Getting our final issue of 2025 out just under the wire! We’ve got a shorter issue this quarter with a review paper, two full articles, and a research note.

The first article—authored by two researchers from Texas: Dr. Marcus Blum from Texas A&M and consultant Jess Blum, along with frequent contributor and former EIC, Dr. Vernon Bleich—reviews the use unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., UAVs or drones) in wildlife research and discusses their potential utility for surveying bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis)in mountainous areas that are difficult to access using traditional survey methods.

The next article focuses on the physiological response of two high-yield CBD hemp cultivars to seasonal variation in photosynthetic capacity (i.e., the rate at which the plants can convert light into sugars through photosynthesis). Hemp (Cannabis sativa L) is a versatile crop with numerous uses across a variety of industries including fiber (textiles, industrial materials, paper products), food (for both human and animal consumption), wellness and cosmetic products, building materials, and biofuel. As the authors point out, a major factor in growing hemp successfully is understanding how the plant functions biologically, as well as how various cultivars and genotypes react to farming methods and environmental stresses.

The other full research article, authored by a number of scientists from CDFW’s Marine Region, was a reassessment of the California Halibut Trawl Grounds (CHTG) as required by Fish and Game Code, the last evaluation of which occurred in 2008 and resulted in the closing of one area due to sub-optimal conditions for halibut. The recent evaluation found that the current light touch trawl gear in the CHTG fishery meets the criteria from Fish and Game Code and that no additional closures are necessary.

The final article, a research note by a number of scientists at USGS’s California Water Science Center, provides an update on the status of the Clear Lake hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi), a subspecies endemic to Lake County listed as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act.

As always, a reminder that the Journal has a subscriber listserv. Anyone interested in receiving updates from the Journal and being notified when new issues are available can subscribe here.

Happy Holidays!

Ange Darnell Baker, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
California Fish and Wildlife Journal