Ghost Fever...

[PAL]

I wish our representatives who are arguing for us would bring up a catch and release proposal. I would release every fish that I caught in the future if I could still fish La Jolla instead of having it shut down. As long as you handle the fish like you described in your post I am sure that they survive. Another option would be slot limits like they have on the east coast... Don't shut us down, there are other options.

I'll give you the short answer. If you'd like more info afterward, I'll start a thread that lays out the major rules the MLPA's science team imposes.

Personally, I'm in favor of C&R - these days I'm a bass guy, virutally every one of them swims away healthy. And there is a proposal with limited C&R in it, the package submitted by UASC. Great! We'll all get to see how the science team and DFG rule makers score it.

I don't expect it to do well. The SAT will likely determine that anything with C&R provides low ecosystem protection. The DFG will say C&R is an enforcement nightmare.

Now don't throw darts at me - these aren't my rules. Here's something to keep in mind. The MLPA stands apart from traditional fisheries management, where slot limits and other regulations come into play. This thing is a habitat protection program.

As an aside, yellowtail and WSB are not considered likely to benefit greatly from MLPA closures. Why? Neither can be contained within a 9, 15, or even 18 sq mile reserve. That means there is a chance you'll see some MPAs that don't allow bottom fishing, but for YT and WSB, it'll be game on as normal.