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<br />'.. ," ',.". , OF THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER 197-'-""---'"
<br />~A~,rDistrict .- :---' ,-
<br />;.~,,:;,:;.:."" ,'~-'-
<br />:",~{)f Arizona living at Yuma' lik . :- ,
<br />on;ua sIde, say at Laguna Dam IS !is ~ly to WISh to fiSb,. :.._-- ..
<br />;1Pi~rial Valley in California ~na.s m th ArlZo~a. Many ~esi- - ~' " ~~
<br />~.aj and although they dr"' JOY e ~mg at Martmez -....:... -~.
<br />:e ...it a local fishin". area Fo/~e. many miles to reach this ----:-
<br />~~~l.iCenses of either 'State .. IS ~ea~on ~he two States have
<br />..!lie Colorado River, Hayasn'Lak a d I a:e honored on. -'
<br />border both States" Th ~ n mperlal Dam where ...~-
<br />e exact limits of the ~rea in ere . as been. some confusion
<br />", l-, exam1.ple, a strict interpre;;~;~~ ~Ft:h;lC:~ses ~hohuld be
<br />.. !Zona lCense-holder from fi h' b e mlg t pro-
<br />. M~llet Bay) in California on~ ~gf elo~ the Pilot Knob
<br />".~,~tches-nea:iWinter1iaven. I-:-~~w .~~:~fro~,~ uma or
<br />,~~~~o allow the fishermen of both Stat t ____.u..u - .."."
<br />l~~'!.oRiver waters close to the' h es 0 prosec~te their
<br />"'~&,~mwhich dual use of I' Ir omes, the follOWIng defi-
<br />'fUl' . , Icenses be all d'
<br />,'..,!( River District shall include the C ~w~ 18 s~ggested.
<br />_,.o:boundary to the Nevada-Cali o.r 0 Rwer from,
<br />'!lll ~eserv~irs on the river itsel/or;ta. borndary j the
<br />, :.ih~ Callforn, ia $ide aU of tkat' t .nc fude also the
<br />fOr1],14; only that ort' por wn 0 the Alamo
<br />c':R:asteway to I p ,wn of the All-American Canal
<br />Jion::of the canal :~erUJ.l l}am: and all w~ters lying
<br />~!clf:drain into or ou/~e nver, all water~ in the Palo
<br />.ec-{l;s far north as the C~lS th~ 9.;lorado Rwer; and aU
<br />tof the Colorado Riv orma- .evada boundary which'
<br />:-4~1t~duct and its rese:;~i;:c::::voef ~{ a~y Pkart of the
<br /><.lipzona side to include all ~ t?l'ta. e at Lake
<br />.,'1l.lftve.,o! the G'l R' waters dratnmg tnto or out
<br />~-'-:"O="":'''':- l a wer, as far so~~h as the Arizona-
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<br />196
<br />
<br />- --- CAIJlFORS!A .FISR..A....W oA.~EL_','_
<br />
<br />
<br />for California to modify its general State regulations but not to as ~
<br />an extent. Table 7 shows the compromise between the general lam. I)f
<br />the two States which is now in effect. .
<br />
<br />TABLE 7
<br />
<br />Colorado River Fishing Regulations. Bordering the States of
<br />Arizona and California
<br />
<br />~arker Dan:" (Hn,asu) Lake. .Imperial Dam and the Colorado River BIll',]..rin;: a.
<br />lStates of Arizona and Califorllln
<br />Regulations with reference to fishing in Havasu Lake, Imperial Dam and lh,' 1',,1,,"0.
<br />River where these waters border the two States have been mRde to cllj '''''tle; a.
<br />seasonsandbaglil!l.!tsa.s follows:
<br />Bass: - ------~-::-
<br />May be taken all year. Bag'limit, 10 fish, providing total weight is nnt ~,.
<br />than 15 pounds and one fish per day or in possession. Legal length n inchs
<br />Channel Catfish:
<br />:May be taken all year. Bng limit. 10 fish, providing total weight is not -
<br />than 15 pounds and one fish per day or in possession; No length limit.
<br />All other game fish :
<br />May be taken all year. Bag limit, 20 in the a!;gregate not to exceed :!O poUJll!.
<br />and one fish per day or in possession.
<br />Licenses Required for Fishing in Colorado Waters Bordering the States of ,\ riZ'HlA u.t
<br />California
<br />Licenses of either Arizona or California are honored on both sides of the ColQrado
<br />River, Havasu Lake and Imperial Dam where these waters border both States.
<br />
<br />Section 698.1 of the California Fish and Game Code (19-!3.19-l5~
<br />sa:rs that in this area, ,'. · · the season and bag limit on black ~
<br />spotted bass, bluegill perch, crappie and catfish may be fixed by th!
<br />commission in conformity with such agreements that it may make -;riti
<br />the propel' authorities in the State of Arizona," The limitatioilS of tlut.
<br />section are obvious. It would be highly desirable for it to be changl'ti !It
<br />that the California Commission could also regulate size limits an,l fishi:4
<br />gear and make any other regulations which would cover all ti~h in ~
<br />Colorado Riyer as well as those specificallY mentioned. Unles,; :mJ un:::
<br />this section is amendeel, se,Nal of the recommendations for diall~'? lllio-'!
<br />in this report can not be accepted. '
<br />Attempts at the conservation of fish by passing laws is one c.f :7
<br />oldest forms of fish management. From simple beginnings with r;,;;<
<br />broad restrictions on the take over large areas, such restriction, ~;,
<br />been increased in number and in such complexity that the fish anJJ~;
<br />codes of some States swell fat volumes. The laws relating to tHl ~
<br />Arizona are relatively few in number and rather broad. Califc,r.;o&-
<br />on the other hand, h~sevolved a complex system. Some of th""e \1'-'
<br />have been passed, at least ostensibly, to agree "ith the biologi,'al rN~-
<br />ments of fish in local areas. Others seem unjustifiablY Ct-'l!.pl~!. ,v.
<br />seem to place an undue burden on e\en the most conscien"tiou", "pl;rt~
<br />and to lead to quib~ling by "fish lawyers." . ,Hl..~
<br />The author belIeves that the area along the Colorado IS "ell en,
<br />defined and has enough special characteristics to warrant its ,l'-"';;:!~
<br />tion as a speeial district in both Arizona and California, lIe It."'" r;
<br />believe that the number of laws governing the take of fish here n,,:~ ;;-
<br />large. .And he is most aware that even with the best facts at hac,).
<br />laws must be somewhat arbitrary.
<br />
<br />.};.:~l~here is an open season on all fish ' ,
<br />w~."J1~tiheyear. In other arts 1~ the Colorado Rwer
<br />~~'p~~out, also extends thrO~ghOu~ft:-:I~ona the open.seas~n
<br />""''b~season for catfish but '. t' . ear, II?- Cahfornla
<br />","~,'~,,$irappies, and sunfishes ei~cep m alfew spec,lal areas the
<br />,-c3D,clusive; open on y from May 29th to
<br />
<br />,'tl}.l",e&dybeen pointed out tl t h'l
<br />th~.:,.g,olorado might be cons~~ Wd lIe the practicable fishing
<br />:iID~e climatic condi~ions me;~e t;en;e:~c,ause o!. clim~tic
<br />,,~r. ,The populatIOn of fish h "I:} e1iectne fishmg
<br />,-....._: ~lylight. For these reaso eret arge. The angling
<br />",:,',: .. ns a ong open season seems
<br />,~~tlarge nm;nbers of bass may b
<br />l!.iandthis undoubtedl . e removed during the
<br />"'. are destroyed when tYh ~eans a loss to the river of
<br />'" . . ' ell' parents t k . .
<br />", lva1ent to saving that th' . h a~e:a en, ThIS IS
<br />~;t~enumbe~ of bass t:a~:nl~ a;mful to the fishery.
<br />';o:-:.t.lOw, sufficient escapemen~rolUf g the remainder of
<br />, ' spawners probably
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