Wilson on Outdoors: Which fish species can be filleted at sea?

Q: I need to get the straight answer regarding filleting game fish while on a boat. In ocean/bay waters, do I need to keep stripers and leopard sharks intact until I get home or can I keep the fillets in one piece with a one-inch or more square of skin left on each fillet? Also, are the rules different for inland waters regarding the filleting of fish? Howard A.

A: You can find an outline of which species may and may not be filleted at sea under section 27.65(b) and (c) on pages 33-34 in the Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet. Striped bass and leopard sharks are not on this list and may not be filleted at sea.

• Section 27.65(c): Fish That May Not be Filleted, Steaked or Chunked: No person shall fillet, steak or cut into chunks on any boat or bring ashore as fillets, steaks or chunks the following: any species with a size limit unless a fillet size is otherwise specified in these regulations. California halibut may be filleted or brought ashore as fillets south of Point Arena (Mendocino County).

Since the regulations specify minimum lengths for stripers (18 inches total) and leopard sharks (36 inches total) but no fillet lengths, neither species can be filleted while on a boat or brought ashore as fillets, steaks or chunks.

There are no provisions allowing for filleting fish in inland waters or for possessing fillets on a boat in inland waters. To do so would be a violation of Fish and Game Code, sections 5508 and 5509.

Q: I was wondering if you could still hunt with lead .22-caliber rimfire in a lead-free zone. I’ve been looking for lead-free .22-caliber rimfire rounds, and its slim pickings out there. Cory S.

A: Although the availability of non-lead ammunition may be improving with time, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recognizes it can still be hard to find some calibers. It will take additional planning to participate in hunts where non-lead ammunition is required. We encourage hunters who intend to participate in these hunts to plan well ahead to be sure they have legal ammunition. There are a number of lead-free .22 rimfire rounds that are manufactured, and stores in the California condor range may be most likely to have them in stock. We recommend searching on the Internet and calling ahead to local retailers. Remember that .22 rimfire is only legal to use when hunting small game and non-game animals. Current law does not require use of non-lead ammunition when taking rabbits or tree squirrels, unless you are hunting on CDFW lands, but non-lead ammunition will be required statewide for all hunting beginning July 1, 2019.

Q: I read a journal article recently about California’s Marine Protected Areas but can’t locate a website showing exactly where the MPAs are. Do you have anything posted online where I can go or something you can send me? Jamie

A: Printed MPA guidebooks are available via some of the same vendors that sell fishing licenses so you can easily obtain them (see http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/mpa/guidelocations.asp). If you have problems finding a guidebook, please contact your local CDFW office and ask to have one sent to you.

If you like the utility of Google Maps, you might appreciate MarineBIOS (see https://map.dfg.ca.gov/marine/), a map you can use to zoom in on marine-protected areas to get a fix on the boundaries. MarineBIOS lets you choose your “basemap.” You can use satellite imagery, a street map or other basemaps, whatever makes the most sense for your situation. (Click on the green basemaps button in the upper left-hand corner of the screen to access these options.)

If you have a smartphone or other mobile device with GPS capability, you can use the map on MPAmobile (www.dfg.ca.gov/m/MPA/) to show you where you are in relation to any MPAs, and you can look up information on individual MPAs.

This information and more is available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/mpa/. On this web page, in the Popular Resources box to the right, the top four big blue buttons lead you to these resources, so these should help you learn where California’s marine protected areas are.

A new Marine Management News blog post also describes resources you can use to learn about MPAs (see https://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/mpa-maps/). If all else fails, you can email your MPA questions to AskMPA@wildlife.ca.gov, and we will be glad to assist you.

This story was originally published August 11, 2015 at 7:06 PM with the headline "Wilson on Outdoors: Which fish species can be filleted at sea?."