May 28, 2026 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has launched new digital tools that allow both commercial and recreational fishers to track in-season harvests of ocean salmon.
“We’re excited to give salmon anglers the data they need to better plan their fishing seasons while at the same time leveraging technology to support in-season management and sustainable fisheries,” CDFW Director Meghan Hertel said in a release.
May 20, 2026 — California officials are expanding recreational crab trap restrictions along part of the state’s coast as humpback whales return to state waters, while commercial Dungeness crab fishing opportunities will remain open in some areas under existing management measures.
According to a May 15 announcement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), recreational crab traps will be prohibited in Fishing Zone 3, stretching from the Sonoma/Mendocino County line south to Pigeon Point, beginning at 6 p.m. on May 22. The move is intended to reduce the risk of whale entanglements under California’s Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP).
CDFW said recreational take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, will still be allowed through the close of the season. Existing recreational crab trap prohibitions in Fishing Zones 4 and 5 will also remain in effect.
Commercial opportunities continue in other portions of the fishery, though restrictions remain in place. In Northern California’s Fishing Zones 1 and 2, the commercial fleet continues operating under a 15% gear reduction and 30-fathom depth constraint. Fishing Zone 3 closed to standard commercial gear on April 30, but approved alternative “pop-up” gear remains authorized.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.