Creature Feature: Pacific Razor Clam

In California, the Pacific razor clam may be found from the California-Oregon border southward to Pismo Beach, but they are most abundant in Del Norte and Humboldt counties.

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.

Watch Out for Coho Salmon in California’s Ocean Fisheries

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reminds ocean sport anglers to be vigilant about properly identifying their salmon before landing them.

The ocean salmon fishing season in the Monterey management area is well under way and areas to the north will open in late June. Coho (or silver) salmon, a protected species, are most likely to be encountered during late spring and early summer. Proper identification is critical for their survival.

Salmon Seasons Finalized for the California Coast

Sport fisherman with a nice Chinook salmon caught off Devil’s Slide
photo courtesy of D. Laughlin

Ocean salmon anglers across the California coast will be spending less time on the water this year chasing after king salmon, also known as Chinook.

At its virtual meeting last week, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) finalized and adopted the 2021 ocean salmon seasons. Sport fisheries on much of the coast have yet to open, except for the Monterey area which opened on the traditional first Saturday in April.

Sustainably Managing California’s Fisheries and Ecosystems During a Pandemic – Marine Region’s 2020 Year in Review and By the Numbers Reports

What did 2020 look like for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW’s) Marine Region? The 2020 Year in Review is now available along with its companion document 2020 By the Numbers. These reports provide overviews of the hurdles the Marine Region faced and accomplishments we achieved last year.