Fishing News
Agency bans rockfishing off much of state beginning July 1
By Anne Krueger, [email protected]
During the prime fishing season, Jack Rader can steer his 85-foot boat to find the barracuda and sea bass that the anglers onboard hope to catch.
But in the slow months from November to April, Rader and other fishing boat captains rely on the unglamorous rockfish, which live near the ocean's floor, to ensure their passengers bring home a catch after a day at sea.
"That's how we stay alive in the winter," Rader said yesterday as he guided his boat, the New Seaforth, toward a spot off Point Loma. "When the rockfish get shut off, we pretty much lose all our regulars."
The fishermen now fear more than losing their regulars: They fear losing their livelihood.
Sportfishing officials say the industry was dealt a devastating blow last week when the Pacific Fishery Management Council, a federal organization that manages fisheries off the West Coast, banned rockfishing off much of the California coast beginning July 1.
Click Here for Full Story
|
