Group seeks reversal of California fishing license regulation

A Long Beach-based recreational fishing advocacy group has launched a campaign aimed at rescinding the California Department of Fish and Game mandate that fishing licenses be worn and visible at all times when fishing.

The Sportfishing Conservancy is seeking to gather signatures in support of their objective, hoping to get it on the agenda at the Fish and Game commissioners meeting this month.

"We believe that the commission will vote on the issue and repeal the wearing of fishing licenses if we can generate support for it. The voice of the recreational angler can play an important role in moving fishing licenses from around our necks to our wallets or tackle boxes where they belong." said Tom Raftican, president of the Sportfishing Conservancy.

"I can't tell you how many anglers complain about having to visually wear their licenses. From the hassle of having it tangle around your neck while fishing to losing it frequently," added Raftican. "I've even had an angler tell me that those who fish and dogs are the only two who need to wear a license around their neck."

The anglers I spoke with about this issue find having to wear their licenses inconvenient. When the wind picks up the license whips about and generally gets in the way. It can also be forgotten when taking off a jacket or changing shirts, opening up the possibility of being cited for noncompliance.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Department of Fish and Game Warden Scott Melvin writes a citation for a man who was fishing without a license near Seacliff in Ventura County. Credit: Steve Osman/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Bucksnort]

Now, you know that they couldn't do that! Why? Because then they couldn't give you a citation and collect the subsequent fines that it will generate. And all this, without nary a KISS! Funny how government has a nasty habit of letting itself into our wallets. Sure glad that I am on the back side of my life. Can you dig it?

[BIZ]

I am Captain of a CPFV and by law am responsible that all passengers on my boat needing a license have one. The plain sight law makes it easy to at a glance see who has one and who doesn't. I carry my license in my wallet, pin it on my shirt while at work and put it back in my wallet after. Simple.

[me]

guys, just wear it.

[erik]

california dfg is a joke.... all of them are a bunch of pathetic loser's... they don't do any good to our fishery!

[Franklin]

Wear the license. It isn't that much of a burden, and it allows DFG to patrol more effectively (ie, not having to waste time waiting for people to dig through their tackle box, wallet, glove box, etc... "just one more minute officer, I swear I have it in here somewhere...")

In regards to bucksnort - this has nothing to do with collecting fines from citations, it is about where you must have your fishing license. Besides which, humans have repeatedly demonstrated that if common resources are not regulated, we just screw up and deplete them. So no, I can't dig it.

[Dave]

This is a bad idea. I have fished for over twenty years and never had a problem wearing a license. It makes it much easier for DFG wardens to use binoculars to see if people are properly licensed. Just wear it.

The bigger issue is we need more DFG wardens. I see people fishing all the time off the rocks in San Pedro / PV who aren't wearing licenses and take undersized fish.

[CleanFun]

Yay, No more license fee's!

The best part about this is they stop checking your license up close so you can wear a license you printed off the internet and they won't be the wiser.

[Josh]

I'm a California Police Officer. I think this is a great idea! Maybe we should require people driving a vehicle to wear their Drivers License around their neck too. This would make it a lot easier to see who doesn't have a Drivers License.

Let’s be real. This law is dumb and lazy. The DFG Wardens should be making contact with fishermen and verifying compliance with take limits and just letting fishermen know they are out there and watching. I am 38 years old and have been asked for my fishing license one time in my life. That is pathetic!

Time to change the requirement and start seeing the DFG Wardens talking to people.

[justin]

i got a ticket a few months ago for not attending my pole.the cost of that was 430 dollars,thats more than a speeding ticket.and speeding puts others at risk. i guess the govt cares more about fish than people.i just think this fine is unacceptable

[Not a Fisherman anymore]

Sounds like all fisherman are guilty until they prove themselves innocent. I really hate this state. Russia or China can't be this messed up.

[dhines]

i think it is a good idea to wear the license . . . not wearing it would encourage folks to not buy licenses and increase the costs of policing fishermen (takes less folks to use binoculars than walk up to everyone). if someone isn't serious enough about fishing to buy a license, don't fish.

that being said, they need to do something about the process. it is a joke that if the license and paper receipt is lost, the person has to buy another license. something needs to be done about this. as a lifetime license holder, i am subject to different rules, but it is just wrong that the average fisherman can sometimes be forced to buy multiple licenses in one calendar year.

[ARCADIAN]

Yeah wearing the license isnt so bad, the problem i see is that if you buy your license late in the year you still pay for the FULL YEAR! I normally go fishing around July or august, i see no reason to buy it anytime sooner.

Unlike mexico fishing license which is Once you bought it its take ONE YEAR to expire. so that June to June Not June to December.

DFG should try this out, Im sure theyll see less and less people buying them and not losing them as much. I know they dont want to lose money.

Also you should be able to print out your duplicate license from the internet, as long as you have the code to get into it.

[Mike T.]

I would like to meet the guy who could look at a license around someone's neck with a pair of binoculars and tell if it is current or who it belongs to. Besides, the DFG lost all their binoc's in the last round of budget cuts.

[Steve G]

CA DFG are in it for the money ad to screw people over who are just trying to enjoy a hobby. I forgot my license at home and was cited today, ticket will be a few hundred dollars. To my understanding most citations out of CA are under $100 but for some reason CA DFG like to charge up tp $1200 for fishing without a license.