APRIL 9, 2020: The California Fish & Game Commission this morning postponed its emergency meeting scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. as it became evident that the remote audio conferencing platform had become overwhelmed by the number of people trying to log in, consequently locking out many members of the angling public and others from being able to listen and comment.
Commission President Eric Sklar and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham made the following joint statement:
“We are very appreciative of the passion we heard from those that were able to join this morning’s call. It is clear that the call volume was overwhelming and the technology wasn’t ready. We acknowledge that this is a challenge as we attempt to navigate new technology for meetings. We are frustrated by what happened today and are looking for a remedy now. We understand that many members of the public and media were unable to join the call and because we also understand the importance to many of you, we need to ensure that you have an opportunity to provide input.”
Commission President Sklar and CDFW Director Bonham also added, “We also want to make it crystal clear that today’s proposed decision was not about banning fishing statewide or locally. We are not contemplating statewide closure. The decision is to help prepare us to work with counties and tribes to make those decisions based on their requests. We are working on a tailored and surgical approach based on local needs and knowledge. We have already received some of these requests. Today’s proposed action was an effort to become more nimble and ready to react when asked by a local entity to act.”
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife had asked the Commission to consider vesting CDFW Director Bonham with the power to enact emergency regulations to close recreational fishing in certain areas after receiving inquiries from multiple counties on adopting immediate closures for their greater areas. The new meeting time and date will be posted on the Fish & Game Commission website at fgc.ca.gov.
The overwhelming response by anglers all across the state of California illustrates the passion and desire for involvement and influence in the decision-making processes affecting sportfishing rights and access to the water. One of the best ways to amplify your voice and sway regulatory decisions in
favor of anglers is to support the Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA CAL), and join the effort in protecting the right to fish in California.
CCA CAL is a fishing advocacy group that represents all saltwater anglers in California, and is continuing to work hard during these difficult times as our state fights the current pandemic of COVID-19. Joining CCA, along with participating within our 6 local chapters in California is extremely important to make sure that your voice gets heard in our advocacy efforts.
More information regarding the emergency meeting, along with all of the other ongoing issues in California can be found at www.ccacalifornia.org. To join CCA CAL, please visit www.joincca.org.
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The Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA CAL) was created in 2015 when recreational anglers and outdoor enthusiasts came together to work for the conservation and enhancement of our marine resources and coastal environments.
Today, we are working to protect not only the health, habitat and sustainability of our marine resources, but also the interests of recreational saltwater anglers. Our goal is to protect your access to the marine resources you cherish and enjoy everyday. CCA CAL consists of 2,300 members spread across 6 local chapters in Southern California.
