California MLMA Master Plan

MLMA Master Plan 2. Prioritizing Management Efforts: Results of Fisheries Prioritization

CDFW has completed the comprehensive prioritization approach described in Chapter 2 of the 2018 MLMA Master Plan. Results for finfish were presented (PDF)(opens in new tab) at the California Fish and Game Commission meeting in December 2019. Results for invertebrates were presented (PDF)(opens in new tab) a year later in November 2020. The prioritized fisheries are listed in the tables below.

  • The Total column shows the sum of the PSA Rank, ERA Bycatch Rank, and ERA Habitat Rank columns. A lower Total means a higher priority. 
  • Species names are linked to related information in the California Marine Species Portal, including Enhanced Status Reports (ESRs), if available.

Finfish: Commercial

SPECIES GEAR TOTAL SCORE PSA Rank Bycatch Rank Habitat Rank
Pacific Angel Shark (opens in new tab) Gill Net 4 1 1 2
California Halibut Trawl 5 2 2 1
California Halibut Gill Net 5 2 1 2
White Seabass(opens in new tab) Gill Net 6 3 1 2
California Bay Shrimp Trawl 7 3 3 1
Spiny Lobster(opens in new tab) Trap 7 2 3 2
Pacific Herring Gill Net 8 3 3 2
Calfornia Sheephead (opens in new tab) Trap 8 2 4 2
California Barracuda (opens in new tab) Gill Net 10 3 2 5
Pacific Hagfish (opens in new tab) Trap 11 4 4 3
Shiner Perch(opens in new tab) Trap 11 4 4 3
Market Squid(opens in new tab) Purse Seine 11 4 3 4
California Halibut Hook and Line 12 3 4 5
Pacific Bonito (opens in new tab) Purse Seine 13 4 4 5
Redtail Surfperch (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 13 4 4 5
Night Smelt(opens in new tab) A Frame 13 4 4 5
Jacksmelt(opens in new tab) Hook and Line 13 4 4 5

Finfish: Recreational

SPECIES GEAR TOTAL SCORE PSA Rank Bycatch Rank Habitat Rank
Brown Smoothhound Shark (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 9 1 4 4
California Sheephead (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 9 2 4 3
Kelp Bass(opens in new tab) Hook and Line 9 2 4 3
Ocean Whitefish (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 9 2 4 3
Spiny Lobster(opens in new tab) Hoop Net 9 3 4 2
Spotted Sand Bass (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 10 2 4 4
Barred Sand Bass (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 10 2 4 4
California Halibut Hook and Line 11 3 4 4
Barred Surfperch (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 11 3 4 4
White Seabass(opens in new tab) Hook and Line 12 4 4 4
California Barracuda (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 12 3 4 5
California Corbina (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 12 4 4 4
White Croaker(opens in new tab) Hook and Line 12 4 4 4
Pacific Bonito (opens in new tab) Hook and Line 13 4 4 5

Invertebrates

PSA

SPECIES SECTOR GEAR PSA RANK
Warty Sea Cucumber Commercial Dive (Hand) 1
Red Abalone Recreational Dive (Hand/Iron) 1
Giant Red Sea Cucumber Commercial Trawl 2
Spiny Lobster Commercial Trap 2
Ocean Pink Shrimp Commercial Trawl 3
Spiny Lobster Recreational Hoop Net 3
Pacific Geoduck Clam Recreational Shovel 3
Kellet's Whelk Commercial Trap 4
Spot Prawn Commercial Trap 4
Red Sea Urchin Commercial Dive (Hand/Rake) 4
Ridgeback Prawn Commercial Trawl 4
Rock Crab Commercial Trap 5
Dungeness Crab Commercial Trap 5
Pismo Clam Recreational Clam Fork 5
Dungeness Crab Recreational Trap 5

ERA

SPECIES SECTOR GEAR ECOLOGICAL RISK ERA Bycatch Rank ERA Habitat Rank
Ridgeback Prawn (opens in new tab) Commercial Trawl 3 2 1
Giant Red Sea Cucumber (opens in new tab) Commercial Trawl 3 2 1
Ocean Pink Shrimp (opens in new tab) Commercial Trawl 4 3 1
Dungeness Crab (opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 5 2 3
Spot Prawn(opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 5 3 2
Rock Crab(opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 5 3 2
Spiny Lobster(opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 5 3 2
Kellet's Whelk (opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 5 3 2
Dungeness Crab (opens in new tab) Recreational Trap 6 3 3
Spiny Lobster(opens in new tab) Recreational Hoop Net 7 4 3
Pacific Geoduck Clam (opens in new tab) Recreational Shovel 8 4 4
Warty Sea Cucumber (opens in new tab) Commercial Dive (Hand) 9 4 5
Red Sea Urchin (opens in new tab) Commercial Dive (Hand/Rake) 9 4 5
Red Abalone Recreational Dive (Hand/Iron) 9 4 5
Pismo Clam Recreational Clam Fork 9 4 5

PSA+ERA

SPECIES SECTOR GEAR TOTAL PSA Rank ERA Bycatch Rank ERA Habitat Rank
Giant Red Sea Cucumber (opens in new tab) Commercial Trawl 5 2 2 1
Ocean Pink Shrimp (opens in new tab) Commercial Trawl 7 3 3 1
Ridgeback Prawn (opens in new tab) Commercial Trawl 7 4 2 1
Spiny Lobster(opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 7 2 3 2
Spot Prawn(opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 9 4 3 2
Kellet's Whelk (opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 9 4 3 2
Dungeness Crab (opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 10 5 2 3
Spiny Lobster(opens in new tab) Recreational Hoop Net 10 4 4 3
Warty Sea Cucumber (opens in new tab) Commercial Dive (Hand) 10 1 4 5
Red Abalone Recreational Dive (Hand/Iron) 10 1 4 5
Rock Crab(opens in new tab) Commercial Trap 10 5 3 2
Dungeness Crab (opens in new tab) Recreational Trap 11 5 3 3
Pacific Geoduck Clam (opens in new tab) Recreational Shovel 11 3 4 4
Red Sea Urchin (opens in new tab) Commercial Dive (Hand/Rake) 13 4 4 5
Pismo Clam Recreational Clam Fork 14 5 4 5