By Soren Nelson, Pacific Southwest States Coordinator On February 16, California Assembly Member Bill Quirk introduced Assembly Bill 2787, a bill that would outlaw the manufacturing, sale and purchase of lead fishing weights weighing less than 50 grams. AB 2787 has the potential to be among the strictest fishing tackle bans in the country, given…
In recent years, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has grappled with financial shortfalls as a result of declining hunting and fishing license sales and an extensive backlog of deferred maintenance. Last year, a $19 million deficit was discovered in the Preservation Fund, which houses the Department’s Pittman Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funds (along…
On November 2, the California Hunting and Conservation Coalition held its quarterly meeting in Roseville, California. The Coalition represents a diverse group of hunting, conservation, and recreational shooting groups in that state aimed at advancing California’s outdoor sporting traditions. The meeting was co-hosted by the California Waterfowl Association and the National Wild Turkey Federation. “This…
On August 30, the California Outdoor Sporting Caucus hosted its annual trap & skeet shoot and barbecue at the Cordova Shooting Center in Rancho Cordova, California. A diverse group of legislators, staff, and sportsmen’s organizations were in attendance, and were joined by game wardens with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife who generously donated…
On June 22, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted the 4th annual Wine, Wings & Wildlife western regional event in Sonoma, California. This event brought together members of the sportsmen’s community from across the western region for a shooting competition at the Wing & Barrel Ranch followed by reception and dinner at the Barn at…
On April 24, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted comments in support of California Senate Bill 187. The bill, authored by California Outdoor Sporting Caucus Co-Chair Senator Tom Berryhill, would establish a 365-day fishing license in California. Annual fishing licenses in the state currently expire on January 1 each year, irrespective of the date of…
Several legislative proposals aimed at improving access for California’s recreational anglers are currently under consideration by the state’s legislature. California law currently stipulates that anglers are not required to purchase a fishing license until the age of 16. Assembly Bill 478, introduced by California Outdoor Sporting Caucus Member Assembly Member Marie Waldron, would increase that…
Bills recently introduced in California and Hawaii would legalize the use of firearm suppressors for hunting in both states. Senate Bill 710, introduced by California Outdoor Sporting Caucus Member Senator Joel Anderson, would remove the felony prohibition on possession of a suppressor, and authorize individuals to use suppressors while hunting in California. A companion bill…
In the final weeks of 2016, President Obama signed into law the “Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act” – a bill aimed at restoring and conserving aquatic habitat while rebuilding the nation’s strained water management infrastructure. The act contains a wide array of provisions supported by the sportsmen’s community, including funding for the…
On August 23, petitioners proposing to eradicate smallmouth, largemouth, and striped bass from the California Delta withdrew their petition from consideration by the California Fish and Game Commission. The groups behind the petition argued that with less water and habitat available to native fish, wildlife managers will have to find other ways to relieve and…
At their August 24-25 meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) will consider a proposal to drastically reduce the population of largemouth, smallmouth, and striped bass in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and its tributaries. The groups behind the petition have argued that as there is less water and habitat available to native fish, wildlife…
On July 14, sportsmen’s groups, industry leaders, and representatives of the California Legislative Outdoor Sporting Caucus (Caucus), including Co-Chair Senator John Moorlach, gathered in Dana Point, California, for a day of off-shore sportfishing. The event, which was hosted by the California Sportfishing League (CSL), was the Caucus’ inaugural fishing event. The most recent of several…