Australian Taj Burrow has won the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, beating Jordy Smith of South Africa in 2- to 3-foot waves. Burrow now tops the ASP World Tour rankings after the first event of the 2010 season.

Though Smith led throughout the first half of the 40-minute final, Burrow came back mid-heat in deteriorating conditions at Australia's Snapper Rocks.

"I didn’t feel like I surfed my best in the final," Burrow said. "I kind of just did what it took to win. I just waited for the best waves, did a couple nice turns -- nothing too wild. I’d rather have taken Jordy’s approach -- catch lots of waves and just let loose. That’s kind of my strategy normally, but it worked fine. Being a bit more patient and selective than usual definitely paid off. But I knew Jordy could unleash and get the big score any moment."

Burrow, who won the previous two events he entered (Pipeline in December and Burleigh Heads in February),  hopes to continue the momentum in his quest for the 2010 ASP World Title.

"I’m so so happy right now -- it’s the best feeling on Earth!" said Burrow. "It’s unreal. I have a good group of friends with me and my parents are here supporting me. To have everyone cheering me on in the final is really really special."

Smith, who defeated No. 6-ranked and nine-time ASP champion Kelly Slater in Round 4 and then No. 3 Bede Durbidge in the quarterfinals, still posted the best result of his career.

“It’s my first final so I’m pretty stoked," Smith said. "It’s unfortunate that the waves went kind of dead in our heat there, but we tried our best. It’s been a great event though, and I’m looking forward to the next one."

That next one will be the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, scheduled for March 30 to April 10.

Semifinal results:

Semifinal 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.67 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 13.00
Semifinal 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.30 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 8.96

Final results:

1 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.57
2 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.56

2010 ASP World Tour Standings Top 5, after Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast:

1 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 10000 pts
2 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 8000 pts
3 – Bobby Martinez (USA) 6500 pts
3 – Dane Reynolds (USA) 6500 pts
5 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 5250 pts
5 – Bede Durbidge (AUS) 5250 pts
5 – Adriano de Souza (BRA) 5250 pts
5 – Kai Otton (AUS) 5250 pts

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Taj Burrow defeated Bobby Martinez in the semifinals before taking down Jordy Smith to win the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in Australia. Credit: © Scholtz / ASP

To follow this blog on Twitter, please visit @latimesoutposts

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday afternoon or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I belong to a popular fishing forum on the Internet, and most of my fellow sport fishermen say that when they bait their crab traps/pots, they can use whatever bait they want. Many people are using the carcasses from regulated game fish, such as rockfish, after the fish have been filleted. During previous salmon seasons, they used salmon carcasses too. Isn’t there something in the regulations about this subject? If a person saves their fish carcasses in their freezer, for instance, and then goes out and uses those carcasses in their crab traps, isn’t that still considered "possession"? If I put out crab pots baited with rockfish carcasses, spend the day catching my limit of rockfish and then come back to pull my pots to head back in, I not only have my legal limit of fresh rockfish, but also a bunch of other rockfish carcasses. And what about having those carcasses when a fish isn’t even in season?

I seem to be alone in believing that we need to follow certain rules about using fish as crab bait, and now I am very anxious to clear this up once and for all, with your help. Thank you so much for your time and consideration in this matter. (Cat C., North Fork)

Surfers and other ocean-sport enthusiasts might find solace in the news that shark attacks in the United States declined in 2009, according to a University of Florida report released Monday.

"The big story is that the number of attacks in the United States dropped dramatically from 41 in 2008 to 28 in 2009," said George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File at the university. "Considering there were 50 attacks in 2007, we may have a bit of a trend, but only time will tell."

One possibility for the decline of attacks in U.S. coastal waters may be that fewer people visited the shore due to the recession.

"Florida's population hasn't gone down, so I suppose the economy could have had an effect on how many times people can afford to put gas in their cars and go to the beach," added Burgess.

Worldwide is a different story, however, with attacks edging up ever so slightly, from 60 in 2008 to 61 in 2009.

"More than half the attacks -- 33 out of 61 -- were surfers and this continues a trend that we've been seeing for quite awhile," said Burgess.

Outposts will attempt to post the most recent ski report for California, courtesy of SkiReport.com, each Thursday:

	BASE	LIFTS	SURFACE	24 HR	72 HR
Alpine Meadows	89-155"	8 of 13	PDR	6-9"	9"
Badger Pass	72-100"	4 of 5	PP	0"	7"
Bear Mountain	48-72"	8 of 12	HP	0"	0"
Bear Valley (1 day old)	102"	9 of 9	PP	0"	2"
Boreal	90-131"	8 of 8	PP	4"	4"
Dodge Ridge	80-88"	8 of 10	PDR	9"	9"
Donner Ski Ranch	90-148"	6 of 8	WETSN	8-12"	12"
Heavenly	53-82"	28 of 29	PP	0"	0"
Homewood	73-96"	5 of 7	PDR	2-4"	4"
June	72-120"	7 of 7	PP	0"	0"
Kirkwood	118-161"	12 of 12	PDR	12"	12"
Mammoth	124-163"	23 of 29	PDR	4"	7"

Hot action was on the menu and upsets seemed to be the special of the day at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, with the ASP World Tour completing both Round 4 and the quarterfinals on 3- to 5-foot waves at Australia's Snapper Rocks.

First on the chopping block was the reigning ASP World champion, Australia's Mick Fanning. Fanning didn't make it past Round 4, losing to compatriot Kai Otton. Otton was subsequently eliminated by Bobby Martinez in the quarterfinals.

Another Australian, Taj Burrow, currently ranked fourth, also advanced to the semifinals, where he will face Martinez.

"I’m feeling pretty good and getting a good momentum," Burrow said. "It’s a feeling like you’re getting on a roll, and I feel really good on my board. I just picked a new board, and it feels great; it really feels like it’s coming together for me."

Another upset took out No. 6-ranked and nine-time ASP champion Kelly Slater, who was dispatched by Jordy Smith of South Africa in Round 4.

Here's this week's Irvine Lake fishing report, written by veteran angler Steve Carson:

Both trout and bass anglers had a lot to be happy about at Irvine Lake this week, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The trout bite was really good all week, but slowed down a little on the weekend," Getty said. "The bass anglers have really been hitting them hard; lots of bass are being caught. Several skilled anglers reported releasing over 40 bass for a day’s effort. Most of the fish are pre-spawn males that are just starting to move up, but some larger females are also starting to show."

Bait dunkers did best with brightly colored Power Bait, with Chartreuse Garlic Gulp! and Red Salmon Egg Power Bait among the top choices this week. Trolling results slowed with decreased visibility, but some fish were scored on firetiger-color Rapala CD05’s.

Good numbers of fish were caught at the west shore, Trout Island and Woody’s Cove. Most trout weighed 1 to 4 pounds, with a few trophy-size fish to 12-4 seen. Some steelhead and browns are being caught, and several big steelhead that exceed the current lake record of 10-6 were stocked last week, but have remained elusive.

Legendary skateboarder Bob Biniak, one of the original Dogtown Z-Boys, has died at age 51, reports Times staff writer Valerie J. Nelson.

Here's an excerpt from the obituary:

Bob Biniak, whose daring and innovative skateboarding style as one of the original Dogtown Z-Boys helped revitalize the pursuit in the 1970s, has died. He was 51.

Biniak died at Baptist Beaches Medical Center in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., on Feb. 25, four days after having a heart attack, said his wife, Charlene.

To his fellow Z-Boys -- a ragtag group from Dogtown, a rough beachfront area wedged between Venice and Santa Monica -- Biniak was simply "the Bullet," a nickname that saluted his affinity for speed.

"Bob Biniak was a major legend," said Michael Brooke, publisher of Concrete Wave magazine. "He was absolutely one of the key Dogtowners . . . and really set the stage for aggressive skateboarding. He was fierce."

Kelly Slater put in a solid performance against San Clemente's Patrick Gudauskas, besting him on 3- to 4-foot waves in front of a capacity crowd at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast at Australia's Snapper Rocks.

Slater, nine-time ASP World Tour champion and currently ranked No. 6, negotiated the varying conditions to score 15.37 out of a possible 20 to advance to Round 4, where he will face South Africa's Jordy Smith.

“It’s a tough call sitting super deep because you can take off too deep or get one that doesn’t barrel and there are a lot of bumps,” Slater said. “My first one looked pretty nice, but I couldn’t come out and it went from a 10 to a 2, so it’s a challenge out there.”

Gudauskas was the last remaining ASP World Tour rookie to be eliminated during Round 3. Brett Simpson, from Huntington Beach, was defeated by ASP World defending champion Mick Fanning, 15.74 to 10.43 earlier in the day.

"Fishin' Trails: 25 Short Hikes for Eastern Sierra Wild Trout," by Jared Smith, is a book that makes me want to fish. It makes me long for that last Saturday in April to finally arrive and, with it, opening day of the Eastern Sierra general trout-fishing season.

Smith, who is general manager of Parchers Resort in Bishop Creek Canyon, refers to himself as a "bonafide fishaholic," and one can't help but be impressed with his knowledge of back-country lakes and their gilled denizens.

Smith discusses the species and sub-species of trout that call the Sierra Nevada range in California their home (and includes photos).

Informative, interesting and amusing, he offers advice and tips on basic back-country hiking, fishing gear, tackle, and techniques, and includes a chapter on outdoor ethics (he calls it the "Most Important Chapter") and what not to do so you aren't labeled "that guy" -- the one who litters, blasts music at top volume and generally annoys anyone fishing in the vicinity.

 

The remaining eight heats in Round 2 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast were completed Tuesday at Australia's Snapper Rocks, with pulsing 2- to 3-foot righthanders racing down the point.

One of the eight featured the return of Hawaii's Andy Irons, three-time ASP World Tour champion, who got his first tour heat win -- posting a 14.57 to defeat fellow Hawaiian Roy Powers -- since returning from a 2009 sabbatical from full-time competition.

"I'm stoked to be back. Everyone’s really nice and cool and really supportive," Irons said. "So yes [it’s great to be back], and with all the fans, you know it means the world to me. It just makes me really want to come back and do well, and not just come back just to be here."

Irons will take on current ASP World No. 8 Bobby Martinez, of Santa Barbara, in Round 3 when competition resumes.

Round 3 will also see rookie Patrick Gudauskas, from San Clemente, matched up against Kelly Slater, who is vying for his 10th ASP World Tour championship.

Gudauskas scored a total 13 out of a possible 20 to defeat Tahitian surfer Michel Bourez and advance.

Event organizers will reconvene at 6:30 a.m. Australian time to assess conditions for a possible 8 a.m. start.

Conditions allowing, here's the match-ups for Round 3 today:

Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 2: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 3: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Andy Irons (HAW)
Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)
Heat 7: Dean Morrison (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 10: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)
Heat 11: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 12: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 13: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Luke Munro (AUS)
Heat 14: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Mick Campbell (AUS)
Heat 15: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 16: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: San Clemente's Patrick Gudauskas posted a scintillating Round 2 heat win over Tahitian surfer Michel Bourez to advance to Round 3, where he will face Kelly Slater. Credit: © Cestari / ASP

FOR THE RECORD: A photo in an earlier version of this post misidentified Tanner Gudauskas as his brother Patrick.

To follow this blog on Twitter, please visit @latimesoutposts

Attention anglers: Outposts will attempt to post the daily Southern California saltwater fish count, courtesy of 976-TUNA, each evening. Hope you find it useful:

Daily Wrapup	Boats	Anglers	Fish	Audio
Point Loma	2	38	19 Yellowtail 2 Halibut 4 Sheephead 1 Whitefish 92 Rockfish 2 Sculpin
H&M Landing	1	20	20 Bocaccio 53 Rockfish 20 Sand Dab 22 Red Snapper
Seaforth	2	35	4 Sheephead 8 Whitefish 85 Rockfish 6 Sculpin 27 Red Snapper
Helgren's Oceanside	1	15	26 Rockfish 71 Sculpin 2 Red Snapper
Dana Wharf	3	50	4 Calico Bass 33 Sand Bass 4 Sheephead 12 Whitefish 7 Bocaccio 135 Rockfish 12 Bonito 4 Sculpin 39 Sand Dab 17 Red Snapper
Davey's Locker	1	10	4 Calico Bass 14 Sand Bass 1 Sheephead 2 Rockfish 2 Sculpin 1 Sargo

California Department of Fish and Game wardens have been dealing with a spate of lobster poaching cases in Orange County recently, all of which involved undersized crustaceans.

On Dec. 13, a father and son from Dana Point were caught with 22 lobsters, 21 of which were undersized.

On Jan. 29, a Bloomington resident was found in possession of 39 lobsters, 38 of which were undersized.

On Feb. 2, David Frederick of Norwalk was sentenced to 33 days in jail for selling 22 undersized lobsters for $85. Witnesses at the scene told wardens that Frederick had sold lobsters at the same location in the past.

The legal limit is seven lobsters per person, with a minimum size limit of 3 1/4-inch carapace length. Anything smaller than this is undersized, or "short."

These regulations are in place in an effort to allow lobster the chance to reproduce at least once before they grow large enough to be taken.

"Poachers who profit from the sale of California's fisheries put the resource at risk," said Dan Sforza, a lieutenant with Fish and Game's Law Enforcement Division. "Local lobster populations will suffer severe declines if poaching activity is left unchecked."

The effort that Fish and Game officers put into investigating these cases is commendable. But there are only a few hundred wardens spread throughout California, so anyone who spots what appears to be nefarious activity should call the confidential toll-free tip number, (888) 334-2258, to report it. After all, these people are stealing natural resources from all of us.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Legal-sized lobster caught along the Ventura County coast during a day of fishing aboard the lobster boat Arlene M. Credit: Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times

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The 64th annual Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show hits Southern California this week, opening Wednesday at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.

Occupying nearly 750,000 square feet of space, this extravaganza of exhibits and seminars is a must-visit for any outdoor enthusiast.

To refer to the Fred Hall Show as a fishing tackle and boat show seems a misnomer these days. The exhibitor list has grown to include hunting lodges, firearms manufacturers, outdoor adventures, shooting sports and fishing destination resorts worldwide.

But not to worry -- fishing will still be well represented in the approximately 600 vendor booths and 400 seminars taking place over five days. Plus, 16 boat dealers representing 30 watercraft manufacturers will be on site.

"The Fred Hall Shows, both in Long Beach and Del Mar, are the only major boat shows left in California," Bart Hall, Fred's son, told Outposts. "The boating industry in this state has been decimated by the recession -- nearly 50 dealers statewide have gone out of business -- but last year there was no recession at the Fred Hall Shows, and we expect it to be the same this year as well."

The annual Marina del Rey Halibut Derby has been put on hiatus for one year in an effort to help halibut populations increase in the Santa Monica Bay, where the tournament is held.

"We want to make sure our MDR Halibut Derby is good for thousands of loyal participants as well as our beloved halibut," said Josh Gerson, incoming president of Marina del Rey Anglers, the nonprofit fishing and conservation organization that hosts the event.

Although the sustainability of California halibut is good along the state's coastline, the club's board of directors is concerned about the health of the Santa Monica Bay and the halibut population in it.

"Our first obligation is to the Santa Monica Bay, the marine environments, our local halibut fishery and the communities we serve," Gerson said. "We hope to be back in full force in 2011."

Normally scheduled for April or May, the event has been held since 1974, with proceeds funding marine environmental and conservation programs as well as youth fishing programs.

Members of Marina del Rey Anglers are working with groups such as the California Department of Fish and Game, United Anglers of Southern California, Heal the Bay and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, trying to determine why there seems to be a decline of halibut in the bay.

"This past year we invited top marine fishery and environmental scientists from various government and non-government agencies to address our club in our attempt to understand why the halibut may not be visiting our Santa Monica Bay in their historical numbers," said Bob Godfrey, the group's secretary and past president. "We are going to keep looking at the question and for this coming year give our local Santa Monica Bay halibut a rest."

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: James Muro of Woodland Hills won top honors in 2009 with his 41.1 pound halibut. Credit: Anna Diaz / Marina del Rey Anglers

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A tsunami warning brought about by the earthquake that struck off the coast of Chile on Saturday has caused event organizers to postpone the ASP World Tour Quiksilver Pro and the ASP Women's World Tour Roxy Pro Gold Coast rounds scheduled for Saturday at Snapper Rocks in Australia.

"We’ve been monitoring the situation with chief meteorologists throughout the night and all projections are indicating the effects to hit the Gold Coast at approximately 8:15 a.m. [Australia time]," said Rod Brooks, Quiksilver Pro contest director. "What those effects will be, we cannot be sure. We’ve been advised that the biggest surge could hit anywhere from six to 12 hours after the initial surge, so we’ve called competition off for the day."

Organizers will reconvene Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. to assess conditions for a possible 7:30 a.m. start.

-- Kelly Burgess

The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast got underway at Australia's Snapper Rocks, and Kelly Slater wasted no time asserting his dominance, posting the highest heat total of the day -- a 17.77 out of a possible 20 -- including the day’s high single-wave score of a 9.27 out of a possible 10.

"I missed a really good wave at the beginning of the heat and it kind of focused me," Slater said.

Reigning champion Mick Fanning also wasted no time in reasserting himself as one of the most lethal surfers on tour this year, dispatching fellow Australian's Kai Otton and Garrett Parkes with an excellent 17.36 out of a possible 20.

"It’s great," Fanning said. "I’m stoked to be able to surf good Snapper to start off the year."

Other top seeds, No. 2 Joel Parkinson, No. 3, Bede Durbidge and No. 5 Adriano De Souza, also posted Round 1 victories in the first of 10 events on this year's ASP World Tour.

Conditions allowing, here's the match-ups for Round 2 today:

Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Garrett Parkes (AUS)
Heat 2: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Blake Ainsworth (AUS)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Craig Anderson (USA)
Heat 4: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 5: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Blake Thornton (AUS)
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Marco Polo (BRA)
Heat 7: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 8: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 9: Dean Morrison (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Nathan Yeomans (USA)
Heat 11: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 12: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 13: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Ben Dunn (AUS) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 15: Roy Powers (HAW) vs. Andy Irons (HAW)
Heat 16: Drew Courtney (AUS) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater put on an awesome display of competitive surfing wowing crowds that flocked to the sands of Snapper Rocks to watch the surfing icon in action. Credit: Kelly Cestari / ASP

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Attention anglers: Outposts will attempt to post the daily Southern California saltwater fish count, courtesy of 976-TUNA, each evening. Hope you find it useful:

Daily Wrapup	Boats	Anglers	Fish	Audio
Point Loma	2	42	10 Giant Squid 1 Halibut 3 Calico Bass 18 Sand Bass 13 Sculpin
H&M Landing	1	35	110 Rockfish 1 Sculpin
Seaforth	4	37	8 Yellowtail 4 Giant Squid 17 Calico Bass 2 Sand Bass 16 Barracuda 2 Sheephead 50 Whitefish 6 Bonito 2 Lingcod 4 Sculpin
Dana Wharf	3	56	6 Halibut 11 Calico Bass 44 Sand Bass 12 Sculpin 2 trigger_fish
Davey's Locker	1	15	11 Sand Bass
Long Beach Sportfishing	2	30	1 Halibut 18 Sand Bass 7 Sculpin 320 Sand Dab
LA Harbor	1	10	5 Calico Bass 13 Sand Bass 1 Sculpin
San Pedro 22nd Street Marina	1	25	2825 Sand Dab 1 Sole
Redondo	3	22	3 Calico Bass 47 Sand Bass 20 Sculpin 1 trigger_fish
Marina Del Rey	1	31	2 Calico Bass 13 Sand Bass 149 Sculpin

Just in time for the start of the ASP World Tour, surfing fans won't have to worry about missing a minute of news and results, thanks to a new application recently launched for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

ASPtogo offers users live scores and heat results, plus photos and videos. It also provides the ability to connect to live video feeds of events.

"The ASP iPhone application is the latest development we’re activating to bring the world’s best surfers to our global audience wherever they may be," Brodie Carr, chief executive of ASP International, said in a news release.

The application costs $4.99 and allows access to all ASP events, from the ASP World Tour through the ASP Junior circuits.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: The new iPhone application, ASPtogo, allows users to check out the world’s best surfers in all ASP circuit events. Credit: © ASP / SCHOLTZ

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Just a reminder that Yosemite National Park day-use permits will be required for those wanting to use the cable system to the top of Half Dome.

Reservations for May and June permits will be accepted starting Monday, March 1, at 7 a.m.

This interim program, implemented by the National Park Service, is being done in an effort to better regulate the number of hikers using the cable system, to address safety issues that have arisen from crowding, which has led to unsafe conditions and long waits on the popular hike.

The Half Dome day-use permits will only be required on weekends, including Fridays, as well as holidays. Four hundred will be issued per day, with 100 of those to be included in wilderness permits. The permits are required for the use of the trail from the base of the subdome to the summit of Half Dome and include the Half Dome cable route.

It is anticipated that the demand for permits will be high, so those interested in obtaining them should, prior to Monday, read the step-by-step instructions posted on recreation.gov on how to secure a reservation. 

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A winter look at Half Dome. Credit: Dan Blackburn / Image Associates

RELATED:

Yosemite will require permits for Half Dome hikes, starting in May

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The California Fish and Game Commission has made changes to state sportfishing regulations that will go into effect Monday.

Most have to do with fishing limits and procedures, but one will affect every angler in the state. Beginning Monday, anglers will no longer be required to wear their sportfishing license on outer clothing above the waist.

Spearheaded by Tom Raftican, founder and president of the Sportfishing Conservancy, the "No Wear Initiative" gained support from anglers frustrated with licenses getting lost or in the way when fishing.

"The effort is not designed to make enforcement more difficult, but make it easier to comply and reduce the number of lost licenses," said Raftican.

Anglers must still keep sportfishing licenses in their possession while fishing, and show it to Department of Fish and Game wardens if requested.

Other regulatory changes:

-- Spiny Lobster: Spiny lobster must be kept in a whole, measurable condition until it is being prepared for consumption. See Section 29.90(e).