‘Tis the Season for Saltwater “Bugs” – California Spiny Lobster Season Opens Soon

Spiny lobster den surrounded by sea urchins. CDFW photo by D. Stein

Hoop nets may be used by those fishing for lobster recreationally. CDFW photo by D. Stein

Measuring a spiny lobster carapace to determine whether it meets the minimum recreational size requirement. CDFW photo by D. Stein

Happy Autumn! For many of us, that means apple picking and pumpkin spice… everything! For both recreational and commercial fishermen along California’s southern coast, it signifies the start of spiny lobster fishing season.

California Saltwater Angling and Diving Records Program

Larry Laumann holding a trophy-size California corbina that he speared while diving.
photo by L. Laumann

Have you ever caught or speared a fish so large, you thought it might be a State record? Larry Laumann thought just that when he speared this 6.3 pound trophy-size California corbina near San Diego on the Fourth of July. Unfortunately, he checked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Fishing and Diving Records web page after he had filleted the fish and without getting an official weight from a certified scale, disqualifying him from the new record. While Larry certainly has bragging rights, the old record for California corbina still stands at 5 pounds 15 ounces.

CDFW maintains a list of state fishing and diving records for various species. The next time you land “the big one”, check CDFW’s Fishing and Diving Records web page to see if your species is listed for either “Ocean Angling” or “Ocean Diving” under the “Fishing Type” category, depending on the method of fishing you used. Note that only the species listed can qualify for a record, other species are not accepted.

Exploring California’s Marine Protected Areas: South Cape Mendocino State Marine Reserve, Sugarloaf Island Special Closure, and Steamboat Rock Special Closure

MPA sign at the SMR, Steamboat Rock to the left. CDFW photo by S. Worden

Sugarloaf Island, just north of South Cape Mendocino SMR. photo by A. Zykov, CC BY-SA 2.0

Sunrise at Cape Mendocino. photo by S. Worden

Although California is the most populous state in the United States, much of the coastal area north of San Francisco is undeveloped and provides the perfect escape for those seeking a bit of solitude.

Celebrate World Oceans Day with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife!

Kelp bass and salema over an eelgrass bed in S. Calif. photo by S. Wertz

Surfer. photo by A. Van Diggelen

Wolf-eel and sea urchins off the Farallon Islands, central Calif. CDFW/MARE photo

It’s that time of year again, when people around the world celebrate the beauty, resources, and enjoyment the ocean gives us. That’s right, today, June 8^th is World Oceans Day!

New Recreational Grunion Regulations Starting June 1

Grunion run. CDFW photo

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife would like to inform all who fish for or collect California grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) that the California Fish and Game Commission has recently adopted new grunion sport fishing regulations.