24 | May 28 - June 10, 2021 | THE LOG
THELOG.COM
fishrap.com
OCEANSIDE—On a half-day trip out of Oceanside an angler was taken by surprise when he brought in a lingcod that was caught in the middle of lunch. The 13-pound fish had a rockfish half way down when Adam Mealey brought up the fish in front of 17 other anglers. “Adam Mealey from Vista Ca. came out fishing for the first time on the (New) Southern Cal 1/2 day trip out of Oceanside Sea Center in Oceanside,” said Jolene Thompson in a May 6 email to the Log.. “We were south of Box Canyon when we brought in this 13-pound LingCod that ate a Barber Pole Rockfish from a piece of baited squid! Deckhand Jakob Wolfe gaffed it and everyone was in awe!! It was an exciting catch that 17 anglers witnessed!”
Photo provided by Oceanside Sea Center in Oceanside
Fishing
TOP CORNER Caught in the Act
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FISHING NEWS FISHING NEWS UPDATES
tight lines By Lindsey Glasgow
The bill would require, among other things, that the impacts on fish populations and the marine ecosystem be considered before allowing harvest on any currently unmanaged forage species, something already being done on the West Coast. By: LINDSEY GLASGOW
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On April 29, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) introduced the Forage Fish Conservation Act, a bill aimed at improving federal conservation and management measures for forage fish, fish or invertebrate species that contribute significantly to the diets of other fish, marine mammals, or birds. Blunt and Blumenthal said in a joint statement the legislation would lead to healthier wildlife communities and help communities that depend on commercial and recreational fishing.
A bill was also introduced in a previous legislative session, but did not pass. “For years, the recreational fishing community has advocated for better conservation of our nation’s forage fish populations because a healthy forage base fuels healthy sportfish populations,” said Mike Leonard, vice president of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association, in a released statement. The American Sportfishing Association is one of several fishing and boating organizations that have thrown their support behind the bill, others include the Center for Sportfishing Policy, Coastal Conservation Association, National Manufacturers Association, and BoatUS. “A significant number of the 12 million registered boats in the United States are used for recreational fishing,” said Chris Edmonston, vice president of government affairs for BoatU.S. in a released statement. “For many families, their fishing boat is their single biggest investment in outdoor recreation. Protecting the resource that keeps this family-friendly pastime viable is good policy.” The Forage Fish Conservation Act would amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the primary law governing fishing in the United States, to require the Secretary of Commerce to develop
Shutterstock photo
Senators Introduce Bill to Protect Forage Fish
The Forage Fish Conservation Act would require the Secretary of Commerce to develop a definition of forage fish, as well as improve the conservation, monitoring, and management of these fish species, which include sardines, anchovies, smelts, squid, and krill. a definition of forage fish, as well as improve the conservation, monitoring, and management of these fish species, which include sardine, anchovy, smelts, squid, and krill. It would require that the impacts on fish populations and the marine ecosystem be considered before allowing harvest on any currently unmanaged forage species, something already being done on the West Coast, and that predator needs be accounted for in existing management plans for forage fish. When the MSA was enacted in 1976 it established eight regional fishery coun-
cils to recommend fishery management measures in individual regions. The Pacific Fishery Management Council recommends fishery management measures in the Federal waters off Washington, Oregon, and California. While the MSA does not currently require regional councils include forage fish in their management plans, the PFMC said it has a long history of managing and protecting forage fish species. “We have a lot of measures in place,” Please see FORAGE, PAGE 25
