Limited Recreational Ocean Salmon Seasons Finalized for 2018

A nice Chinook salmon caught outside Bodega Bay
CDFW photo

As expected, ocean salmon anglers will have fewer opportunities this year to wet a line for their favorite fish out of most California ports.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) took action this week to finalize recreational salmon fishing season dates for ocean waters off California for the remainder of the year. In response to the new “overfished” status of Sacramento River Fall Chinook, recreational fishing seasons in ocean waters will be cut by 40 percent in some regions, compared to unrestricted seasons.

Substantial cuts were made to ocean salmon fishing opportunity in all management areas, though some areas have longer seasons than others. Sport fisheries between the Oregon/California border and Horse Mountain will only be open from the beginning of June until early September. The longest seasons will be for fisheries from Horse Mountain to Pigeon Point (Fort Bragg and San Francisco

Revised Draft 2018 MLMA Master Plan Submitted to Fish and Game Commission

Princeton Harbor, Half Moon Bay at sunset
CDFW photo by K. Lesyna

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently reached an important milestone by submitting the revised draft 2018 Marine Life Management Act (MLMA) Master Plan to the Fish and Game Commission (Commission) at the February 7-8, 2018 meeting in Sacramento.

Over the past two years, CDFW staff have worked with partners and stakeholders to amend the 2001 Master Plan to consider and include updated

Exploring California’s Marine Protected Areas: Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve

A foggy summer morning at Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve, one of the many pocket coves on the Sonoma coastline.
photo by Sara Worden

The northward path across the Golden Gate Bridge leads away from the bustle of the Bay Area, past the headlands and rolling hills of Marin, to the windy, wild coastline of Sonoma County.

2018 Grunion Run Schedule Now Available

Grunion spawning on a sandy beach
CDFW photo

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has published its annual schedule of predicted grunion runs in 2018. Intrepid nature lovers and grunion hunters can use the schedule to stake out a beach late at night and perhaps catch a few fish, or just observe their unusual mating behavior.

Grunion, are small, slender fish with bluish-green backs and silvery bellies. These fish ‘strand’ themselves

New CDFW Video, Poster, and Brochure Showcase California MPA Network

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has developed several new and exciting outreach products to help Californians learn more about their network of marine protected areas (MPAs).  The materials listed below are all available online and through CDFW.