California Department of Fish and Wildlife Archives

CALIFORNIA: Not Quite a Full Catch: Salmon season returns with strict limits

April 30, 2026 — After a three-year hiatus, the long-awaited commercial salmon fishing season starts May 1 off the Northern California coast — but with a catch.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced a few weeks ago that fishery stakeholders in a working group have agreed to limit Chinook (king) salmon stocks available for the annual harvest to 83,000 fish this summer. Another 20,000 may be caught this fall starting Sept. 4 in the San Francisco and Monterey zones, extending north to Point Arena.

The announcement comes on the heels of yet another delay in crabbing, which is off the table for now as humpback whales linger offshore, where they risk becoming entangled in fishing gear.

“It’s not quite what we would have liked, but it’s a good supplement,” longtime Bodega Bay fisher Dick Ogg told NorthBay biz regarding the salmon fishing restriction.

The California Salmon Council chairman and Bodega Bay Fishing Management Association president calculated that each vessel operating North Coast waters may haul in 160 fish.

Read the full article at KSRO

CALIFORNIA: Calif. expands pop-up gear, closes Zone 3 crab fishery

April 21, 2026 — California fishery managers are tightening restrictions on the commercial Dungeness crab fleet as whale entanglement risk rises along the coast, while also expanding the use of alternative gear.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) director Meghan Hertel announced new actions under the state’s Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP), targeting Fishing Zone 1 through 3, spanning from the California/ Oregon border south to Pigeon Point.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: Commercial salmon fishing returns to Pillar Point Harbor after three-year closure

April 20, 2026 — This year, for the first time since a three-year near-total closure of the industry, commercial fishers will be out on the water catching salmon off Pillar Point Harbor.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which regulates the fishing industry, announced in a press release April 12 that specific improvements to California salmon populations have allowed for commercial salmon fishing to begin again.

“I’m going to have to remember how to do it,” local fisher Steve Meis joked. “We’ve got to figure out where all our gear is.”

Read the full article at Daily Journal

California salmon rebound allows commercial fishing return, more recreational days in 2026

April 14, 2026 — After three straight years of closure, commercial ocean salmon fishing is returning to California, driven an increase in key salmon populations, setting the stage for more recreational opportunities next year.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said due to growing numbers of fall-run Chinook in the Sacramento and Klamath rivers, commercial ocean salmon fishing will resume after a three-year closure. Recreational anglers will also have more opportunities in 2026.

“Seeing our salmon populations recover is incredibly heartening and demonstrates what’s possible when we all work together — state and federal partners, tribes, sport anglers and commercial fishing interests, NGOs and others – to do what’s best for salmon,” said CDFW Director Meghan Hertel. “Salmon are part of the cultural fabric of California, and I’m delighted more Californians will have the opportunity to enjoy these magnificent fish, whether that’s in the water, on the end of their fishing lines, or on their dinner plates.”

Read. the full article at KRCR

CALIFORNIA: Commercial salmon fishing returns in California

April 13, 2026 — The U.S. state of California has reopened commercial salmon fishing in state waters after a three-year closure.

Regulators signaled they were considering a commercial salmon fishery in 2026 after forecasts showed the population of Klamath and Sacramento River fall Chinook were at a level that could potentially sustain a fishery. Those predictions proved true, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said it is reopening the fishery.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

CALIFORNIA: California Dungeness crab fishery opens to use of pop-up gear

March 17, 2026 — Use of conventional traps for commercial harvesting of Dungeness crab must cease in southern California on March 27, but fishermen may continue operating through the rest of the season using pop-up gear.

The March 13 announcement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for fishing zones 4 and 5 was the department’s first ever on the use of the recently approved pop-up gear, with buoys and lines remaining coiled on the seafloor. The announcement covers all fishing grounds south of Pigeon Point, including Monterey Bay and Morro Bay.

When commercial fishermen are ready to retrieve their gear, a remote signal triggers the release of the buoy, which carries the line to the surface, allowing commercial crabbers to locate the trap for quick removal.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: CDFW bans conventional crab traps in Monterey Bay to reduce whale entanglements

March 16, 2026 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said Friday that commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fishers can no longer use conventional traps in parts of the California coast.

DFW said the ban takes effect March 27 in waters south of Pigeon Point past Morro Bay in state fishing zones 4 and 5, including Monterey Bay.

CDFW said commercial Dungeness crab fishing may continue for the rest of the season through June 30 using newly approved “pop-up” gear beginning in April.

Recreational crab fishers may continue using hoop gear, which does not use vertical lines in the water column, in the closure areas after March 27.

Read the full article at KSBW

CALIFORNIA: CDFW authorizes first on-demand gear for Dungeness crab

January 30, 2026 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has approved the first-ever state-authorized on-demand fishing gear for use in California’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery, marking a significant step forward in efforts to reduce marine life entanglement risk.

CDFW supports the development and testing of fishing gear modifications and innovations aimed at lowering the risk of entanglement with Dungeness crab fishing gear. Currently, the state offers two primary pathways for testing and using innovative or experimental fishing gear: Experimental Fishing Permits (EFPs) and alternative gear authorization.

Under the state’s Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program, alternative gear authorization establishes a process for certifying innovative gear types that reduce entanglement risk. Once authorized by the CDFW director, alternative gear may be used between April 1 and the closure of the commercial Dungeness crab statutory season in areas that would otherwise be closed to traditional crab fishing.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: California invests $10 million to restore salmon and steelhead habitats

January 22, 2026 — In a significant move to bolster California’s salmon population, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has allocated over $10 million in grants to 16 projects aimed at restoring, enhancing and protecting salmon and steelhead habitats across the state. This initiative is part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s comprehensive strategy to address the challenges facing these vital fish populations.

The funding, awarded through CDFW’s Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP), includes contributions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. These efforts align with the objectives of the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, which seeks to restore salmon populations and improve their habitats.

Among the funded projects, the Upper Klamath River Design and Planning Project was awarded $739,196 to the Mid Klamath Watershed Council. The project will develop a 100% level fisheries restoration design on 7 miles of Beaver Creek.

Read the full article at KRCR

California commercial Dungeness crab season set to open on January 5

December 22, 2025 — California’s commercial Dungeness crab season is set to open on January 5 with limits on the number of commercial traps because of the risk of humpback whale entanglements, authorities said Friday.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that the Central Management Area from the Sonoma/Mendocino County line to Point Conception in Santa Barbara County will operate under a 40% trap reduction for commercial crabbing. Those fishermen will be allowed to begin setting traps during a “pre-soak” period starting on January 2.

Commercial crab fishing from the Oregon border to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line will remain delayed until January 15, with pre-soak beginning on January 12 with a 15% trap reduction, the CDFW said. The additional delay in northern waters is due to high levels of domoic acid in crab, which will require more testing before the all-clear is given, the CDFW said. Domoic acid is a neurotoxin produced by certain algae that can accumulate in shellfish and cause amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans.

In addition, the delay in the north will trigger California’s “fair start” rule, which bars vessels that fished in any other Dungeness crab area earlier in the season, including Oregon and Washington, from fishing in the newly opened delayed area for 30 days.

Read the full article at CBS News