California Saltwater Angling and Diving Records Program

Larry Laumann holding a trophy-size California corbina that he speared while diving.
photo by L. Laumann

Have you ever caught or speared a fish so large, you thought it might be a State record? Larry Laumann thought just that when he speared this 6.3 pound trophy-size California corbina near San Diego on the Fourth of July. Unfortunately, he checked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Fishing and Diving Records web page after he had filleted the fish and without getting an official weight from a certified scale, disqualifying him from the new record. While Larry certainly has bragging rights, the old record for California corbina still stands at 5 pounds 15 ounces.

CDFW maintains a list of state fishing and diving records for various species. The next time you land “the big one”, check CDFW’s Fishing and Diving Records web page to see if your species is listed for either “Ocean Angling” or “Ocean Diving” under the “Fishing Type” category, depending on the method of fishing you used. Note that only the species listed can qualify for a record, other species are not accepted.

Celebrate World Oceans Day with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife!

Kelp bass and salema over an eelgrass bed in S. Calif. photo by S. Wertz

Surfer. photo by A. Van Diggelen

Wolf-eel and sea urchins off the Farallon Islands, central Calif. CDFW/MARE photo

It’s that time of year again, when people around the world celebrate the beauty, resources, and enjoyment the ocean gives us. That’s right, today, June 8^th is World Oceans Day!

New Recreational Grunion Regulations Starting June 1

Grunion run. CDFW photo

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife would like to inform all who fish for or collect California grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) that the California Fish and Game Commission has recently adopted new grunion sport fishing regulations.

Creature Feature: Gopher Rockfish

Most gopher rockfish are caught between Pt. Conception and Monterey Bay in nearshore waters, but they may generally be found from Mendocino County southward off California. Gopher rockfish range from the intertidal zone to depths of around 282 ft., but are most commonly found at depths greater than 40 ft.

2021 “Year in Review” and “By the Numbers” Reports Now Available!

What did 2021 look like for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW’s) Marine Region? It was not the year many of us hoped for, with continued challenges to research, data collection, and management activities as the COVID-19 pandemic raged on. Two overviews that outline the hurdles we faced as well as last year’s accomplishments are now available in the 2021 Year in Review and its companion document, 2021 By the Numbers.