Creature Feature: Shiner Perch

Shiner perch may be found statewide in calmer ocean waters. They prefer bays around eelgrass beds, and the pilings of wharfs and piers.

Draft Aquaculture Informational Report to be Presented to the Marine Resources Committee on March 17

Aquaculture operations. CDFW photo

In 2006, the State enacted Senate Bill 201 which requires the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), in consultation with the Aquaculture Development Committee, to “prepare programmatic environmental impact reports (PEIRs) for existing and potential commercial aquaculture operations in both coastal and inland areas of the state [if certain conditions are met]…”. Due to the complexities of this legislation, a draft PEIR has not yet been published as CDFW continues to work towards determination of an appropriate path forward in both the design and implementation of a management framework for existing aquaculture operations and potential future operations.

As a step toward providing a common understanding of existing marine aquaculture activities in the State, the potential impacts of those activities, and future considerations of expansion, CDFW has developed a draft informational report on commercial marine aquaculture in California. Building off the extensive body of work that was developed for previous versions of the PEIR, the report describes the primary marine aquaculture species and culture methods currently approved, a summary of environmental settings and potential impacts, the current management context including primary policies and management authorities, and expected opportunities and challenges facing the future development and management of commercial marine aquaculture.

The draft report will be presented to the California Fish and Game Commission’s (Commission) Marine Resources Committee on March 17, and CDFW is recommending it be submitted to the Commission at their April 15-16, 2020 meeting to provide a foundation for public discussion around current and future commercial marine aquaculture in California.

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post by Kathryn Johnson, CDFW Environmental Scientist

Creature Feature: Quillback Rockfish

Quillback rockfish are found from Point Sur northward off California, but they are most common off northern California. This fish may be found in subtidal areas to

Creature Feature: Halfmoon

Halfmoon are primarily a Southern California fish, although they have been found as far north as the Klamath River in northern California.

Rare 7-year-old Chinook Salmon Caught in California Ocean Salmon Fishery

Large Chinook salmon sampled at Moss Landing, California in 2019 (not the 7-year-old salmon).
CDFW photo

In July of this year, a commercial salmon troller caught a 7-year-old Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) near Bodega Bay that measured 36 inches long.