Black Sea Bass Season

[Donfish]

Black Sea Bass once the Leviathan for the Southern West Coast anglers to pursue tackle and bring home for families to feast on has been Protected from sports fishing here in Calif for over 30 years now can no longer be over looked as a sustainable healthy population any longer. They are very prolific along our coast islands and offshore banks once again along with many other species that were long over looked for proper fishery management by our DFG of the past who flat shut them down. As a New sustainable fisheries era begins and species are being highlighted  for consumption I believe that a seasonal tag in a slot size should be implemented for the 2016 fishing year after carefully compiling the FACTS for breeding season and size to maintain a healthy population both for the species and for the balance of the surrounding population that may start to decline as the Black Sea Bass population continues to grow. Thoughts comments and other views are welcome.

 Don

[Pinoyfisher]

One fish per year.

[Latimeria]

I agree Don and Mike. 
Back east we were allowed two trophy tags a year for Striper.  The limit was 2 fish at 28" during this time and it allowed a third fish only twice a year that was also greater than 36".  I would love to see something similar happen with BSB... a little different of course.

You have to register for a 2 tag annual possession limit with the DFG.  When you keep a bass, you fill the tag out with weight, measurements, location, depth, scale and fin clipping for scientific analysis.  You are allowed two fish a year (or one... just something I'm throwing up in the air as an idea)

There needs to be a closed season during breeding and a slot limit to protect the big breeders.  That way there is hard data for research and would support support a sustainable fishery.  Only people applying for the tags would be able to get them not unlike deer tags in hunting.

Just something fun to think about, but it would put a new spark back into some inshore big game fishing again... instead of me just saying "AGHHH, Why couldn't you have been a yellow!  Stupid Black Sea Bass!". 

[Dave Legacy]

A seasonal, slot limit, tag would be a great idea. The tag could be priced high and the money could go back into the fishery specifically to Black Sea Bass. This sort of thinking is applied to hunting all the time.