Summary of Regulations in State Waters
Federal trip limits for non-nearshore groundfish stocks (including lingcod and the other flatfish complex) are extended into state waters, statewide. Trip limits for nearshore groundfish stocks are provided in the tables below. Please be aware, vessels fishing in both state and federal waters are not entitled to additive trip limits.
North of 40° 10' N latitude (near Cape Mendocino)
Commercial Groundfish Trip Limits in State Waters North of 40° 10' N latitude (near Cape Mendocino)
Vessels fishing in both state and federal waters are not entitled to additive trip limits. Federal groundfish are defined in Section 1.91, Title 14, CCR.
| Species |
Jan-Feb |
Mar-Apr |
May-Jun |
Jul-Aug |
Sep-Oct |
Nov-Dec |
| 1. Cabezon |
1,000 lbs / 2 mo |
| 2. California scorpionfish |
3,500 lbs / 2 mo |
| 3. California sheephead |
2,000 lbs / 2 mo |
2,400 lbs / 2 mo |
| 4. Greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos |
500 lbs / 2 mo |
| 5. Quillback rockfish |
Closed |
| 6. Black rockfish |
7,000 lbs / 2 mo |
| 7. Nearshore rockfish excluding black rockfish |
2,000 / 2 mo, of which no more than 75 lbs may be copper rockfish |
| 8. Lingcod and other flatfish complex |
See subsection (f)(2) and (g) of this section |
| 9. All other federal groundfish |
See subsection (f) of this section |
Printable PDF of the above (North of Cape Mendocino) table
South of 40° 10' N latitude (near Cape Mendocino)
Commercial Groundfish Trip Limits in State Waters South of 40° 10' N latitude (near Cape Mendocino)
Vessels fishing in both state and federal waters are not entitled to additive trip limits. Federal groundfish are defined in Section 1.91, Title 14, CCR.
| Species |
Jan-Feb |
Mar-Apr |
May-Jun |
Jul-Aug |
Sep-Oct |
Nov-Dec |
| 1. Cabezon |
1,000 lbs / 2 mo |
| 2. California scorpionfish |
3,500 lbs / 2 mo |
| 3. California sheephead |
2,000 lbs / 2 mo |
2,400 lbs / 2 mo |
| 4. Greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos |
500 lbs / 2 mo |
| 5. Quillback rockfish |
Closed |
| 6. Shallow nearshore rockfish |
2,000 lbs / 2 mo |
| 7. Deeper nearshore rockfish |
2,000 / 2 mo, of which no more than 75 lbs may be copper rockfish |
| 8. Lingcod and other flatfish complex |
See subsection (f)(2) and (g) of this section |
| 9. All other federal groundfish |
See subsection (f) of this section |
Printable PDF of the above (South of Cap Mendocino) table
Select State Regulations for Groundfish
Pertinent regulatory text from California Code of Regulations, Title 14
Federal Commercial Fishing Information
- Federal Commercial Groundfish Information
Main federal commercial groundfish web page—find trip limits, federal regulations and other information pertinent to commercial groundfish fishing
- Federal Groundfish Closed Areas
A federal web page containing information about areas that prohibit or restrict take and/or possession of groundfish, including Rockfish Conservation Areas, Groundfish Exclusion Areas and coordinate point data files, among other related information