Public Invited to Celebrate Salmon, Community at CDFW’s Big Springs Ranch Wildlife Area in Siskiyou County

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 15:54:46 GMT

Canceled Due to Weather: After much deliberation and with disappointment, CDFW and CalTrout have decided to cancel the Oct. 25 event. The quantity of rain predicted in combination with a high wind advisory led to this decision.

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** Joint news release issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California Trout **

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and California Trout (CalTrout), joined by several community and conservation partners, invite the public to join in celebrating the fall return of Chinook salmon to the Shasta River in the Klamath Basin.

CDFW’s Big Springs Ranch Wildlife Area in Siskiyou County will host the free community event Saturday, October 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We’re excited to highlight the return of Chinook salmon to the Klamath Basin as well as the strong conservation and community partnerships that will help safeguard this iconic species into the future,” said Michael Harris, Environmental Program Manager of CDFW’s Klamath Watershed Program.

“This event is about connecting people to the river and the incredible wildlife that depend on it,” said Ada Fowler, Senior Project Manager at CalTrout. “By bringing the community together to experience salmon spawning firsthand, we’re celebrating both the resilience of these fish and the importance of protecting and restoring our shared natural heritage.”

Partnering with CDFW and CalTrout on the day’s family-friendly and educational activities are the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation, the Siskiyou Science Festival, the Scott River Watershed Council, The Nature Conservancy, Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center and the Salmon and Steelhead Coalition (Trout Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, and CalTrout).

Attendees can look forward to:

Guided Chinook salmon viewing along the Shasta River during their spawning season
Educational presentations on the geology of the Shasta Valley and its importance to salmon
Family-friendly activities such as nature journaling hosted by community partners
Opportunities to learn about the ecological significance of salmon in the Klamath Basin

Families, neighbors and community members of all ages are encouraged to attend. For questions about the event, including requests for reasonable accommodation, please reach out to CDFW staff.

Event Details:

When: Saturday, October 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Big Springs Ranch Wildlife Area, 4415 E Louie Rd, Montague, CA 96064
Admission: Free

For more information and directions, visit caltrout.org/events/big-springs-community-day-2025.

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Media Contacts:
Mike Harris, CDFW Northern Region, (530) 410-5334
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858
Kara Glenwright, CalTrout Communications

Recreational Ocean, In-River Salmon Fisheries in California to Close for Remainder of 2023

Fri, 19 May 2023 13:28:36 GMT

Emergency California Halibut Regulations Adopted to Protect Ocean Fishery

The California Fish and Game Commission acted unanimously to enact a full closure of California’s recreational salmon fishing season in the Klamath River Basin and Central Valley rivers through its annual process for adjusting seasons and bag limits on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

In a separate emergency action, the Commission voted to close recreational salmon fisheries in the Smith River and Eel River, and the summer season in the Klamath and Trinity rivers. Additionally, in the same emergency action, the Commission voted to allow federally recognized tribes that currently or historically used the river segments affected by the recreational fishing closures, to continue fishing under existing inland sport fishing regulations. The regulations are expected to take effect no later than July 1, 2023, following approval by the Office of Administrative Law.

The Commission’s actions on salmon follow the recommended closure of both commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries off the California coast by the Pacific Fishery Management Council due to projections showing Chinook salmon abundance at historic lows. Pursuant to California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 1.95, ocean salmon sport fishing regulations in state waters automatically conform to federal regulations unless the Commission deliberately takes a different action. Federal regulations for ocean salmon fisheries were published in 88 FR 30235 on May 11, 2023, and went into effect as of May 16, 2023.

Recognizing the importance of salmon to California’s commercial, charter and inland guide businesses, Gov. Gavin Newsom last month submitted a request to the U. S. Secretary of Commerce asking for a Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration. If approved, the declaration would begin the process of providing needed relief to businesses and fishing communities financially impacted by the salmon fishing closure.

“This decision, while difficult, is intended to allow salmon to recover in order to provide future fishing opportunities,” said California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham. “Salmon are an iconic species in California. We treasure them for their intrinsic, cultural, recreational and commercial values. The state is committed to ensuring long-term survival of our salmon runs and supporting our struggling fishing communities.”

Prolonged drought, severe wildfires and associated impacts to spawning and rearing habitat, harmful algal blooms and ocean forage shifts have combined to result in some of the lowest stock abundance forecasts on record for California’s Chinook salmon. The low ocean abundance forecasts, coupled with low 2022 returns, led the Commission to recommend closure of California’s in-river recreational salmon fisheries, which include the Klamath and Trinity rivers within the Klamath Basin, the Sacramento, Feather, American and Mokelumne rivers in the Central Valley, the Smith River and the Eel River. Gov. Newsom’s request for a Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration is the first step in the process that may lead to federal financial assistance to affected businesses and fishing communities.

In another emergency action, the Commission voted unanimously to reduce the daily bag and possession limit for California halibut from three fish to two fish in California waters north of Point Sur, Monterey County. The regulations are expected to take effect June 1, 2023. The reduced California halibut limit is designed to protect the resource amid increased recreational fishing pressure due to limited fishing opportunities and changes in other ocean fisheries including salmon. The Pacific halibut fishery is unaffected by the Commission’s action; the daily bag and possession limit for Pacific halibut remains one fish with no size limit.

For more information visit:

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Media Contact:
Jordan Traverso, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352

CDFW News

Public Invited to Celebrate Salmon, Community at CDFW’s Big Springs Ranch Wildlife Area in Siskiyou County

Recreational Ocean, In-River Salmon Fisheries in California to Close for Remainder of 2023