The crabbing here is so tough now that pirating has hit a new midseason high. Let's just say that the couple of traps that have been catching Dungeness are being pulled by multiple people, only a few of which had permission. Before you get too excited, the traps are home on shore now. Shore crabbers are snaring a couple but aside from the four "hot" traps that were in the outer bay not too many keepers have passed through here.  

   The herring spawned back by Inverness a few days back, and while they may do it again some of the pods of sea lions have already started leaving the bay. Elvis may have already left the building.

   The California Fish and Game Commission meeting on the 10th has an agenda up with details now. Most importantly, the proposed wording on the pump ban is thus: " Gear restrictions. It shall be unlawful to use anything other than the following hand-operated devices to take clams: spades, shovels, hoes, forks, rakes, devices that use suction to remove clams commonly known as slurp guns or clam guns, or rigid pipes used to prevent the collapse of holes when digging for clams. It shall be unlawful to use any other device to take clams, including any hydraulic devices. It shall be unlawful to possess a hydraulic pump, or other device, capable of liquifying sand to aid in the harvest of clams anywhere clams may be taken. It shall be unlawful to possess any such unauthorized device, except in their permanent residence, concurrently with any clam." The other additional part to have knowledge about is: "When digging and transporting to shore, each person is required to keep a separate container for their clams and not commingle with clams taken by another person. " So it looks like clam and shrimp "slurp" guns will still be okay but you dig your ten clams (or 50 cockles) and put them in your own container. The man will be watching.