California Fish and Game Commission Meets Remotely
At its October meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission acted on several issues affecting California’s natural resources. The following are just a few items of interest from yesterday’s meeting.
The Commission voted unanimously to extend, for 90 days, emergency regulations that prohibit the use of hydraulic pump gear for the recreational take of clams, sand crab and shrimp.
The Commission voted unanimously to extend two emergency regulations that were adopted in September 2020 to authorize conditional take of western Joshua tree under certain circumstances while protected under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) as a candidate species. The extensions are for 90 days.
The Commission voted unanimously to authorize publication of its intent to allow the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to consider reinstatement of preference points and award one preference point for the license year for certain deer tags and to refund tag fees, reinstate preference points and award one preference point for the license year for bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope and elk hunts after the season start date for first-choice draw hunts that are inaccessible for 66 percent or more of the season as a result of public land closures caused by wildfires for unsuccessful hunters.
The Commission voted unanimously to authorize publication of a notice of intent to amend regulations related to recreational take of California grunion with a bag and possession limit of 30 fish and a three month closure from April to June.
The Commission voted unanimously to list Pacific leatherback sea turtle as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act.
President Peter Silva, Vice President Samantha Murray, and Commissioners Erik Sklar and Erika Zavaleta were present. Commissioner Jacque Hostler-Carmesin was absent.
The agenda for this meeting along with supporting information is available at fgc.ca.gov. An archived audio file will be available in coming days. The next meeting of the full Commission is scheduled for December 15-16, 2021.