Are you being watched? Read this...

[bolocop]

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...d-ocean-areas/

[stevie951]

Originally Posted by bolocop

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...d-ocean-areas/

And the comment section is even worse! People are so un uneducated as to the Global Depletion of Fish stocks, then to go and Classify every Angler into the Category of, "those who help destroy marine life for sport."

These people should go to Asia, or go start a Whale Watchers show on Discovery Channel up again, shaking my head :/ Haha

[Silbaugh4liberty]

That's the Nanny state for you. This is the part the kills me.....

Of roughly 3,500 all citations issued annually, only a couple hundred are for violators of the protected areas. Fines for violating the rules of an MPA range from around $100 to $1,000 and can be treated like a traffic ticket or, in more serious cases, a misdemeanor charge.

Too bad they don't read the California Constitution once in a while.......


Section 25.
The people shall have the right to fish upon and from the public lands of the State and in the waters thereof, excepting upon lands set aside for fish hatcheries, and no land owned by the State shall ever be sold or transferred without reserving in the people the absolute right to fish thereupon; and no law shall ever be passed making it a crime for the people to enter upon the public lands within this State for the purpose of fishing in any water containing fish that have been planted therein by the State; provided, that the legislature may by statute, provide for the season when and the conditions under which the different species of fish may be taken.

DFG rules are all Statutory in nature, which is how they get away with this crap.

[Silbaugh4liberty]

This is actually punishable for up to $250,000 for violation of Constitutional rights. I say if anyone gets a ticket, I'd take that shit to the house full force with a lawsuit.

Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law
This statute makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to willfully deprive or cause to be deprived from any person those rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution and laws of the U.S.

This law further prohibits a person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation or custom to willfully subject or cause to be subjected any person to different punishments, pains, or penalties, than those prescribed for punishment of citizens on account of such person being an alien or by reason of his/her color or race.


If you don't know your rights, then you don't have any.

[baerclaws]

If those folks have gas, time, etc. to cruise around "advising" people of the laws, I think their efforts would be better spent if they replaced those old reserve boundary markers that neither the DF&W nor the city want to be responsible for. Then we wouldn't have to tell fishermen unfamiliar with the area where they can legally fish.

[FARRIER]

There are many out there that could care less about mpas and bunk state/federal laws that deny people access to nature.

[alanw]

Originally Posted by Silbaugh4liberty

Too bad they don't read the California Constitution once in a while.......


Section 25.
... any water containing fish that have been planted therein by the State;

I don't think the MPAs are "planted"

[Silbaugh4liberty]

Originally Posted by alanw

I don't think the MPAs are "planted"

Guess I should've made this part red instead:

"right to fish upon and from the public lands of the State and in the waters thereof"

You can't license a right and charge a fee for it, or make it a crime. Fishing on public lands is a right protected by the state constitution. There isn't any exceptions in there for MPA's. It only allows for the state to regulate the season and method of take via statute (which is what DFG regs are).

[chris138]

Just start chucking jigs and beer bottles at them.