'Meet the Grunion' Monday at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

The grunion are back in Southern California, and with them comes the return of the "Meet the Grunion" program, Monday evening at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro.

The aquarium exhibit hall will open at 8 p.m., with a film on grunion to be screened at 9 p.m. The cost to attend is $5 for adults and $1 for seniors, children and students. Tickets can be purchased on site, cash only.

Afterward, those who wish to participate will head to the beach to await the spawning run, which has a projected two-hour window of 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m.

Grunion runs are a sight to behold. For four consecutive nights, beginning on full- and new-moon phases during spring and summer, the small silvery fish leave the water to spawn on beaches. The shoreline may glisten with fish as the silversides attempt to lay and fertilize their eggs.

Grunion may only be caught in the months of March, June and July, and only by hand. Catchers 16 and older must possess a valid state fishing license.

There is no limit to the number of fish that may be caught, but the California Department of Fish and Game asks that people only catch what they will eat.

The program will be offered again on April 5 and 19, May 5 and 19, June 3 and 17, and July 16.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro. Directions and parking information is available on the aquarium's website.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Grunion scramble to get onto the beach to spawn. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

Fish and Game Q&A: Is it legal to cherry pick the best crabs?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: Recreational Dungeness crab fishermen often seem to hold onto crab in excess of their limit while they are still crabbing, then they cherry pick the best ones and throw back the extras after pulling all their pots. Is this legal? Say for example I’m fishing alone and drop three pots. When I retrieve the pots, the first one contains 10 crab, and I put them all in my fish box. The second pot also has 10 crab and I also put them all in the box. I pull the last pot, then sort through all the crab and throw back all but the biggest 10 before heading into the harbor. This is how I would prefer to fish, but I think it would be illegal since I should never have more than my limit (10 crab per person) aboard. (Jesse)

Answer: What you describe is high-grading and is absolutely illegal. Every
 crab over the limit that is in the fisherman’s possession, even if just for a short time, could get them cited for possession of an overlimit. Once a limit is in possession, all other crabs must be immediately returned to the water. If the fisherman keeps 10 legal-sized crabs from his first pot, all other crabs in any subsequent pots must be released.

Q: Is it legal to sell unused ammo at a garage sale or flea market? I have ammo that was given to me and I don’t own the guns that fire them. They are still in the box and some still have the price tags. I know there is value to somebody who owns these guns. (David S.)

Fish and Game Q&A: Will I be in violation if I clean lobsters once the boat is docked?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I run a six-pack charter boat business and we often hoop net for crab and lobster. My deckhands and I make money by cleaning our passengers' catch. This includes both rock crab and lobster. We always wait until we make landfall before we tail the bugs. This year the new regulations say: "(e) Spiny lobsters shall be kept in a whole, measurable condition until being prepared for immediate consumption." What is the definition of immediate consumption? Will I be in violation if I clean the lobsters for my passengers after hitting the dock? (Captain David Y.)

Answer: Yes, prior to this law, there was a big enforcement problem with people who were already on the shore tailing undersize lobsters before the Department of Fish and Game could contact them to measure their catch. Because lobsters must be measured across the back of their carapace rather than the tail region, this was allowing them to get away with possessing short lobsters when the carapace and tails were separated. This is one of the reasons why this section was changed.

According to DFG Lt. Eric Kord, captain of the San Diego-based patrol vessel Thresher, by the letter of the law, "prepared for immediate consumption" means cooked and on a plate ready to be eaten immediately. Or in the case of sushi, it means ready to be eaten immediately raw on a dinner plate. He advises not cleaning or tailing the lobsters for your passengers as doing so would be a violation. If they are stopped by a game warden on the way to their car, they would be cited for illegal possession of tails under this section.

Fish and Game issues advisory against eating parts of Southern California lobster, rock crab

The California Department of Fish and Game is warning all consumers of California spiny lobster to eat only the tail meat until further notice. Elevated levels of domoic acid toxin have been found in the internal organs of lobster sampled from waters adjacent to the northern Channel Islands, as well as in recent samples of rock crab. This warning applies to all lobster and rock crab harvested in Southern California.

The meat of the lobster and crab is not affected by the toxin, but all internal organs, including the roe, should be discarded.

Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include nausea or diarrhea, cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms typically disappear within several days, but in severe cases the victim may experience life-threatening symptoms.

"DFG biologists are working with the Department of Public Health to increase the level of sampling for domoic acid along the coast," said DFG Senior Invertebrate Specialist Kristine Barsky.

Fish and Game Q&A: Once I arrive home with sport-caught lobster, am I permitted to discard the bodies?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: Once I arrive home with sport-caught lobster in a measurable condition, am I permitted to freeze the tails and discard the bodies? (Ben W.)

Answer: If you tailed the lobster at home and then froze it, you would be in possession of a lobster in an unmeasurable condition. The law requires you to keep the head attached to the tail until prepared for immediate consumption. By the letter of the law, this applies to lobsters in your freezer at home too. The likelihood of someone’s freezer at home being checked by a game warden without a search warrant is almost nonexistent. On the other hand, if you store tailed lobster in a freezer on a boat, the likelihood is much higher.

Department of Fish and Game Lt. Eric Kord has this suggestion for freezing lobster for future consumption:

"You could de-vein the lobsters, bleed them and then freeze them in a whole condition [carapace still attached to the tail]. That way you just need to remove the head when you get ready to eat them at home."

Q:I have a question regarding flapping wind duck decoys. I know that spinning wing duck decoys are not allowed until after Dec. 1, but what if they flap up and down rather than spin? Is this type of flapping wing decoy legal for the whole duck season? (Yoshio O.)

Fish and Game Q&A: Can I use global positioning system tracking collars on my dogs when pig hunting?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I have some questions about pig hunting and I want to make sure I’m on the right track here. First of all, can I use global positioning system tracking collars on my dogs? And what is the law regarding owning a wild boar? Can you buy them when sold as livestock from somebody who is breeding Russian or European pigs? If you have a hog for more than six days, is it considered domestic? If you buy a hog that was bred (not wild), what paperwork are you supposed to have? (Vince S.)

Answer: To answer your first question, when taking mammals, the use of GPS on dog collars is prohibited (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 265(d)).

As far as owning wild boars, the law allows only for domestic swine, Sus scrofa domestica, to be possessed alive, but they are not regulated by California Department of Fish and Game laws. All other species of swine are restricted and may not be possessed alive without a permit. According to DFG retired Capt. Phil Nelms, permits are only available for public display such as by zoos or in movie and television production, and for scientific research by colleges and universities. Swine held under these permits may not be killed for gain, amusement or sport.

Q: I have been told several times by the same person that no fishing license is required if you are fishing and have the means to cook your catch within your reach. Is this true? (Forrest H.)

Fish and Game Q&A: What's the right thing to do if an abalone comes out of its shell when harvesting it?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: One of my dive buddies asked me what to do when plucking an abalone and the abalone shell comes off the ab and the meat remains on the rock. Should the person then pry the meat off the rock, lay it in the shell and take it all like this? It would be a legal (seven inches or bigger) abalone. Is this illegal? I know it is the sporting thing to do and the right thing to do, but the regulations say that if you have an abalone removed from the shell, you are in violation! What is the right thing to do in this scenario? (Matt M.)

Answer: Although the spirit of the law may make you want to pry the meat off and place it in the shell, the law prohibits possession of an abalone removed from the shell, and your friend should not possess this abalone. According to Department of Fish and Game Lt. Dennis McKiver, in his experience he’s only known this to happen on rare occasions and only when the abalone iron is not being used properly. McKiver advises that if this happens to you, or if your abalone are being otherwise injured when removed, then you should have someone show you how to properly remove an abalone without injury. This would be the right and sporting thing to do.

Q: I have a bow-hunting question. If a father and son want to hunt together and the son has an archery-only tag but he doesn’t get his deer during archery season, can he then hunt with his dad who only hunts with a gun during the gun season? How could they make this work so they could both hunt together? (Doug W.)

Fish and Game Q&A: How can I get rid of turkey vultures that have been roosting on my roof?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I have 15 to 20 turkey vultures that have been roosting on my roof. They are congregating and making a mess on my roof and in my yard with their droppings and molted feathers. My house is two stories and the roof is tile so access is difficult. How can I get rid of them? (Lawrence)

Answer: You have different persuasion options available for moving these birds from your roof to a more appropriate roost site. According to Department of Fish and Game raptor biologist Carie Battistone, these may include repetitive loud noises, motion sensor sprinklers and the use of an effigy (usually a taxidermic preparation or an artificial likeness of a deceased vulture). Since your roof is steep and hard to access, you will have to use caution when placing anything on the roof. If all else fails, you may want to call Wildlife Services (federal wildlife trappers) to ask for advice or possibly for someone to come out to help you.

Below are several links to articles on deterring vultures from roost sites:

'Meet the Grunion' program Tuesday evening at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro will be holding its "Meet the Grunion" program Tuesday evening. This will be the final program this season.

The aquarium exhibit hall will open at 8 p.m., with a film on grunion to be screened at 9 p.m. The cost to attend is $5 for adults and $1 for seniors, children and students.

Afterward, those who wish to participate will head to the beach to await the spawning run, which has a projected two-hour window of 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Grunion runs are a sight to behold. For four consecutive nights, beginning on full and new moon phases during spring and summer, the small silvery fish leave the water to spawn on beaches. The shoreline may glisten with fish as the silversides attempt to lay and fertilize their eggs.

Grunion may only be caught in the months of March, June and July, and only by hand. Catchers 16 and older must possess a valid state fishing license.

There is no limit to the number of fish that may be caught, but the state Department of Fish and Game asks that people only catch what they will eat.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro. Directions and parking information are available on the aquarium's website.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Grunion scramble to get onto the beach to spawn. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

'Meet the Grunion' program Tuesday evening at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro will be holding its "Meet the Grunion" program Tuesday evening.

The aquarium exhibit hall will open at 8 p.m., with a film on grunion to be screened at 9 p.m. The cost to attend is $5 for adults and $1 for seniors, children and students.

Afterward, those who wish to participate will head to the beach to await the spawning run, which has a projected two-hour window of 11:05 p.m. to 1:05 a.m.

Grunion runs are a sight to behold. For four consecutive nights, beginning on full and new moon phases during spring and summer, the small silvery fish leave the water to spawn on beaches. The shoreline may glisten with fish as the silversides attempt to lay and fertilize their eggs.

Grunion may only be caught in the months of March, June and July, and only by hand. Catchers 16 and older must possess a valid state fishing license.

There is no limit to the number of fish that may be caught, but the state Department of Fish and Game asks that people only catch what they will eat.

The final program this season will be held on July 27.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro. Directions and parking information are available on the aquarium's website.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: A grunion burrows into the sand to lay her eggs. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

Fish and Game Q&A: How can catch-and-release fishing be legal in no-take waters?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its efforts to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: To allow catch-and-release fishing in no-take waters is an interesting concept because it allows fishing after the limit is achieved. Under this philosophy an angler fishing a catch-and-release-only water (zero limit) would never be able to catch a fish since they would be in momentary possession of an over-limit. Bass tournament fishermen routinely will have a limit in the live well and cull to larger fish (legal or not). Most wardens I’ve talked to don’t like the idea of culling. They say you should stay one short of a limit, but they can’t justify that concept when compared with the zero-limit waters. It would be interesting to have a judge’s perspective. Your thoughts? (Greg P.)

Answer: In waters where the bag limit for trout or salmon is zero, fish for which the bag limit is zero must be released unharmed, and should not be removed from the water.

Given this, if a fish is accidentally killed or dies in the process of catch-and-release fishing in these zero-limit waters, a violation occurs. The fish must be released alive or in a condition where it will live or else it becomes a "take" and the angler can be cited (see Page 27 in the 2010 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet).

'Meet the Grunion' program Monday evening at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro will be holding its "Meet the Grunion" program Monday evening.

The aquarium exhibit hall will open at 8 p.m., with a film on grunion to be screened at 9 p.m. The cost to attend is $5 for adults and $1 for seniors, children and students.

Afterward, those who wish to participate will head to the beach to await the spawning run, which has a projected two-hour window of 10:50 p.m. to 12:50 a.m.

Grunion runs are a sight to behold. For four consecutive nights, beginning on full and new moon phases during spring and summer, the small silvery fish leave the water to spawn on beaches. The shoreline may glisten with fish as the silversides attempt to lay and fertilize their eggs.

Grunion may only be caught in the months of March, June and July, and only by hand. Catchers 16 and older must possess a valid state fishing license.

There is no limit to the number of fish that may be caught, but the state Department of Fish and Game asks that people only catch what they will eat.

The program will be offered again on July 13 and 27.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro. Directions and parking information is available on the aquarium's website.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Grunion scramble to get onto the beach to spawn. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

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