FISH AND GAME MULLS RULE CHANGES.

Byline: Keith Lair Staff Writer

The Fish and Game Commission will consider a Department of Fish and Game recommendation to change the sportfishing rules for black rockfish in a teleconference meeting April 22.

The emergency rules to be considered, made to follow federal guidelines dictated by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, will prohibit the retention of black rockfish, cabezon, greenlings, ocean whitefish and sheephead in May and will allow the take of the fish in waters less than 30 fathoms (180 feet) in September and October from Point Concepcion to the Mexican border. The Cowcod Conservation Areas will remain the same for the region.

Federal regulators have split the Central Rockfish and Lingcod Management Area near Point Lopez. From Point Concepcion to Point Lopez, there will be no take of black rockfish in July and the fish taken from September to the end of the year must be in waters 20 fathoms (120 feet) or less. From Point Lopez to Point Concepcion, there is no take of the fish from May through July and November and December. The depth limit in September and October is 20 fathoms.

From Cape Mendocino to the Oregon border, the take is allowed in waters less than 30 fathoms from May through December.

--Help protect trout streams: Volunteers are needed to work in the Angeles and San Bernardino national forests by the Fisheries Resource Volunteer Corps.

The FRVC protects wild trout streams in Southern California. The FRVC is sponsored by the Southwest Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers in partnership with and under the supervision of the U.S. Forest Service.

Members of the FRVC wear forest service uniforms. Its goals are to educate the public regarding the proper use of natural resources. They remove graffiti and trash, provide first aid, work with the Department of Fish and Game assisting with electro-fishing, collect water samples and do water quality monitoring for the State Water Quality Control Board.

There will be a volunteer training meeting Saturday with a first aid meeting Sunday. Information: [phone].

--Storms help whitewater rafting season: Two major February storms apparently have the state's stream systems healthy, pointing to an excellent whitewater rafting season, experts say.

``Our returning guides are anxious to get on the river and take advantage of the excellent conditions,'' said Jim Ritter, president of Kern River Outfitters.

The Department of Water Resources reports that California's season precipitation was 105 percent of normal statewide from Oct. 1, 2003 to Feb. 28 of this year. The snowpack improved by 125 percent because of the two storms in February.

Ritter predicts the season will start at the end of the month.

Kern River Outfitters has guide-training sessions this weekend, followed by a river safety class April 23-24. A Rescue 3 Swiftwater Rescue class will be on the Kern from May 8 to 10, with participants including firefighters and the U.S. Forest Service. A River Safety and Wilderness First Aid class, co-sponsored by Bureau of Land Management, will be May 21-23 on the Rogue River in Oregon.

This weekend, the Kern River Festival will have paddlers from around he country racing kayaks and offering demonstrations.

Rafting trips are designed for different skill levels. There are one- to three-day trips available on the Lower, Upper and Forks of the Kern. Information: [phone] or go to the Web site at www.kernrafting.com.

Keith Lair, [phone]

keith.lair(at)sgvn.com