March 18, 2026 — For the first time in four years, salmon fishing seasons will open in California for both commercial and recreational use this spring.
That could be great news for local anglers and for professional fishers in Santa Cruz County, many of whom previously relied on the lucrative season for a significant portion of their annual income. But that doesn’t mean California salmon will come flooding back to markets, one local fish distributor said.
The sport fishing season will open first, on April 11 in ocean waters south of Pigeon Point, about 30 miles north of Santa Cruz. The commercial season, which has been closed in the state since 2023 due to low stock numbers, is set to open in California in mid-May, with a final date and regulations to be set in mid-April. The recreational fishery had only limited openings in 2025 following closures in 2023 and 2024 for the same reason.
Over the past year, salmon populations in the area have rebounded, with population sizes more than double last year’s estimates, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a media release on Friday.