CDFW News

Del Norte County Razor Clam Fishery Opens After One-Month Closure Due to Public Health Hazard

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:26:29 GMT

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Meghan Hertel has opened the recreational razor clam fishery in Del Norte County (PDF) following a recommendation from state health agencies (PDF) that domoic acid no longer poses a significant threat ;to human health if consumed.

The razor clam fishery was closed on July 31 in Del Norte County due to elevated levels of domoic acid. Clams sampled in July and August 2026 from Crescent Beach, Del Norte County, all had domoic acid concentrations lower than the federal action level, allowing the fishery to reopen.

The recreational razor clam fishery in Humboldt County remains closed due to elevated levels of domoic acid. The closure, which began in May 2024, remains in effect until state health agencies determine razor clams no longer pose a health risk.

CDFW will continue to work with the California Department of Public Health and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as they monitor ocean indicators for domoic acid presence and continue to test razor clams from Northern California. This will ;determine when the recreational razor clam fishery can be reopened safely in Humboldt County while ensuring razor clams are safe to harvest in Del Norte County.

CDFW reminds clammers that the daily bag limit for razor clams is 20 and the first 20 clams dug must be retained regardless of size or condition. The fishery is open south of Battery Point, Crescent City in Del Norte County. Each person is required to keep a separate container for their clams and is not allowed to commingle their take with another person when digging and transporting clams to shore.

Recreational clam fishery regulations can be found in the Ocean Sport Fishing Regulation Guide (PDF) refer to Section 29.20 for general clam regulations and Section 29.45 for specific razor clam regulations.

Health advisory information will be updated on CDFW’s fishery information and health advisories page.

To get the latest information on current fishing season closures related to domoic acid, please call CDFW’s Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Information Line at (831) 649-2883.

For the latest consumption warnings, please call California Department of Public Health’s Biotoxin Information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.

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Media Contacts:
Christy Juhasz, CDFW Marine Region, (707) 292-2480
Krysten Kellum, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120

Del Norte County Razor Clam Fishery Closes Due to Public Health Hazard; Monterey Bay Anchovy and Sardine Restrictions Lifted as Health Concern Alleviated

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:57:52 GMT

Highlighting the dynamic nature of California’s ocean ecosystem, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Acting Director Valerie Termini closed the recreational razor clam fishery in Del Norte County (PDF) today following a recommendation from state health agencies (PDF) that consumption of razor clams in the area poses a significant human health threat for domoic acid exposure.

At the same time, Termini lifted the commercial fishing restrictions on northern anchovy and Pacific sardine (PDF) in Monterey Bay when taken for human consumption. This action comes after state health agencies recommended (PDF) that northern anchovy and Pacific sardine no longer pose a human health risk if consumed.

Razor clam sampling from Crescent Beach in Del Norte County in mid-July (PDF) found clams exceeding the current domoic acid federal action level. In Monterey Bay, however, samples in July show concentrations of domoic acid (PDF) in northern anchovy and Pacific sardine have fallen below the federal action level that prohibit commercial distribution of seafood products for human consumption.

Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin that under certain conditions is produced by Pseudo-nitzschia, a naturally occurring, single-celled marine alga. Domoic acid can accumulate in fish without the organism itself becoming ill. At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and can in some cases be fatal.

The recreational razor clam fishery in Humboldt County remains closed due to elevated levels of domoic acid. The closure, which began in May 2024, remains in effect until state health agencies determine razor clams no longer pose a health risk.

CDFW will continue to work with the California Department of Public Health and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to collect, monitor and analyze razor clams to determine when the recreational razor clam fishery can be reopened safely in these areas.

Information will be updated on CDFW’s fishery information and health advisories

To get the latest information on current fishing season closures related to domoic acid, call CDFW’s Domoic Acid Fishery Information Line at (831) 649-2883.

For the latest consumption warnings, call the California Department of Public Health’s Biotoxin Information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.

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Media Contacts:
Christy Juhasz, Razor Clams, CDFW Marine Region, (707) 292-2480
John Ugoretz, Sardine and Anchovy, CDFW Marine Region, (562) 338-3068
Krysten Kellum, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120

Factual Information About Lake Tahoe’s Black Bears

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:31:44 GMT

Keep Tahoe Bears Wild!

The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) is a collective of bear experts across federal, state and local agencies who study and understand bears and have devoted much of their professional lives to ensure the health and well-being of the Lake Tahoe Basin’s black bears. TIBT provides proven and scientifically backed information about the real issues and solutions for living and recreating in bear country.

Tahoe bears may at times seem like a unique bear species due to their general lack of fear and boldness around humans (habituation), but these black bears follow the usual biological patterns of black bears across California and Nevada. Whether living in or visiting bear country here at Lake Tahoe or beyond, this information should clarify what human actions are needed to help wild bears survive and thrive.

Secure Crawl Spaces

Web cam photos and videos of bears denning under homes can perpetuate the myth that property owners and residents should allow bears to den under homes and in crawl spaces. It can also encourage unwanted behavior such as laying out hay or other materials for bears. However, most homeowners don’t even know a bear is under or around their home until it has already established a makeshift den.

Bears often damage the insulation, exposing pipes to freezing temperatures or even damaging them in the process. Once a bear gets established, it can be difficult to make it leave. This increases the chances of human-bear conflict and habituated behavior.

Bears under homes need to be addressed by trained agency professionals as bears can be dangerous and unpredictable. If disturbed, mother bears with newborn cubs may abandon the den, orphaning the cubs in the process. For this reason, only a wildlife professional should evaluate the situation and offer advice to homeowners.

It’s important to remember that bears have evolved to comfortably survive winter without human help, so it is essential to board up all crawl spaces around homes to discourage bears from denning underneath. The TIBT video “Securing Your Crawl Space” will show you how to go about this.

Deny Access to Human Food and Trash

Black bears are very resilient and adaptive animals, and, as opportunistic omnivores, they will take advantage of any available food source, including human-provided foods like garbage. Their highly developed sense of smell allows them to find these food sources, even when locked in a vehicle or home, which in turn may lead bears into conflict with people.

It is true that bears need a lot of calories, especially in preparation for winter, but giving them handouts will not set them up to thrive. Repeated exposure to human foods can lead to food-conditioned bears which then view human homes and neighborhoods as reliable sources of food.

When mother bears teach their cubs to access human foods, they not only continue the cycle of human food-conditioning, but the cubs are much more prone to be involved in conflict, including being hit and killed by vehicles.

Consuming human food and garbage is incredibly unhealthy for bears because the high sugar content can increase tooth decay and painful abscesses. Intentionally feeding bears is illegal in both California and Nevada.

As omnivores, a bear’s diet is about 85% plant-based, with the remaining portion coming from consuming insects, small mammals and carrion. Bears should be allowed to fulfill their very important and vital ecological role as seed dispersers, predators and scavengers.

Get ‘BearWise’ to Keep Bears Wild

Black bears are smart. They have learned how to unscrew lids and open sliding glass and vehicle doors. They are also strong. In order to access food, they can peel a car door down from the top or break through a typical home door or window. Even after an incident like the 2021 Caldor Fire, where a huge swath of vegetation was burned in the Sierra Nevada mountains, wildlife biologists saw bears find natural ways to survive like the resilient omnivores that they are.

On rare occasions, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) must remove bears that are putting human life and property at risk. No one, including agency biologists who have dedicated their lives and careers to protecting bears, want this outcome. It is only used with great discretion and as a last resort.

Bears are large, strong animals and once they become conditioned to human foods or comfortable around people and human surroundings, they pose a significant threat to human safety. For these reasons it is very important for people to be educated and dedicated to being “BearWise.” Learn how at the BearWise website.

It’s also important to note that except in the case of the immediate protection of human life, the only people who can legally interact with wildlife are designated state agency representatives or law enforcement professionals.

Slow Down for Bears, Wildlife

It can be exciting to see a big, beautiful animal like a black bear in a neighborhood, but it is not where bears belong. Human-developed areas pose many dangers to bears, particularly busy roads with cars, which bears must cross in order to get to the unhealthy human food and garbage in developed areas.

By allowing bears to comfortably live in or pass through neighborhoods, the chances that they will get struck and killed by vehicles increases greatly. If a bear is in your neighborhood, encourage it to move on by scaring it away so that it can lead a safer life away from developed areas and conflict. Slow down for bears and other wildlife in the Tahoe Basin. For more information on bear-vehicle collisions, see the TIBT video “When Bears and Humans Collide”.

The TIBT is dedicated to creating the best environment for bears to thrive and remain wild in an ever-growing, ever-changing environment like the Lake Tahoe Basin. CDFW and NDOW should be the only point of contact for any bear-related incidents or questions. CDFW and NDOW have trained black bear experts who can help navigate any human-bear conflicts.

We encourage the public to visit our website, TahoeBears.org, for accurate, science-based information about bears. To report bear incidents or conflict in the Lake Tahoe Basin, use the following:

In California, contact CDFW at 916-358-2917 or report online using the Wildlife incident Reporting (WIR) System.
Non-emergency bear collisions in California State Parks can be reported to public dispatch at 916- 358-1300.
In Nevada, contact NDOW at 775-688-BEAR (2327).
If the issue is an emergency, call the local sheriff’s department or 911.

Thank you for helping keep Tahoe bears wild and safe!

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Media Contact:
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858

Wildfire Impacts Lead to South Chimineas Unit Closure

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 15:57:19 GMT

Prescribed Burn Treatment Helped Keep Flames at Bay on Carrizo Plains

Due to impacts of the Madre Fire that burned last month on CDFW’s Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve (ER) in San Luis Obispo County, certain hunting opportunities will not take place.

While other units of the ER were spared severe wildfire damage, thanks in part to a prescribed burn conducted in partnership with CAL FIRE in February 2025, impacts to the South Chimineas Unit call for it to be closed to all public access through spring 2026.

“The closure of the South Chimineas Unit will allow the habitat to recover,” said Brandon Swanson, CDFW’s unit biologist for San Luis Obispo County. “The closure will also give the wildlife on the South Chimineas Unit a break after the disturbances of wildfire that would be compounded by the pressures of hunting. The potential for dead trees to fall is also a public safety concern.”

Drive-on access for elk hunting on the ER within the La Panza hunt zone will be allowed on the North Chimineas Unit through the normal draw from public hunt tag holders, but not on the South Chimineas Unit.

The following South Chimineas Unit special hunts planned for this fall and winter have been canceled:

Sept. 12-14: Chimineas Junior Only Deer Hunt
Nov. 1: Chimineas Junior Only Quail Hunt
Dec. 13: South Chimineas Ranch Family and Mobility Impaired Upland Hunts
Jan. 3, 2026: Chimineas Upland Game Hunt
Jan. 3, 2026: Chimineas Mobility Impaired Quail Hunt

Chimineas Ranch special hunts still planned (applications due Aug. 11):

Sept. 6: Chimineas Ranch Family and Mobility Impaired Upland Hunts

To apply for these special hunts sill taking place, go to the special hunt online application instructions (PDF).

An estimated 25,000 acres of CDFW’s Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve burned in the Madre Fire. The February 2025 prescribed burn conducted in partnership with CAL FIRE on the American Unit of the ER helped limit the spread of the Madre Fire. More information on the impact of this prescribed burn can be found in CAL FIRE's Madre Fire Fuels Effectiveness Report.

Nearly all of the tule elk’s home range on the ecological reserve saw flames, but tule elk are capable of moving great distances — a herd some 50 strong was sighted within the burned area on the South Chimineas Unit. CDFW buildings and other infrastructure such as wildlife watering wells and water storage tanks saw little damage due to firefighters’ efforts and weed abatement work by CDFW.

The 38,900-acre Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve consists of oak and juniper woodland, chapparal, grassland and desert and coastal scrub, most of which is expected to recover from fire impacts and benefit from the elimination of invasive grasses.

For more information about the Carrizo Plain Ecological Reserve, visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Carrizo-Plains-ER.

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Media Contact:
Krysten Kellum, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120

Southern California Pacific Sardine Take Restrictions in Place Due to Public Health Hazard

Fri, 09 May 2025 15:01:29 GMT

State health agencies determined that Pacific sardine sampled off Southern California contained elevated levels of domoic acid and recommended a fishery restriction for Southern California for the commercial (PDF) and recreational (PDF) take of sardine for human consumption in the area.

Following this recommendation, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has enacted a restriction (PDF) for the commercial and recreational take of Pacific sardine for human consumption in the area south of Point Conception (34⁰ 27.000’ N. lat.) to the California/Mexico border. Take of Pacific sardine for live bait is allowed in the commercial fishery and the recreational fishery can still take and use Pacific sardine as bait.

The current fishery restrictions only apply to Pacific sardine, which has been found to have high levels of domoic acid in samples. This restriction does not apply to other finfish (rockfish, halibut, white seabass, yellowtail, tuna, and others). It is always recommended to consume only the cleaned, skinned, fillets of fish when there are restrictions or advisories for other species. Cooking methods that avoid combining the eaten portion with other body parts are also recommended. More information on current health advisories is available on the California Department of Public Health website. For questions regarding sampling and testing programs, including current test results, contact the California Department of Public Health.

CDFW will continue to coordinate with the state health agencies, California Department of Public Health and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to test domoic acid levels in Pacific sardine as well as other fish species to determine when the restriction in Southern California can safely be lifted. State and federal laws prohibit the commercial distribution of seafood products for human consumption above federal action levels.

Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin produced by Pseudo-nitzschia, a naturally occurring single-celled marine alga, under certain ocean conditions. Domoic acid can accumulate in fish without the organism itself becoming ill. At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and can in some cases be fatal.

Information will be updated on CDFW’s fishery information and health advisories website.

To get the latest information on current fishing season closures related to domoic acid, call CDFW’s Domoic Acid Fishery Information Line at (831) 649-2883.

For the latest consumption warnings, call the California Department of Public Health’s Biotoxin information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.

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Media Contacts:
Steve Gonzalez, CDFW Communications, (916) 804-1714
John Ugoretz, CDFW Marine Region, (562) 338-3068