Hi all,
You may have seen that the Fish and Game Commission posted notice today of emergency regulations that would BAN using metal leaders and hooks bigger than 1.5" on shore, and up to 1000' off the beach (including from piers, boats, kayaks, and jetties).
We have five days to submit comments. Even if you don't shark fish, please take two minutes to submit comments. This is death by a thousand cuts, we can't let them strip away any more hunting and fishing opportunities.
Email [email protected] AND [email protected], and please share this message as broadly as possible. We only have five days to comment.
Sample message below, feel free to copy and use:
Dear Commissioners,
I respectfully oppose the proposed amendments to Section 28.65. While I support protecting white sharks and enforcing existing regulations, a blanket prohibition on metallic leaders and restrictions on hook sizes would have significant unintended consequences for many legitimate fisheries that have nothing to do with targeting white sharks.
These regulations would negatively impact anglers targeting species such as mako, blue, sevengill, soupfin, leopard, and other sharks that are legal to pursue under California law. Wire leaders and appropriately sized hooks are important tools that allow anglers to responsibly target, land, and release these species. Rather than imposing broad gear restrictions on law-abiding anglers, efforts should be focused on enforcing existing laws against the illegal targeting of protected white sharks.
Metallic leaders are not used exclusively for large sharks. They are also an important conservation tool in legal California shark fisheries. Even sharp toothed bony fishes and relatively small sharks possess teeth capable of quickly severing monofilament or fluorocarbon leaders. Species such as leopard sharks and soupfin sharks can easily bite through conventional leaders, resulting in fish swimming away with hooks and long lengths of line attached. Prohibiting metallic leaders will likely leave more nooks embedded in tish. Ironically, these proposed restrictions may increase harm to sharks and other marine life. When sharks cut through monofilament leaders, they can swim away trailing hooks and line that may remain embedded in the animal. Lost monofilament can persist in the marine environment for years, creating entanglement hazards for marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, and fish. Properly selected wire leaders often reduce gear loss and improve the likelihood that fish can be landed, handled responsibly, and released without excessive tackle left behind.
I am one of thousands of anglers who contribute to California's coastal economy through recreational fishing tourism.
Regulations that unnecessarily restrict access to these fisheries will have economic consequences not only for anglers, but also for coastal communities, tackle shops, charter operators, hotels, restaurants, and many other small businesses that benefit from visiting fishermen.
Protecting white sharks is an important goal, but it should be accomplished through targeted enforcement of existing regulations rather than broad restrictions that negatively affect responsible anglers, sustainable fisheries, and coastal economies while potentially creating unintended environmental consequences.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
You may have seen that the Fish and Game Commission posted notice today of emergency regulations that would BAN using metal leaders and hooks bigger than 1.5" on shore, and up to 1000' off the beach (including from piers, boats, kayaks, and jetties).
We have five days to submit comments. Even if you don't shark fish, please take two minutes to submit comments. This is death by a thousand cuts, we can't let them strip away any more hunting and fishing opportunities.
Email [email protected] AND [email protected], and please share this message as broadly as possible. We only have five days to comment.
Sample message below, feel free to copy and use:
Dear Commissioners,
I respectfully oppose the proposed amendments to Section 28.65. While I support protecting white sharks and enforcing existing regulations, a blanket prohibition on metallic leaders and restrictions on hook sizes would have significant unintended consequences for many legitimate fisheries that have nothing to do with targeting white sharks.
These regulations would negatively impact anglers targeting species such as mako, blue, sevengill, soupfin, leopard, and other sharks that are legal to pursue under California law. Wire leaders and appropriately sized hooks are important tools that allow anglers to responsibly target, land, and release these species. Rather than imposing broad gear restrictions on law-abiding anglers, efforts should be focused on enforcing existing laws against the illegal targeting of protected white sharks.
Metallic leaders are not used exclusively for large sharks. They are also an important conservation tool in legal California shark fisheries. Even sharp toothed bony fishes and relatively small sharks possess teeth capable of quickly severing monofilament or fluorocarbon leaders. Species such as leopard sharks and soupfin sharks can easily bite through conventional leaders, resulting in fish swimming away with hooks and long lengths of line attached. Prohibiting metallic leaders will likely leave more nooks embedded in tish. Ironically, these proposed restrictions may increase harm to sharks and other marine life. When sharks cut through monofilament leaders, they can swim away trailing hooks and line that may remain embedded in the animal. Lost monofilament can persist in the marine environment for years, creating entanglement hazards for marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, and fish. Properly selected wire leaders often reduce gear loss and improve the likelihood that fish can be landed, handled responsibly, and released without excessive tackle left behind.
I am one of thousands of anglers who contribute to California's coastal economy through recreational fishing tourism.
Regulations that unnecessarily restrict access to these fisheries will have economic consequences not only for anglers, but also for coastal communities, tackle shops, charter operators, hotels, restaurants, and many other small businesses that benefit from visiting fishermen.
Protecting white sharks is an important goal, but it should be accomplished through targeted enforcement of existing regulations rather than broad restrictions that negatively affect responsible anglers, sustainable fisheries, and coastal economies while potentially creating unintended environmental consequences.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
