Inshore and Islands Fishing Reports Southern California USA Thread, Lobster Hoop Nets DFG meeting in California Fishing; they arent going to ban the eqlipse or promar nets f&g approved them and there are too many that have ...
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they arent going to ban the eqlipse or promar nets f&g approved them and there are too many that have been mfgd and ready to sell it would be like committing suicide for them, have heard that promar makers have been writting to them on the subject so dont jump in the fire yet....
Plan 2 is my bet on what the compromise is going to be. Too easy with 10 per boat and 5 per angler. After all, we gave them the data in the form of report cards. The commercial "fisherman" will vacuum the rest of the reefs in a few months anyway.
too easy with 10 per boat? huh? i would not call it easy,why should it matter anyway a limit is a limit,then your done,how would you feel if the dfg said you could use only one arm to catch your lobster,just saying.
And who would pay for all my eclipse nets? I vote to leave everything as is, why change? Shorten the season for commercial if you want to 'save' some lobsters, they take all they can, we only take a few we can catch a few times each season.
Nothing is going to happen this season but may next season.
I really dont think they will ban conicals now, as too much $$ is at stake and they may have a lawsuit on there hands if they did approve it.
What I think we are going to see is a reduction of hoops we are allowed to carry and use and maybe even a reduction of 5 bugs per day. Nothing is set in stone yet so it will be hoop as usuall for now.
I would be fine with 6 hoops per boat but would like to see the limit stay at 7.
The whole lobster card thing is a joke and was made to make some more $$ IMO . Flat hoop, conical hoop the both work just fine but I prefer the conicals , The reason conicals catch more bugs than flats? Well I think the better hoopers use conicals and your average joe hooper who goes out to drink beer and soak some hoops just uses what he has or can get cheap and doesnt do as well as the guy who puts alot of time and effort into it.
When we go hoop we are pretty serious about it , we get in get our limits quick and get out. There is alot more to it than dropping them in the water and drinking beer.
Love the guys who say " i hope they ban hoopnetting " because I'm a bug DIVER and I hate the hoopnetters. Well guess what mr diver most hoopers feel the same way about you and you attitude that you can dive any where you want just because you get in he water.
the reason conicals catch more bugs than flats? the better hoopers use conicals and the average joe uses flats,Island bound your conical net is basically a trap that would be why they work better ,hell if i could get in and get out that easily i would go get some conical traps i mean hoops
the reason conicals catch more bugs than flats? the better hoopers use conicals and the average joe uses flats,Island bound your conical net is basically a trap that would be why they work better ,hell if i could get in and get out that easily i would go get some conical traps i mean hoops
They are not traps, a 36" flat promar net in the hands of someone who knows how to hoop will cach plenty of lobster.
Look , there are TONS of lobster out ther you just have to find them.
Hooping the same breakwall that gets hammered every night will make you think that they are extinct. Finding a good spot on your own thats loaded makes you think they are as thick as fleas.
Comercial guys complain that thier counts are down ,but guess what? Its from thier own pressure not hoopers. I dont know many people who hoop next to comercial traps for that reason.
Too late to make drastic changes in the rules - most shops probably ordered their hooping gear a month or two ago.
IF they ban the eclipse style nets I hope they allow one year for the local stores to sell there existing stock and users one year after that to change out to the flat style.
Removing the uprights of an eclipse net makes NO sense - the top ring is too small.
(allow sales of eclipse nets in CA through 2010 and allow there use untill the end of 2011)
That will minimize the financial impact at this late date.
I agree. Some of my dads friends have just bought a 24 ft. Parker, fishing gear and ten eclipses recently mainly because they see the picturesof all the stuff we catch and wants in on the fun. Thats like $400 in lobster gear alone. I also look at WON and Bass Pro is going off about hooping. yes there is a lot more hoopers, but there is a crap load of money being thrown around just because of lobster season and in a bad economy this is great for many people in the fishing industry.
the reason conicals catch more bugs than flats? the better hoopers use conicals and the average joe uses flats,Island bound your conical net is basically a trap that would be why they work better ,hell if i could get in and get out that easily i would go get some conical traps i mean hoops
WRONG!!!
Thats like saying bugs can't get out of holes. I see flat style being just as good as eclipse. you just need to pull it up faster and since they are lighter you can pull them up faster. I have watched bugs swim out of my eclipses as I bring them up too. Its all about the fisherman, not the net.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME COMMISSION INITIAL STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR REGULATORY ACTION (Pre-publication of Notice Statement) Amend Section 29.80 Title 14, California Code of Regulations Re: Gear Restrictions
Within the last couple of years there have been several new types of devices developed being called hoop nets. These newly created devices are becoming more efficient and
are fishing like traps. Section 29.80 (a)(2) prohibits the use of traps to take lobster.
The field wardens feel some of these new style devices act like traps. This causes a concern that the recreational hoop net fishery is evolving into something that was not intended when the legislature prohibited the use of traps for recreational lobster fishing
(Fish and Game Code Sections 8250.5 and 7256).
So our new conical style "devices" are traps!
Option 1 -3- This option creates a definition of a hoop net that requires the main parts of the hoop net to lay flat on the ground and not have an elevated upper hoop ring. This will permit the lobsters to more freely move in and out of the hoop net and therefore keep the recreational take of lobster consistent with the legislative intent. The Department recommends this option since it is consistent with Fish and Game
Code.
Notice this is the the option f&g is recommending
Option 2 This option allows for up to 3 hoops to be integrated into the hoop net. It would allow for the top hoop to sit no more then 10 inches off of the ocean floor if supported and have an inside diameter between 19 and 21 inches. This definition would also include the current make up of the old style hoop net which lies flat on the ocean floor when deployed. This option also restricts the possession of these nets to 3 for one person and 6 if more then one person is fishing from a boat for lobsters. The reason for this change is the efficiency of the new device. The Department does not recommend this option since it is not consistent with Fish and Game Code and it is unclear weather or not it may negatively effect lobster population
due to the increase in take of lobster by the sport fishery.
The use of even 3 conicals on a boat with one person or 6 when two or more are on the boat is not recommende by f&g
IV. Description of Reasonable Alternatives to Regulatory Action: (a) Alternatives to Regulation Change: Allow lobsters to be taken with traps. This alternative would increase the take of lobsters and possibly negatively impact the lobster resource. It would also increase the efficiency of taking lobster, which would
likely increase the illegal commercialization of the recreational fishery.
Proposal #1 may have an economic impact on those who currently sell the new style device that has the ring that sits above the ocean floor when deployed. The company that has a patent on the new style devices also manufactures the old style hoop net. If the new style device were banned, they could still sell the old style hoop net throughout
the State.
No financial impact because they can just sell flat style in place of conical.... Yeah right
The agency is not aware of any cost impacts that a representative private person or business would necessarily incur in reasonable compliance with the proposed action. People who currently possess the rigid type device may be able to modify the device by cutting off the rigid pieces of metal which would allow the net to lie flat. This device would then fit the proposed definition of a hoop net. The estimated cost of the new style device
is $20 - $40 without the line and float rigging.
F&G is saying that we can modify our conicals by "cutting off the rigid pieces of metal which will allow the net to lie flat"
Ridiculous!!!!! do they not realize that a flat hoop net typically has a net that cones down minimum of 18". Hell when I was fishing flat nets I would fish "portugeese style that coned 36" down to the lower ring. We would be flishing a nearly flat pancake style net if we modified a conical.
(1) Hoop Net Defined: A hoop net shall be defined as: Fishing gear that is comprised of a rigid ring, not
to exceed 36 inches in diameter, which is connected to soft mesh thereby forming a circular shaped net
whose enclosed bottom portion is even with or which hangs down from the ring. Lift lines may be
attached to the ring. A second rigid ring not exceeding 18 inches in diameter, which is connected by soft
mesh to the first ring, may be used. No lift lines may be attached to the smaller ring. When the net is
being raised the larger ring is above and parallel to the smaller ring with the enclosed bottom portion of
the soft mesh even with or hanging below the bottom ring. All parts of the hoop net, and attached lift lines
will collapse and lie flat when resting on the ocean floor in such a manner that the gear does not entrap or
restrict the free movement of crustaceans until lifted.
Based on their proposed "hoop net defined" the top ring cannot exceed 36" and the bottom ring cannot exceed 18". This alone would negate modifying a conical. Further I know quite a few guys that fish both top and bottom rings the same size i.e. over 30" top and bottom. Now owners of that style will have illegal hoops and be required to buy or make new ones.
I invested over $400 in conicals last year. I made the switch from flat style. "cutting off the metal risers will not make conicals fish like other flat nets.
This is not cool. So many people have invested lots of money into gear that has been allowed for years. If the conical styles were not legal, I would not have spent that kind of money. I had nice deep flat style hoops. If these changes are made I not only have spent over $400 conicals that will be gone, but now I am going to have to spend the same to buy flat hoops.
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