what changes is the game commission planning for 2020-2021 season

At its February meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission acted on a number of issues affecting California's natural resources. The following are just a few items of interest from yesterday's coming together.

The Commission elected Peter Silva to succeed Eric Sklar as Commission President, a position Sklar has held for five years. The Commission too re-elected Samantha Murray as Commission Vice President.

"It has been one of the great honors of my public career to serve as president of the California Fish and Game Commission these concluding five years," said Commissioner Sklar. "I am extremely proud of all the work nosotros take washed as a team and I look forward to the exceptional and progressive things we will achieve nether President Silva and Vice President Murray."

Under President Sklar's leadership, the Commission worked with the California Department of Fish and Wild animals (CDFW) on numerous significant achievements, including:

Collaborated with the agronomical community to protect tricolored blackbird under the California Endangered Species Deed (CESA) while also supporting agricultural activities.
Simplified the state'southward inland trout fishing regulations to make it easier for anglers to understand and to increase angling opportunities.
Helped ensure sustainable, long-term direction of Pacific herring and spiny lobster by adopting fishery management plans for both species.
Created an opportunity for recreational fishermen to contribute to potential kelp recovery in California'due south north and cardinal coast body of water waters by participating in and evaluating urchin control activities.
Streamlined fisheries resource management through automated conformance to federal salmon and Pacific halibut regulations, too every bit moving commercial fishing landing receipts from newspaper submissions to let near-real-fourth dimension online reporting of fishing information.

About his new position, President Silva said, "I appreciate the trust my fellow commissioners take placed in me to lead the Commission at this fourth dimension of predictable change. Over the coming yr we have several of import tasks alee of us, about significantly advancing a justice, equity, diversity and inclusion program that volition contribute to creating a more merely and inclusive social club."

Tardily last year, the Commission began developing a justice, disinterestedness, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) programme in collaboration with CDFW, to enhance the important work of both organizations in conserving and sustaining California's fish and wild animals for their ecological values and for their utilise and enjoyment by the public.

"It is a pleasure to go on in my part as vice president of the Committee, where nosotros have critical responsibilities related to conserving the state's natural resources and preserving our wildlife heritage," said Commission Vice President Murray. "I wait frontwards to too advancing meaningful efforts to confront the history and impacts of structural discrimination and to take action to ensure equitable practices."

"The Commission has made great strides under President Sklar," said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. "He has brought professionalism, intelligence and integrity to the dais, and I thank him for his passion for this piece of work and for his friendship. I also expect forward to the leadership of Commissioners Silva and Murray. If their efforts to elevate the JEDI plan are an indicator, the force that Eric has brought to this Committee is sure to continue and the future is bright."

The Committee assigned chairs for its three committees: Vice President Murray for the Marine Resource Committee, Commissioner Jacque Hostler-Carmesin for the Tribal Committee and Commissioner Sklar for the Wild fauna Resources Committee.

The Commission unanimously voted to approve changes to mammal hunting regulations including changes to quotas and seasons for deer and antelope, and allow CDFW to provide refunds and reinstate preference points for specified elk, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope hunts for hunters who endured a significant loss of opportunity due to forest closures and/or fire in specified chase zones in 2022.

CDFW provided an overview of its 5-year status review study of Milo Baker'due south lupine and recommended that the Commission change its status under CESA from threatened to endangered. The Commission voted unanimously that list the Milo Baker'southward lupine equally endangered may be warranted. This commences a 1-yr status review of the species and the Committee will make a concluding decision at a future coming together. During the status review, Milo Baker's lupine is protected under CESA as a candidate species.

The Commission unanimously voted to adopt an emergency regulation to prohibit the use of hydraulic pump gear for recreational accept of clams, sand crab and shrimp. The emergency regulation is in response to dramatic increases in recreational clamming effort and harvest rates using hydraulic hand pumps, necessitating immediate boosted protections while a standard regulation is under development.

The full commission – President Peter Silva, Vice President Samantha Murray, and Commissioners Jacque Hostler-Carmesin and Eric Sklar – was present. There is one vacancy on the Commission.

The agenda for this meeting along with supporting information is available at fgc.ca.gov. An archived audio file will exist bachelor in coming days. The adjacent meeting of the total Commission is scheduled for April xiv-15, 2022.

As a reminder, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Commission meetings through June 2022 will exist held via webinar and teleconference.

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Media Contact:
Jordan Traverso, CDFW Communications, (916) 654-9937