There are several new regulatory and legislative changes that affect sport fishing license requirements for 2008.

The second-rod stamp returns, but is no longer valid in those waters in which only artificial lures or barbless hooks may be used.

New report card and tagging requirements apply for those fishing the following species, in the following areas:

• Salmon, in the Klamath-Trinity River System only.

• Steelhead trout, in all anadromous waters where take is authorized.

• Sturgeon, in all areas where take is authorized. Tagging of retained white sturgeon is also required.

• Red abalone, in all areas where take is authorized. Tagging of retained abalone is also required.

• California spiny lobster, in all areas where take is authorized.

Report cards are required to be in the possession of any person fishing for the five species listed above. This also applies to fishermen who are exempt from license requirements, such as those under 16 years of age, those fishing from a public pier, or those fishing on free fishing days.

Report cards are also required for lifetime licensees.

Each abalone report card now includes 24 detachable tags, one of which must be affixed to any abalone taken in the sport fishery. The date, time, and location of each abalone taken must be recorded on both the tag and the card.

Every abalone must be tagged immediately after exiting the water, and each tag must be securely fastened to the shell of the abalone by passing a “zip tie,” string, line or other suitable material through a siphon hole in the shell.

While abalone taken and tagged by a cardholder may still be given to another person, the rules require that all abalone possessed must be tagged.

This means that even if the person checked with an abalone in possession is not the person who actually caught the abalone, the tag must link to the record on the cardholder’s card that harvested the abalone.

This regulation will help to ensure that all abalone are taken within daily bag and possession limits.

People fishing for spiny lobster will need to have a lobster report card in possession. The purpose of the new reporting requirement helps to monitor recreational catch, effort and the gear used in the recreational lobster fishery.

Anglers fishing for salmon in ocean waters will no longer need a Salmon Report Card. Beginning in early 2008, a Klamath-Trinity Salmon Report Card will be required only for anglers fishing in the Klamath-Trinity watershed.

The format of the card has been changed to collect Chinook salmon retention and release information, coho salmon release information, fishing effort information, and fin clip information.

Update on

Napa River Steelhead Group

Earlier this month, a group of concerned local citizens met at Downtown Joe’s to discuss resurrecting the Napa River Steelhead organization.

In its previous incarnations, the group had raised young steelhead of the Feather River strain and planted them into several main tributaries of the Napa River. This effort ceased about 10 years ago, when the Department of Fish & Game determined it could be detrimental to the native Napa River strain for it to compete with an introduced sub-species.

The new effort will focus on restoring the original Napa River strain of steelhead. This may involve significantly upgrading the existing hatchery facility to accommodate the incubation of eggs taken directly from native steelhead during their spawning runs. The hatchery currently is equipped only with a rearing pond, designed for raising fish from fingerlings up to a plantable size (12 to 16 inches).

Many ideas were discussed on how to help restore our steelhead populations. One thing was clear — the group will need plenty of volunteer help to get these ideas off the ground, and to maintain the efforts on an ongoing basis. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Steve Orndorff at 226-8717 or orndorfnapa@webtv.net.

Guy Carl is a CPA and partner with Brotemarkle, Davis & Co. Accountants and Advisors in St. Helena. Contact Guy at GC.outdoors@sbcglobal.net.