California Recreational Groundfish and Lingcod Fishing Regulation Changes for 2019

The lingcod daily bag and possession limit changed in 2019.
CDFW photo by M. Parker

On December 12, 2018 the California Fish and Game Commission took action to modify regulations for groundfish fishing. The changes went into effect January 2, 2019.

While many of the changes are good news and reflect improvements in the status of several species, not all changes resulted in increased opportunities for the recreational groundfish fishery. For California Groundfish Management Areas south of 40°10’ N latitude (near Cape Mendocino in northern California) 

Creature Feature: Lingcod

Two color variations of lingcod. The green variation sometimes has turquoise colored flesh, though biologists have yet to determine the cause. The blue-green tint disappears during cooking, and the fish tastes the same regardless of coloration.

Lingcod may be found statewide off California. This fish lives at or near the bottom, in a wide range of habitats including rocky areas and kelp beds, especially where there is strong tidal movement. They occur most abundantly in water shallower than 350 ft., but will often go into deeper water and have been caught as deep as 2,700 ft. off southern California.