and Game estimates that recreational fishers caught more than 200,000 spiny lobsters in the first half of the 2008/2009 season, amounting to around , compared to commercial fishermen, who caught a total of in the same time. The California Department of Fish and Game sets and enforces a number of regulations pertaining to recreational fishing of spiny lobsters: Open season for California spiny lobster runs from the Saturday before the first Wednesday in October until the first Wednesday after March 15. No implements other than hoop nets may be used; no one person may have more than 5 nets and no vessel may use more than 10 hoop nets. When fishing from land, each fisherman is limited to two hoop nets. Lobster fishers may not land more than seven California spiny lobsters on any given day, and may not have more than seven in their possession at any time. Fishers must carry a lobster gauge, and any lobster smaller than the minimum landing size must be returned to the sea immediately. The minimum size is a carapace length of , measured along the midline from the rear of the eye socket between the horns, to the end of the carapace. This is equivalent to a total body length of . To fish for spiny lobster south of Point Arguello, a sport fishing license with ocean enhancement stamp must be displayed or kept nearby. A report card for the season must be bought, filled in and returned before April 30 after the season ends. Commercial and recreational traps must not be interfered with. Commercial fishing in California The open season for commercial fishing begins on the first Wednesday in October and runs until the first Wednesday after the 15th of March. Commercial fishermen may use individually buoyed traps, but may not dive for lobsters. For those using lobster traps, the fishing effort is greatest at the beginning of the permitted season in California, and peters out towards the end of the season, 24 weeks later. Although the fishing effort becomes better concentrated on areas with more spiny lobsters during the season, the fishing efficiency (catch per unit effort) nonetheless decreases throughout the season. Fishing in Mexico In Mexico, spiny lobsters are an important commercial resource, representing the fifth most valuable fishery, worth US$18 million. Three species are exploited along the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula, but the catch of