Caught in a trap
Fish and Game Commission considers bobcat trapping ban.
The California Fish and Game Commission convened in Mammoth on Thursday, June 11 to discuss AB 1213, the Bobcat Protection Act of 2013, and what its implementation would mean for bobcat trapping in California.
Over the past several years, both China and Russia’s demand for bobcat pelts has driven up fur prices, and the frequency of bobcat trapping in California. The average pelt price increased by 365 percent from 2011-12 to 2012-13, coming in at $363 per pelt. That price went up to $390 last year. This demand has created concerns that trapping, coupled with the effects of four years of drought, could decimate bobcat populations across the State.
The Fish and Game Commission is currently considering two options for AB 1213 implementation: the first, to permit commercial bobcat trapping in areas with high density bobcat populations, and the second, to enact a complete statewide ban on the commercial trapping of bobcats.
Under Option 1, the State would be divided into zones where bobcat trapping is or is not permitted. The Mono Basin National Scenic Area would be open for bobcat trapping, among many other areas in Mono County. Much of Inyo County would also be open to trapping, with the exception of Death Valley National Park.
On Thursday, CDFG staff focused less on whether or not to pursue Option 1 or Option 2, and more on its proposal to alter the current bobcat trapping fee structure. The current bobcat trapping fee is $117.16, plus a shipping tag fee of $3 (shipping tags are required for all bobcats shipped out of state).
Staff recommended a new validation fee to help recoup the cost to the CDFG of running the trapping program. That cost is about $212,000 per year, according to staff.
The new validation fee would be $1,137, with an increased shipping tag fee of $35.
Staff explained that the new fee, and the increased tag fee, were the result of calculations that found an average of 200 bobcat trappers from 2009-2013, and an average of 1,070 shipping tags sold.
In those past five years, trappers caught between 457-1,500 bobcats.
Those numbers have dropped from 1978-1990, when between 2,000-4,000 licensed trappers trapped 5,000-9,000 bobcats per year.
CDFG concluded its presentation by recommending the Commission adopt Option 1, as well as approve the recommended fees, with a plan to monitor the participation of trappers, the trapping take, and enforcement costs and trapping revenues for at least two years.
Members of the public—70 of whom spoke at Thursday’s meeting—were divided between Options 1 and 2.
Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) Staff Attorney Jean Su contended that the CDFG had underestimated the cost of running the trapping program, and overestimated the number of trappers. “In 2013-14, there were only 93 bobcat trappers,” she said. “Self-financing for this program is very unlikely …. If this program cannot finance itself, then statutorily, it cannot be implemented. The Statewide ban is the pragmatic and progressive choice out of the two.”
Mono County Supervisor Larry Johnston also supported a complete ban, as did the Board of Supervisors in a letter sent to CDFG in April.
Other Mono and Inyo County residents argued that there simply isn’t data to determine that bobcat populations are healthy enough to withstand trapping, particularly in these drought conditions.
On the other side of the debate were trappers and trapping advocates, who noted that bobcats prey, upon other things, on Bi-state sage grouse. “I don’t see there’s any warranted reason to implement restriction to trap bobcats,” argued Robert Thomas. “Predator populations are … higher than they’ve ever been, due to the lack of involvement by outdoor sportsmen, compared to 30-40 years ago.”
Thomas also requested a survey of bobcat populations before CDFG makes its final decision on AB 1213.
Kathy Lynch of the California Trappers Association asked that trappers, major stakeholders in decisions regarding bobcat trapping, be included in the conversation.
Others disagreed with trapping itself on principle, arguing trapping methods are cruel and outdated. Still others argued that trapping is a valuable outdoor activity, just as is hunting or fishing.
The Fish and Game Commission received these comments, but did not come to a resolution on the issue of fees or preference for AB 1213 Option 1 or Option 2. The Commission will make its final vote on the two bobcat trapping options at its next meeting in Fortuna on Wednesday, August 5.
Emergency fisheries regulation
At Thursday’s meeting the CDFG also considered adopting an emergency regulation allowing the Department to close inland waters to fishing in emergencies arising from drought conditions.
The Commission has already entertained four requests for emergency stream closures to protect fisheries that, because of drought, have become vulnerable to over-fishing.
CDFG Senior Environmental Scientist Stafford Lehr stressed that “Anglers are not the enemy here. This [emergency regulation] is a mere tool to try to protect the precious resources we have.”
Lehr said the emphasis of the regulation would be on protecting listed species, species of special concern, and, in some rarer cases, game fish.
Under the new emergency regulation, the CDFG may close an inland water body if any of the following occur: the water temperatures exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit for more than eight hours a day for three days; the dissolved oxygen levels drop below 5 milligrams/liter for any period over three consecutive days; fish passage is impeded because of diminished water supply; water levels for ponds, lakes, or reservoirs drop below 10 percent of capacity; or if adult breeding population levels fall below 500 individuals.
Waters closed to fishing after such a determination will only be opened again after all of those adverse conditions have improved, Lehr said.
Lehr also said that staff would inform the Commission of any proposed closures, as well as hold town hall meetings for communities that would be effected by such closures.
Mono County Supervisor Tim Alpers noted that June Lake in particular is dependent on its fishing economy, especially during drought years. While he had no issues with the new regulation (Supervisor Larry Johnston speculated that the only Mono County lake that may be subject to the new regulation is Grant, given its dramatic loss of water), Supervisor Alpers stressed that “fishing is absolutely critical” to June Lake’s economy.
Commissioners voted to approve the emergency regulation 4-0.
BOBCAT TRAPPING – Though the California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) has publicly stated its support for Option 1 (a partial ban, covering only about 40% of the state), it is reported that the DFW and the Fish & Game Commission have received more than 1,000 letters in support of OPTION 2, a state-wide ban on ALL trapping of bobcats. It seems that NO ONE, other than DFW Director Chuck Bonham and the trappers themselves favors the partial ban, OPTION 1. Follow the money.
Bobcats and other apex predators generally self-regulate their numbers. There’s absolutely NO need to trap these beautiful cats, critical players in the eco-system. (Depredation permits are readily available for individual problem animals.) And certainly not simply for their furs, an unnecessary and brutal luxury item. Most of the furs will be sold on markets in China, Russia and Europe. All this pain, suffering and death for the greed and $$$$ of a very few (100-200) fur trappers. The California State Constitution says that wildlife belongs to ALL citizens, not just the commercial exploiters.
As noted, the Fish & Game Commission will be taking a final vote on the two options at their August 5 meeting in Fortuna (Humboldt County). THE PUBLIC IS URGED TO ATTEND AND SPEAK UP ON BEHALF OF OUR BELEAGUERED WILDLIFE. Some Letters to the Editors throughout the state would be helpful in support of a total ban on bobcat trapping.
In the interim, please write: Chuck Bonham, Director, Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, The Resources Building, 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814; email – director@wildlife.ca.gov
And the State Fish & Game Commission (same address); email – fgc@fgc.ca.gov
Commission members are Jack Baylis, president (Los Angeles); Mike Sutton (Monterey); Jim Kellogg (Discovery Bay); Richard Rogers (Santa Barbara); Jacque Hostler-Carmesin (McKinleyville). (NOTE: It was Commissioner Rogers who introduced Option 2, the statewide ban.)
Cc: John Laird, Secretary of Resources (same address); email – secretary@resources.ca.gov
Worth noting a 2010 statement from then-Deputy Director of the DFW, Sonke Mastrup, during the live animal food market debate: “The Director acts at the pleasure of the Governor.” Jerry Brown needs to hear from us, too, c/o The State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814.
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Eric Mills, coordinator
ACTION FOR ANIMALS
Oakland
We need a state wide ban on bobcat trapping. This is the only sensible option, especially during this severe drought when all wild life is threatened.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SHEET NEWS FOR COVERING THIS EVER SO IMPORTANT STORY AS EVERY TAX PAYING CALIFORNIAN SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, AFTERALL, ISNT IT OUR TAX DOLLARS SUPPORTING THESE MURDEROUS HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS KILLING OUR WILDLIFE WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF CALIFORNIA TAX PAYERS ???
WHILE TRAPPERS AND HUNTERS WILL OFTEN CONTEND THAT THEY PAY THEIR WAY TO HUNT AND TRAP, KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY TRAP AND HUNT FOR THEIR OWN THRILL OR SATISFACTION AND FOR THEIR OWN PROFITS, NOT FOR SURVIVAL BUT FOR FUN, SPORT AND PROFIT AT OUR EXPENSE.
WHILE THEY HAVE HAD IT THEIR WAY FOR SOMETIME WHERE TRAPPERS ON THE AVERAGE HAVE BEEN TRAPPING AND KILLING BETWEEN 7 AND 8 BOBCATS, OTHER ANMALS OFTEN GET CAUGHT IN TRAPS, AND EVEN ENDANGERED SPECIES AND AT TIMES HUMANS
THESE TRAPPERS AND HUNTERS DONT EAT BOBCAT , THEY SELL THE FUR PELTS TO THE CHINESE AND THE RUSSIANS, WHICH MAKE THEM SELL OUTS TO AMERICA, THEY MIGHT AS WELL GIVE THE RUSSIANS AND CHINESE THE KEYS TO OUR COUNTRY AS THESE TRAPPERS AND HUNTERS ARE SLAUGHTERING OUR NATIONAL TREASURES , OUR WILDLIFE.
AT THE COST OF THE AMERICAN TAX PAYERS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR NATIONAL WILDLIFE AND ECO TOURISM.
WHILE YOU HAVE FISH AND GAME MAKING THE RULES, JUST ASK YOURSELF WHO IS FISH AND GAME ??? THE BOARD OR AND THE COMMISSION IS MADE OF HUNTERS AND RANCHERS WHICH THEY MORE OFTEN THAN NOT USUALLY VOTE FOR TRAPPING AND HUNTING, MEANING THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN GLORIFIED HUNTERS WITH BADGES. ALSO MEANING THE GAME IS FIXED IN FAVOR OF TRAPPING AND HUNTING, GET THE PICTURE.
WHILE AMERICANS CONTINUE TO GO ON THEIR DAILY LIVES, TRAPPERS AND HUNTERS CONTINUE TO RUIN AMERICAS INFRASTRUCTURE—OUR NATIONAL WILDLIFE, THE SAME WAY THEY MANAGED TO KILL OFF THE BUFFALO, THE ANTELOPE IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY, THE CALIFORNIA BROWN BEAR OR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE GRIZZLY BEAR, THE ONLY GRIZZLY YOURE GOING TO SEE IS WHAT IS ON OUR FLAG, AND WHAT ABOUT THE GRAY WOLVES WE USED TO HAVE, WELL THANK GOD THEY ARE MAKING A COME BACK AFTER BRING WIPED OUT BY TRAPPERS AND HUNTERS, AND LETS NOT FORGET THE MEXICAN GRAY WOLF THAT WAS WIPED OUT HERE, AND THE SAME WAY THE WILD MUSTANGS ARE NOW BEING WIPED OUT TOO.
ARE WE GOING TO BE KNOWN AS THE GENERATION THAT WIPED OUT THE LAST OF NORTH AMERICAS WILDLIFE ???
I GUESS WE WILL FIND OUT AT THE NEXT CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME MEETING IN FORTUNA, CALIFORNIA IN AUGUST.
California needs to ban bobcat trapping state-wide. These native carnivores are already under pressure from drought, urbanization, fire and secondary poisoning from rodenticides. I would absolutely love to see a bobcat in the wild but yet we let less than 100 trappers kill off thousands of them to sell the pelts in international fur markets. What is this? 1815? Come on Fish & Wildlife. Let California lead the way into a new century.
I read that some think the trappers are sell out to this country because they sell their fur to china and Russia. Then isn’t the timber ,mining and others I.E. manufacturing and consumers, who sell and purchase traitors as well??!! Face it tell t he truth~and like I mentioned in an earlier post. The Center for Biological Diversity and their supports want NO hunting, fishing or trapping to take place. They continue is all the states the SBD has lobbyist to refer to predation permits and how easily they are obtained. WHEN WE all know that is not the truth.
KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR COMMENT GREEN BEAN, THANK YOU AS I WAS ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ONE OF THE WILDLIFE ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS THAT LED THE FIGHT, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR COMMENT, BUT YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I, THERE IS JUST NO TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT TRAP AND KILL OUR WILDLIFE, THEY JUST DONT GET IT, IT IS THE SAME AS WHEN I WAS AN OFFICER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE GANG BANGERS WERE HUNTING INNOCENT KIDS WALKING TO SCHOOL, UNSUSPECTING AND NOT ARMED, THEY TOO ARE LIKE THE ANIMALS THAT ARE BEING TRAPPED AND HUNTED, WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GANG BANGERS THAT HUNT OUR KIDS AND A HUNTER OR TRAPPERS KILLING FOR FUN, SPORT OR PROFIT, THEY DONT EVEN EAT THE POOR ANIMAL .
TO ME, THE TRAPPER OR HUNTER OF TODAY IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE GANG BANGERS OF TODAY, BELIEVE ME I KNOW, I WORKED WITH THEM LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW .
I THINK ITS TIME WE HUNT THE HUNTERS, THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT WHEN SOMEBODY IS SHOOTING BACK.