Freezing Fish Onboard My Second Home?

Question: I do a lot of offshore fishing between Catalina and the Mexico border. After fishing and catching we spend a couple of days in Avalon or San Diego. Since my boat is my second home, is it legal to then filet my fish and freeze it on board my boat? Also, does the same rule apply to yellow fin tuna as to bluefin tuna? (Mike K.)

Answer: It doesn’t matter that your boat is your second home. The law says, “No more than one daily bag limit of each kind of fish … may be taken or possessed by any one person unless otherwise authorized” (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 1.17).

For all of the rules on filleting fish on a vessel and a list of which fish may and may not be filleted aboard a vessel, please view section 27.65 on pages 34-35 in the 2016-2017 Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.

Regarding your questions on filleting and freezing yellow fin and bluefin tunas, CCR Title 14, section 27.65(b)(11) states, “For all species of tuna filleted on any boat or brought ashore as fillets south of a line running due west true from Point Conception, Santa Barbara County (34o27’ N. lat.) each fish must be individually bagged as follows:

A. The bag must be marked with the species’ common name.

B. The fish must be cut into six pieces with all skin attached. These pieces are the four loins, the collar removed as one piece with both pectoral fins attached and intact, and the belly fillet cut to include the vent and with both pelvic fins attached and intact.”

Tunas may be kept whole or in a manner that retains these identifying characteristics.

Pet shop fish for bait?

Question: Is it legal to use rosy red minnows from the pet shop for fishing? I have heard of bait shops selling them mainly out of California. I have also heard they are a mutation and don’t breed so they shouldn’t pose a problem. (Kev H.)

Answer: It is not legal to use aquarium or pet store fish for bait purposes, and they may not be planted in any waters of the state (CCR Title 14, section 227). However, rosy red minnows (a color variant of the fathead minnow) sold by a business with a live freshwater bait fish license issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are legal to use in some parts of the state. Baitfish regulations vary by district. To see if you can use fathead minnows in the place you intend to fish, you should review sections 4.10 to 4.30 on page 17 of the 2016-2017 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.

Hammerless muzzleloader

Question: I am interested in getting into muzzleloading and recently I came across a hammerless muzzleloader that is being offered by Vortex. My question is whether a hammerless muzzleloader is legal to use for hunting in California? (Chris A.)

Answer: Legal muzzleloaders are defined in CCR Title 14, section 353(c) and are described as “wheellock, matchlock, flintlock or percussion type, including in-line” muzzleloading rifles using black powder or equivalent black powder substitute, including pellets, with a single projectile loaded from the muzzle and at least .40 caliber in designation. With a muzzleloader tag, only open or peep sights are legal 353(h). Whether the muzzleloader has a hammer is irrelevant as long as it falls within the definition above. The Vortex rifle is an “in-line” muzzleloading rifle.

Finding info on ocean bottom characteristics and habitats?

Question: Please provide me with a list of central and Southern California beaches that have the sandiest ocean bottoms and the least amount of rock formations. Additionally, if you are able, can you also include a list that has both the sandiest ocean bottoms and least amount of sea kelp? (Kevin R., California Sport Fisherman)

Answer: Yes. There are two resources available that you may want to check for this information.

CDFW Fishing Guide. The guide is available in mobile and desktop versions. Both have the same data included. You will find common areas for shore fishing with descriptions of target species and some habitats.

CDFW MarineBIOS application. This site includes habitat maps that will be helpful in exploring the sites with the most sand and the least amount of kelp. Start by zooming into your area of interest. Then, in the “layers” section under the “Habitats” group, you will find map layers for shore types, predicted substrate and kelp canopy. Turn on those layers by checking the box next to the descriptions. You can view a legend for each layer by expanding the description using the plus or arrow symbol. Detailed directions for interacting with the map can be found in the “help” section at the top right of the page.

Google Earth. This amazing resource also offers bathymetry seafloor mapping data of nearshore bottom substrate for most areas.

Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer in this column. Contact her at CalOutdoors@wildlife.ca.gov.