The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds sport fishing enthusiasts that they are required to return their 2011 Fishing Report and Restoration Cards by Jan. 31. Information collected from report cards provides DFG with data to monitor and manage California's diverse recreational fisheries.

Report cards are due for sturgeon, abalone, spiny lobster and north coast salmon fisheries, as well as the steelhead fishery. Please note that although steelhead report card information can now be submitted online, DFG still requires salmon, sturgeon, lobster and abalone cards to be returned via mail or in person at a DFG counter.

DFG requests that cardholders review their cards carefully and complete the information as accurately as possible. More information about report cards can be found at www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/fishing/sportfishingfaqs.html (see Validations and Report Cards).

The cards can be dropped off at any DFG license sales office (see list at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/officelocation.html) or mailed to the following address:

Sturgeon Report Cards should be mailed to:
DFG - Sturgeon Report Card
P.O. Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090

Abalone Report Cards should be mailed to:
DFG - Abalone Report Card
32330 N. Harbor Dr.
Fort Bragg, CA 95437

Lobster Report Cards should be mailed to:
DFG - Lobster Report Card
3883 Ruffin Road
San Diego, CA 92123

North Coast Salmon Report Cards should be mailed to:
DFG - Klamath River Project
5341 Ericson Way
Arcata, CA 95521-9269

You are required to report your catch even if you lost your card or you did not fish. If you did not fish, write "did not fish" across your report card and return it to the address specified. If you lost your report card, write a note to DFG explaining the loss. Include your name, address, telephone number, GO ID (from your sport fishing license) and to the best of your recollection, the harvest/catch effort information that was on your report card.

Information specific to the steelhead report cards can be found in DFG's Dec. 23 news release at http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/steelhead-report-cards-due-by-jan-31-2012/.

Please note that license sales agents cannot accept report cards.