Costly State Regulations Threaten California Recreational Fishing and Jobs
Many
Californians are not aware of a very serious and looming threat to
recreational fishing. Fish farmers who stock California lakes and
grocery stores are threatened by a legal case quietly moving through the
courts as well as the costly regulations being drafted by the
California Department of Fish and Game.
As a result of a lawsuit
several years ago against the State of California’s fish hatcheries,
Department staff working in concert with environmental groups, drafted
an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) including private aquaculture in
its regulations, even though the lawsuit and ruling only applied to state facilities – and not privately held fish hatcheries and stocking ponds.
Given
that California grows some of the healthiest and safest fish in the
world under existing regulations, one can only assume that the State’s
actions were not motivated by a public need, but merely by a political
agenda, one that anglers know has led to significant limitations on
ocean fishing off the coast of California.