Additional Funds Available for Commercial Fisheries Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Commercial fishing vessels tied up in San Francisco
CDFW photo by K. Lesyna

Commercial fishery participants and other commercial fishing-related businesses can now apply for additional financial assistance for COVID-19 related impacts. The Secretary of Commerce announced the allocation of an additional $255 million in fisheries assistance funding earlier this year, with California receiving $15,315,740 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. Applications for these recovery funds are now available through the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) for eligible and qualified individuals and businesses.

Southern California Fisheries Closure Implemented Due to Oil Spill

Crude oil is shown in the Pacific Ocean offshore of Orange County, Oct. 3, 2021. A unified command has been established to respond to and clean up the oil spill off the California coast. Official U.S. Coast Guard photo

Notification from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife:

Take of all fish and shellfish is immediately prohibited from Huntington Beach to Dana Point, including the shorelines and offshore areas and all bays due to an oil spill in Southern California.

Call for Candidates to Serve on Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Advisory Body

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is seeking qualified candidates to serve on a number of advisory subpanels and committees regarding West Coast marine fishing and habitat issues. To ensure consideration, nominations should be received via the Council’s online Advisory Body Nomination Form no later than 5 p.m. Friday, October 22, 2021.

New Trap Regulations for Recreational Crabbing in California

New trap buoy configuration
CDFW photo by P. Ward

The California Fish and Game Commission adopted new regulations for the recreational crab fishery in late 2020. The revised regulations include the following new requirements when fishing with crab traps:

Join Us! MPA Decadal Management Review Community Meetings

The public is invited to learn about the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Decadal Management Review and share their perspectives regarding the MPA Network in a series of virtual community meetings hosted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in partnership with the Ocean Protection Council and the California Fish and Game Commission.