California sturgeon fishing will never be the same.

Based on flawed population estimates, California has passed "emergency"
regulations reducing the sturgeon slot limit to 10 inches: 46" to 56":

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The Associated Press
Published 4:15 pm PST Thursday, March 2, 2006

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) - California wildlife regulators on Thursday
approved emergency restrictions on sturgeon fishing in an effort to
bolster depleted populations of the giant fish.

The state Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to reduce the
maximum size of white sturgeon that can be caught or possessed from 72
inches to 56 inches. The commissioners, meeting in Riverside, also
voted to bar fishermen from taking less frequently fished green
sturgeon.

The new regulations are aimed at increasing the number of mature female
sturgeon in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River system and expand the
state's sturgeon populations, according to the state Department of Fish
and Game.

The emergency regulations, which would be in place for 120 days, were
expected to take effect within the next two weeks pending approval by
the state Office of Administrative Law, said DFG spokesman Steve
Martarano.

After peaking at about 144,000 in 1998, the number of legal-sized white
sturgeon has fallen to a 50-year low of about 10,000, according to the
latest estimates. State biologists attribute the decline to poor
spawning success, migratory obstacles, poaching and overfishing.
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Likely to follow the 120 day "emergency" regs, a continued reduced slot
will remain along with bag limits and "sturgeon tags". This will likely
include additional "fees".

Meanwhile, nothing was done about the real problems of poaching and
reduced water flow. Those items were not even addressed. But by God,
the DFG *did something*!! They know that the lawful fishermen is easily
bullied as they refuse to enforce current regs on poachers. Just last
year DFG stated flatly that the lawful fisherman was not at all the
problem; poaching is the problem:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/InNews...arket2004.html . Also, they
would not consider the fact that their count is flawed in spite of the
fact that fishermen are generally experiencing an "as usual" season.

Next in the sights of environmental do-gooders: Salmon fishing!

And no, my grandkids will likely never get to fish for such grand
species. The do-gooders agenda is much the same as PETA: The best
regulation is NO FISHING. And, unfortunately, regulation by regulation,
closure upon closure, they are winning.

Dale
www.fishwisher.com