens return confiscated
abalone to the waters where they were taken, but often, the injuries
prove to be fatal.

In addition to the illegal operation discovered on May 13, other
notably large cases include:

● November 2008: Hoa Van Pham, 45, of Moss Landing, and Ty Van
Lieu, 54, of Marina were found in possession of 66 black abalone that
had been taken from a cove in southern Monterey County. Lieu had
previously been found guilty of poaching abalone for commercial purposes
in 2002 and 2005, and was arrested for another abalone violation in
1996. Pham had three prior poaching convictions, two in 2000 and one in
1998, specifically related to taking of marine life from a marine
protected area. Both subjects pled guilty to the charges. Pham was
sentenced to 30 days in jail, three years probation and a $25,000 fine,
while Lieu was sentenced to 90 days in jail, three years probation, a
$25,000 fine and a lifetime commercial fishing license revocation.

● February 18, 2008: Haeng Ju Shin, 42, of Cupertino, was found by
a California State Park Ranger to be in possession of 18 abalone, 69
mussels, four limpets, three turban snails, one sea urchin and one kelp
snail. She was arrested on charges of unlawfully taking abalone and
marine invertebrates from a marine conservation area. Shin admitted
using a knife to take the marine animals. She was fined $15,000, $7,500
of which was suspended.

● January 2008: Tony V. Le, 20, of Castroville and Jonathan
Conner, 22, of Salinas, pled guilty to charges of possessing 119 black
abalone and three red abalone. During the investigation Conner told
authorities he could make $3,000 in two months by poaching. Le was
sentenced to five days in jail and three years probation and was fined
$15,000. Conner was placed on probation for four years, fined $15,000
and ordered to stay away from Soberantes Point where the crime was
committed.

● May 2007: San Mateo residents Robert Ji, 29, Jennifer Ji, 19,
Jong Duk Yoo, 55, Jong Bae Yoo, 67, and Jong Nan Yoo, 50, were arrested
for poaching 95 black abalone from a cove in Monterey County. Robert Ji,
Jong Duk Yoo, Jong Bae Yoo and Jong Nan Yoo each plead guilty to
poaching charges and were placed on three years probation and fined
$15,000 each. Charges against Jennifer Ji were dropped.

Kelly said that the continuing arrest and prosecution of poachers is
key to preventing the extinction of these endangered animals. "It’s
the highest priority of our wardens in this area,” he said. “If this
problem is left unchecked, Monterey's black abalone resource will
disappear forever."

Citizens who witness the poaching of abalone or any related offenses
are asked to call the DFG 24-hour CalTIP line at (888) 334-2258.

####
Note: This e-mail account is used to distribute information to the
public. Do not reply to this e-mail. Direct questions or comments
regarding the information contained in this e-mail to the Department
staff listed as points of contact for this subject.

Subscribe to DFG News via email or RSS feed. Go to www.dfg.ca.gov/news.


Subscribe to the DFG Marine Region News Service (ocean-related news and
information only). Go to www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/subscribe.asp.

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That's pretty interesting

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Here is one more example of the DF&G sends out here in ca. I do not know if other states have anything similar.

At the bottom you can Subscribe to DFG news via email or RSS feed ---{ if you like } ....

I do this as I have been forwarding these to some members on this site here in ca. I will not be doing this in the future,
please take the time to Subscribe to these if you still interested in receiving them...
Thanks
Guts/AKA/Kim



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 4, 2009

Contact: Carrie Wilson, Communications Office, CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov

California Outdoors Q&As: Putting fish on granddaughter's line

*** View this column with images online at
www.dfg.ca.gov/QandA/2009/20090604.asp ***


Question: I have a question about putting fish on another person's
hook. My son-in-law takes his daughter (my granddaughter) fishing but
she does not have much luck. Is it legal for me to place fish on her
hook while I am under water scuba diving? We will be camping this summer
and this would allow her to experience the thrill of catching a fish
when she goes out fishing with her dad. I would even purchase fresh fish
at the market to place on her hook while fishing, if needed. Only her
father and I would know. Please advise. Thanks. (Brian K.)

Answer: I applaud your creativity and desire to ensure your
granddaughter will enjoy her fishing experience! This sounds pretty
difficult though and perhaps dangerous depending on how hard she may
yank her line, but it is not illegal.

Whether you are fishing in fresh water or saltwater, any fish you put
on her hook must either be dead or have been caught in the same waters
where you are fishing. It must also be a legal species to take, meet any
minimum size limits and it must count against your own bag limit for the
day. If you plan to be fishing in freshwater, you may not catch fish by
hand to put on her hook.

You may purchase fresh fish at the market to place on her hook but you
cannot transport them alive.

One thing I'd suggest is to check out the California Fishing Passport
Program online at www.dfg.ca.gov/fishingpassport. This Department of
Fish and Game (DFG) program is designed to promote sport fishing
throughout the state and may be ideal for helping your granddaughter
develop a greater interest in fishing. Hopefully, it will also motivate
her to want to do more fishing with you and her dad. If you have any
questions after viewing the Web site, please contact DFG at
Passport@dfg.ca.gov.

(Photo available at www.dfg.ca.gov/QandA/2009/20090604.asp)


Question: Are rattlesnakes legal to keep as pets in California? I've
browsed the Internet and have not found the answer online. Thanks. (Cyle
W.)

Answer: California Fish and Game law does not prohibit keeping live
rattlesnakes you have taken from the wild. However, the laws do prohibit
buying or selling live rattlesnakes and also prohibit importing or
exporting rattlesnakes.

According to DFG Capt. (ret.) Phil Nelms, you do not need a license to
take rattlesnakes from the wild, but there is a limit of two per
species. California has five different species of rattlesnakes: Crotalus
viridis (Western rattlesnake), Crotalus atrox (Western diamondback
rattlesnake), Crotalus ruber (Red diamondback rattlesnake), Crotalus
scutulatus (Mojave rattlesnake), Crotalus mitchelli (Speckled
rattlesnake) and Crotalus cerastes (Sidewinder). The California
regulations regarding reptiles and amphibians can be found in Sections
5.05 and 5.60 of the 2009 Freshwater Fishing Regulations booklet or
online at www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations.

Be aware, however, that local city or county ordinances may prohibit
keeping live animals that may be dangerous. I suggest you check with the
local law enforcement officials for any restrictions in your area.


Question: I got a citation from a DFG game warden recently for fishing
without a license. I had a fishing pole but I didn't have a line in the
water. Can the game warden really give me a ticket when I wasn't
literally fishing? (Janice B.)

Answer: Yes, you can get a ticket for fishing without a license if a
warden made previous observations of you fishing, even if you don’t
have a line in the water when the warden approaches you.

If you feel you were cited unfairly, you have every right to look at
how the law is written and take your case to court. Fish and Game Code
Section 7145 discusses license requirements, Section 15 defines
"angling" and Section 86 defines "take."


Question: I'd like to buy fallow deer to raise on my property for
hunting purposes. Is this legal? (Darrell W., Paso Robles)

Answer: No. You may not possess, transport, import, propagate,
transfer, buy or sell any live fallow deer for the purpose of hunting.
This is also true for many other species. Fallow deer may be raised for
venison to be sold to markets provided you have the proper permits from
DFG. However, native deer or their meat may never be sold (FGC Sections
2124 and 4301).


# # #
Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of
Fish and Game. Her DFG-related question and answer column appears weekly
at www.dfg.ca.gov/QandA. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s
questions, she will select a few to answer each week. Please contact her
at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.
# # #
Note: This e-mail account is used to distribute information to the
public. Do not reply to this e-mail. Direct questions or comments
regarding the information contained in this e-mail to the Department
staff listed as points of contact for this subject.

Subscribe to DFG News via e-mail or RSS feed -- go to
www.dfg.ca.gov/news
Subscribe to DFG Marine Region News Service (ocean-related news only)
via e-mail at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/subscribe.asp