The California Fish and Game Commission recently adopted new regulations that changed the duration of the spiny lobster report card to match the lobster season and enacted a non-return fee for report cards that are not returned by the deadline. The new seasonal cards will be available beginning August 15 and will be valid from September 28, 2013 through March 19, 2014. The deadline for the return of 2013-2014 spiny lobster report cards is April 30, 2014.
Scuba divers and all other lobster hunters must renew their annual sport fishing license on or before January 1, 2014 to remain properly licensed for lobster fishing. Fishing licenses are not required for individuals under 16 years of age or fishing from a public pier in ocean waters.
Photo by Magnus Kjærgaard in La Jolla, California (Creative commons)
NON-RETURN FEE
Report cardholders who fail to return their 2013- 2014 spiny lobster report card by the April 30, 2014 deadline will be assessed a $20.00 non-return fee when they purchase a 2014/2015 spiny lobster report card.
2013 SPINY LOBSTER REPORT CARDS
Lobster report cards that were purchased on or before April 2, 2013 are valid through December 31, 2013, and must be returned to the Department at the address specified on the card or reported online by January 31, 2014. If you wish to fish lobster from January 1, 2014 through March 19, 2014, purchase a 2013-2014 spiny lobster report card which must be returned by April 30, 2014.
REPORT YOUR HARVEST ONLINE
Fishermen are encouraged to return their report cards through the Department’s online license service website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/ ols/. Online reporting is available beginning at the end of lobster season, and only until the reporting deadline. If you report online, you are not required to mail your report card to the department. Report cards can also be returned by mail or in person at the address specified on the report card, and must be postmarked by the deadline date to be considered returned. Report cards sent by mail and not received by the Department will be assumed not returned, and the report cardholder will be required to report their report card as lost.
REPLACING A LOST REPORT CARD
Any cardholder who loses his or her lobster report card must provide a written affidavit to the Department that contains the following information:
• A statement confirming that the originally issued report card cannot be recovered
• A statement of the cardholder’s best recollection of the prior catch records that were entered on the report card that was lost.
• A statement describing the factual circumstances surrounding the loss of the report card.
• Lost report cards must be reported prior to the return deadline to avoid the non- return fee when purchasing a lobster report card in the subsequ