Various Days — Guided Wetland Tours, By Reservation, at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948). A wildlife naturalist will lead any group, school or organization on a half-mile route through the diverse wetlands of the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. General information includes wildlife identification, behavior patterns and conservation efforts. The experience can be customized to include requested information. The minimum group size is 18 people. For more information, call (530) 846-7505 or email lori.dieter@wildlife.ca.gov.

Various Days — Ecological Reserve Tours at Elkhorn Slough, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Volunteers lead walks every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Binoculars and bird books are available for the public to borrow at no cost. The visitor center and main overlook are fully accessible. Groups of five or more should please notify staff that they are coming and groups of 10 or more can request a separate tour. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/lands/places-to-visit/elkhorn-slough-er.

Various Days — Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Access Permit Application Deadline for Multiple Turkey Hunting Opportunities. Spring turkey hunts are available through the SHARE program. A $11.88 non-refundable application fee is charged for each hunt choice. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/share.

Various Days through March 7 — Spring Wild Turkey Special Hunts Application Period. The application period for Spring Wild Turkey Special Hunts is open until March 7, 2020. These hunts are specially managed hunting opportunities on private and public lands. For additional information and to apply, visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds/hunts.

1 — California Invasive Species Action Week’s Youth Art Contest Opens. Youths in grades 2 to 12 can begin submitting entries for the California Invasive Species Action Week’s Youth Art Contest. This year’s theme is “Be a Habitat Hero.” Create an original piece showing the actions a “Habitat Hero” can take to protect your community by stopping the spread of invasive species. Examples include: a poster encouraging pet owners not to release pets; a public service announcement on a particular species; a video or brochure with instructions for cleaning your boats, boots or gear. Be creative! All types of media are welcome and encouraged: drawings, paintings, animations, comic strips, videos, public service announcements or campaign posters. Submissions must include a completed entry form and be received by May 1. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/cisaw.

1 — Rockfish Fishery Opens for Boat-based Anglers in the Southern Management Area, Point Conception to the Mexico border. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary#south.

4 — Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot Speaker Series Event, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., “Stewarding the Sierra Nevada Amidst Climate Change,” Natural Resources Building Auditorium, 1416 Ninth St., Sacramento (95814). Join Secretary Crowfoot, scientists, business experts and community leaders to discuss how we can protect the well-being of the Sierra Nevada and all Californians who depend on its resources. The event will be live-streamed on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/calwater.

4-8 — Fred Hall Show Long Beach, Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach (90802). Admission is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (62 and older), $15 for military (with valid ID) and free for youths 15 and younger with a paid adult. CDFW will have staff on hand to answer questions from the public. Anglers can also purchase their 2020 licenses, validations and report cards, as well as the 2020 Warden Stamp directly from CDFW staff. Warden stamps sales help fund CDFW’s K-9 program and support purchases of enforcement equipment. For more information, visit www.fredhall.com/long-beach.

5 — California Fish and Game Commission Wildlife Resources Committee, 1:30 p.m., Natural Resources Building, Redwood Room, 14th Floor, 1416 Ninth St., Sacramento (95814). The meeting will discuss the 2020 Simplification of Statewide Inland Fishing Regulations proposal. For more information, visit fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2020.

7 & 14 — Elkhorn Slough Reserve Teachers on the Reserve Workshop, Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). The free one-day workshop, which is offered on two separate Saturdays, introduces teachers to the Elkhorn Slough Reserve and its education fieldtrip program. To register, visit www.elkhornslough.org/education-program/teacher-development. For more information, please contact Virginia Guhin at virginia.guhin@wildlife.ca.gov.

9 — California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group. The California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group will hold a public meeting to provide information about their assessment of marine life entanglement risk, including any Working Group recommendations to the CDFW Director regarding the March 15 risk determination. There will not be a designated opportunity for public comment during the meeting, however feedback can be shared directly with the department via email to whalesafefisheries@wildlife.ca.gov. An agenda will be posted on www.opc.ca.gov/whale-entanglement-working-group. For additional details about the meeting, contact info@cawhalegroup.com or ryan.bartling@wildlife.ca.gov.

13-15 — Central Valley Sportsmen’s Boat & RV Show, Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 South P St., Bakersfield (93307). General admission is $12 with a special $7 admission for seniors on Friday, March 13. Youths 12 and younger are free. CDFW will have staff on hand to answer questions from the public. Anglers can also purchase their 2020 licenses, validations and report cards, as well as the 2020 Warden Stamp directly from CDFW staff. Warden stamps sales help fund CDFW’s K-9 program and support purchases of enforcement equipment. For more information, visit calshows.com.

17 — California Fish and Game Commission Marine Resources Committee, time to be determined, Justice Joseph A. Rattigan Building, Conference Room 410 (4th Floor), 50 D St., Santa Rosa (95404). For more information, visit fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2020.

18 — California Fish and Game Commission Annual Tribal Planning Meeting, time to be determined, Justice Joseph A. Rattigan Building, Conference Room 410 (4th Floor), 50 D St., Santa Rosa (95404). For more information, visit fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2020.

18 — Last Day of California Spiny Lobster Recreational and Commercial Fishing Season, Statewide. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/invertebrates/lobster.

19 — Risk Assessment Mitigation Program and Conservation Plan Meeting, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Bay Model, 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito (94965). CDFW’s Marine Region will be hosting an informational session to update the public on the proposed Risk Assessment and Mitigation (RAMP) Regulations and Conservation Plan currently in development for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery. This meeting will provide an overview of the proposed regulatory changes to help minimize marine life entanglement in the commercial fishery. These regulations will also be the foundation of the Conservation Plan which is required to apply for an Incidental Take Permit under Section 10 of the federal Endangered Species Act. This Conservation Plan will address endangered species interactions in the commercial Dungeness crab fishery through the use of risk minimization measures. For additional information about CDFW’s efforts to minimize marine life entanglement, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/whale-safe-fisheries. For details about the meeting, contact ryan.bartling@wildlife.ca.gov.

21 — Nest Box Survey, Orientation at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948). This free orientation meeting is required for participation in a season-long field study. Crews of two or three collect detailed data, used to understand and enhance the local wood duck population and other wildlife. Commitment varies, averaging four hours, twice a month, April through July. Participation is open to the public, ages 18 and over. Due to limited space, please make reservations early. For more information, call (530) 846-7505 or email lori.dieter@wildlife.ca.gov.

21 — Additional Spring Wild Turkey Season Opens for Hunters with Junior Hunting Licenses (extending through March 22). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.

23 — Lower American River Conservancy Program Advisory Committee Meeting, 10 a.m. to noon, Effie Yeaw Nature Center Assembly Building, 2850 San Lorenzo Way, Carmichael (95608). Parking fees apply. For more information, visit wcb.ca.gov/programs/lower-american-river.

25 — California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group. The California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group will hold a public meeting to provide information about their assessment of marine life entanglement risk, including any Working Group recommendations to the CDFW Director regarding the April 1 risk determination. There will not be a designated opportunity for public comment during the meeting, however feedback can be shared directly with the department via email to whalesafefisheries@wildlife.ca.gov. An agenda will be posted on www.opc.ca.gov/whale-entanglement-working-group. For additional details about the meeting, contact info@cawhalegroup.com or ryan.bartling@wildlife.ca.gov.

26 — CDFW Conservation Lecture Series, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., “Taking photos of nature for science and conservation: utilizing technology to scale community-collected biodiversity data in California.” The Citizen Science program at the California Academy of Sciences engages tens of thousands of volunteers in California and beyond to document biodiversity, since understanding when and where species occur at scale can only be done through mobilizing people everywhere to make observations of their local nature. In this talk, Rebecca Johnson and Alison Young, Co-Directors of Citizen Science at the Academy, will highlight how they work with partners and communities to do this work and will discuss the resulting science, conservation and stewardship outcomes. Attendance is free. To register or learn more, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/lectures.

26-29 — Fred Hall Show Del Mar, Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar (92014). Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (62 and older), $10 with military identification and free for youths 15 and younger with a paid adult. CDFW will have staff on hand to answer questions from the public. Anglers can also purchase their 2020 licenses, validations and report cards, as well as the 2020 Warden Stamp directly from CDFW staff. Warden stamps sales help fund CDFW’s K-9 program and support purchases of enforcement equipment. For more information, visit www.fredhall.com/san-diego.

28 — General Spring Wild Turkey Season Opens (extending through May 3). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.

28 — 7^th Annual Sycamore Island Fishing Derby, 7 to 11 a.m., with registration beginning at 6 a.m., Sycamore Island, 39664 Avenue 7-1/2, Madera, (93636). Co-sponsored by Central Sierra Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the San Joaquin River Parkway & Conservation Trust, the San Joaquin River Conservancy and CDFW. The Sycamore Island Fishing Derby is a celebration of the San Joaquin River’s diverse fishing and recreational opportunities. Prizes will be awarded at noon to first and second place for youth (15 years and under) and adults. There is no charge to enter the derby, but participants are required to pay the regular Sycamore Island day use fee of $9 per vehicle and $5 per trailered boat. For more information and online registration, visit www.riverparkway.org.

28-29 — Elkhorn Slough Reserve Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Workshop, Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). This free two-day field and classroom workshop for middle and high school teachers focuses on developing lessons on hydrology, meteorology and soil-data collection. To register, visit www.elkhornslough.org/education-program/teacher-development. For more information, please contact Virginia Guhin at virginia.guhin@wildlife.ca.gov.

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Media Contact: Amanda McDermott, CDFW Communications, (916) 322-8907