Saving Seafood

CALIFORNIA: California removes limits on sardine fishing after domoic acid concerns pass

June 16, 2025 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has removed limits on sardine fishing in Southern California, declaring the fish once again safe for human consumption.

The state had initially limited sardine fishing from Point Conception south to the Mexico border after the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and the State Public Health Officer at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) determined that elevated levels of domoic acid in sardines posed a risk to human health. Domoic acid, which is a naturally occurring neurotoxin emitted by marine algae, can accumulate in fish and cause several health issues, even proving fatal in some cases, for humans.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

CALIFORNIA: CDFW closes sardine fishery for human consumption

May 20, 2025 — On May 9, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced an immediate restriction on the commercial and recreational harvest of Pacific sardines for human consumption in ocean waters south of Point Conception to the California-Mexico border.

The move follows a public health warning issued after dangerously high levels of domoic acid were detected in sardine samples from the region.

The directive, issued by CDFW Director Charlton Bonham, was prompted by recommendations from the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). According to CDFW, sardines caught in the Southern California Bight pose “a human health risk due to elevated levels of domoic acid,” a naturally occurring marine toxin produced by harmful algal blooms.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: Dungeness trap restrictions tighten as whales move in

April 8, 2025 — As the annual migration of humpback whales makes its way up the California coast, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is tightening restrictions on Dungeness crab gear to protect the endangered mammals while allowing fishing to continue where it’s safe.

Starting at 6 p.m. on April 15, new measures will go into effect for both commercial and recreational fisheries under the state’s Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP). The latest call from CDFW director Charlton H. Bonham balances the need to keep fishermen on the water with increasing risk of entanglements as whales return to forage offshore.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

San Francisco fisherman hid illegally caught species

January 7, 2025 — Last week at San Francisco’s Pier 45, a commercial fisherman found themselves in hot water after being caught with over 2,000 pounds of unlawfully caught fish. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced Monday that the fisherman had gone to great lengths to deceive authorities, hiding fillets of salmon behind a false wall on their trawl boat.

The bust came after a period of surveillance by CDFW officers, who observed the fisherman unloading burlap sacks from the boat into a vehicle. The situation escalated when the fisherman attempted to hide the fish at a restaurant and evade capture. However, CDFW officers were quick to locate and apprehend them.

The haul included several species, including halibut, sole, sanddabs, and salmon. When landed, none of this catch had been reported as required for commercial fishing, a serious breach of regulations. Notably, all recreational and commercial salmon fishing in California has been prohibited since 2023 to aid in the recovery of dwindling salmon populations.

Further investigation revealed an additional 2,365 pounds of halibut, which authorities seized. The confiscated halibut was later sold, with proceeds donated to the Fish and Game Preservation Fund, showing the state’s commitment to conservation.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: California announces USD 17 million for restoration, salmon recovery

November 20, 2024 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced USD 17 million (EUR 16 million) in grant funding for habitat restoration across the state, at least USD 8.5 million (EUR 8 million) of which is dedicated to advancing salmon recovery efforts.

“Timing is critical to restore and protect California’s biodiversity, and we’re seizing this moment to support a diverse array of projects that will benefit fish, wildlife, lands, and watersheds across the state,” CDFW Director Charlton Bonham said in a statement. “By collaborating with these important conservation partners, advancing Tribally led restoration, and by staying focused on protecting ecosystems with the greatest need, we’ll ensure these funds will help support vulnerable species and communities across California.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

California fines San Diego fishermen USD 145,000 in poaching ring bust

April 1, 2024 — The U.S. state of California has busted a poaching ring based out of the city of San Diego that was illegally catching and selling bluefin tuna, yellowtail, and mahi.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said the poaching ring engaged in commercial fishing with “no regard to limits, documentation, or adhering to the highly regulated business practices of the commercial fishing industry.” In total, the fishermen involved were fined USD 145,000 (EUR 135,000) for the infractions, which included buying and selling more than 5,500 pounds of illegally caught fish that were sold for more than USD 26,000 (EUR 24,200).

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

CALIFORNIA: California awards USD 50 million for habitat restoration, rebuilding salmon populations

March 30, 2024 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has awarded USD 50 million (EUR 46 million) in grants to support habitat restoration across the state, including multiple projects that will directly support rebuilding salmon populations.

“These new investments are a key component to how we will restore California’s salmon population for the long term, and we’re doing it in partnership with the local communities and tribes who have been dealing with these issues for generations,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

CALIFORNIA: California commercial Dungeness crab fishing season delayed

November 8, 2o23 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced a delay in the season opener for California commercial Dungeness crab fishing off the Central and Southern Coast to protect whales from entanglement.

The decision is based on a combination of excessive humpback whale entanglements in California Dungeness crab gear over the last three years and high numbers of recent humpback whale sightings off the central coast according to CDFW’s Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program criteria.

The recreational Dungeness crab fishery will open statewide on November 4; however, recreational crab traps will not be allowed for the Central Coast (Fishing Zones 3 and 4) due to the high abundance of whales.

Read the full article at the Triplicate

Dungeness crab fishery along California coast closed due to whale entanglements

April 8, 2022 — All commercial Dungeness crab fishery along California’s coast will be closed this month after humpback whales were found entangled in fishing gear, wildlife authorities said.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Wednesday that fishery zones from the Sonoma-Mendocino county life north to the Oregon state line will close at noon on April 20. The closure comes after the department had already announced that commercial crab traps would have to be removed from fishery zones from the Sonoma-Mendocino county line down south to the U.S.-Mexico border by Friday.

“We received reports of additional humpback whale entanglements and moved quickly to close the fishery to protect migrating humpback whales that are just starting to return to California waters,” said Director Bonham.

Read the full story at KRON4

 

California orders an April 8 end to Dungeness crab season in Bay Area, Central Coast

March 28, 2022 — The commercial Dungeness crab-fishing season started late for the Bay Area and Central Coast regions. And it’s ending early.

On Friday afternoon, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife ruled that the season must close April 8 to protect migrating humpback whales. Two whales have recently become entangled in crab-fishing gear, one off the San Mateo County coast and one in Monterey Bay.

Until then, the state is asking all fishermen and mariners to keep an eye out for entangled whales and report them to the U.S. Coast Guard so that a “disentanglement response team” can be sent out to remove the gear.

“The past few seasons have been difficult for fishing families, communities and businesses, but it is imperative that we strike the right balance between protecting humpback whales and providing fishing opportunity,” Charlton H. Bonham, CDFW director, said in a statement about his decision.

Read the full story at the Mercury News