How fishingguider.org/ Handles Personal Data — U.S. State Privacy Laws
What personal data we collect, why, how long we keep it, who we share it with, how embedded YouTube videos work, and your rights under U.S. state privacy laws — CCPA/CPRA, VCDPA, CPA, CTDPA, UCPA, TDPSA, OCPA and a growing list — plus the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
fishingguider.org/ is an editorial guide. We do not sell or issue fishing licenses, take payments for licenses, or hold any license or permit data. To buy a license, use your state agency’s official portal. This Privacy Policy covers only the limited personal data of website visitors.
What is in this notice
1. Scope and Controller
This Privacy Policy applies to fishingguider.org/. The "business" / "controller" is fishingguider.org/ Editorial, contactable at info@fishingguider.org. This notice does not apply to any state agency, YouTube/Google, or other website we link to or embed. Each is its own controller with its own privacy policy.
2. Personal Information We Collect
| Category | Examples | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | IP address, device ID, browser user agent | Automatic when you visit |
| Internet / network activity | Pages viewed, time on page, referrer, internal searches, video plays | Automatic |
| Contact data | Email address, name (if provided), message content | You — only if you email us |
| Cookies / similar tech | See Cookie Policy | Automatic; managed by the cookie banner |
| Approximate location | City and state inferred from IP | Automatic |
We do not collect your name, mailing address, Social Security number, payment-card data, or any license or permit data. If you accidentally include sensitive data in an email to us, we delete it on receipt and ask you to take license questions to your state agency.
3. Why We Collect It
- To operate the site — serve pages, remember cookie preferences, protect against abuse
- To understand which guides and videos are useful — aggregated, anonymous analytics
- To respond to you when you email a correction or inquiry
- To display non-personalized or personalized advertising depending on your consent
- To detect and prevent fraud, scraping, and attacks
- To comply with legal obligations — lawful subpoenas, court orders, and government requests
4. Embedded YouTube Videos
Our guides embed videos using YouTube’s standard player. When a page with an embedded video loads — and especially when you play a video — YouTube/Google may set cookies and receive data such as your IP address and viewing activity, governed by Google’s own Privacy Policy. Where supported, we use YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode to reduce data set before you interact. We do not receive your YouTube account information. Manage Google’s ad personalization at adssettings.google.com.
6. “Sale” and “Sharing” Disclosure
However, the broad definitions of “sale” under California’s CCPA/CPRA and “sharing” under the CPRA (for cross-context behavioral advertising) can cover the disclosure of cookie-based identifiers to third-party advertising or video partners (e.g., Google AdSense, YouTube) when you have not opted out. To the extent any of this falls within those definitions, you can opt out via the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal (which we honor as a “Do Not Sell or Share” request), the cookie banner, the footer “Do Not Sell or Share” link where displayed, or Google’s opt-out at adssettings.google.com.
7. How Long We Keep It
| Category | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Web server & security logs | 30 days |
| Aggregated GA4 analytics | 14 months |
| Email correspondence | 24 months from last interaction |
| Cookie consent records | 12 months from your choice |
| Rights-request audit trail | 3 years (state AG enforcement window) |
8. Your Rights Under State Privacy Laws
| State | Law | Key rights |
|---|---|---|
| California | CCPA (Cal. Civ. Code §1798.100 et seq.) as amended by CPRA | Know, access, delete, correct, opt-out of sale/share, limit sensitive PI, non-discrimination |
| Virginia | VCDPA | Access, correct, delete, portability, opt-out of targeted advertising, sale, and certain profiling |
| Colorado | CPA | Access, correct, delete, portability, opt-out; universal opt-out signal recognition |
| Connecticut | CTDPA | Access, correct, delete, portability, opt-out; GPC recognition |
| Utah | UCPA | Access, delete, portability, opt-out of targeted advertising and sale |
| Texas | TDPSA | Access, correct, delete, portability, opt-out |
| Oregon | OCPA | Access, correct, delete, portability, opt-out; third-party-list disclosure |
| Other states | Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Montana, Delaware, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maryland, Minnesota, and a growing list | Similar core rights; effective dates and thresholds vary |
If your state is not listed, you may still email us and we will give the same core rights as a matter of policy.
9. How to Exercise Your Rights
Email info@fishingguider.org with the subject “Privacy rights request” and the right you are exercising. We respond within 45 days (extendable by 45 days when necessary, with notice) as required by most state laws. We may need to verify your identity using information already in our records. You may use an authorized agent; for California agent requests, we require written authorization.
10. Children — COPPA
Fishing is a family activity, but this website is intended for the adults planning a trip and is not directed at children under 13. Under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and its implementing rule (16 CFR Part 312), we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information to us, email us with the subject “COPPA / child data” and we will delete it.
11. Security
We use technical and organizational measures appropriate to the limited categories of personal information we process — TLS/HTTPS in transit, encryption at rest where applicable, access controls, vendor due diligence, and a breach-response procedure aligned with state breach-notification statutes (e.g., Cal. Civ. Code §1798.82) and FTC data-security guidance.
12. Contact
For any privacy question or rights request: info@fishingguider.org
You may also complain to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov, your state Attorney General, or (in California) the California Privacy Protection Agency at cppa.ca.gov.
Exercise a Privacy Right
Email us with the subject “Privacy rights request”. We respond within 45 days.
📧 info@fishingguider.org