This page contains information about unscheduled, in-season regulation changes for recreational and commercial ocean fishing.
CDFW is required to notify the public of in-season regulation changes for groundfish at least 10 days before the new regulations becomes effective, via news release.
The department shall give the public and the National Marine Fisheries Service no less than 10 days notice of any fishery closure or rule change implemented pursuant to this Section via a department news release. - California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 27.20(f)
For information about new and proposed in-season regulation changes separate from those under Fish and Game Commission rulemaking authority, visit CDFW's Proposed Regulations page.
Further information may be obtained by calling your local CDFW office. You may also sign up for the Marine Region News Service to receive automatic notification of in-season regulation changes.
News Releases, Updates and Informational Notices
October 24, 2025
Recreational Dungeness Crab Fishing Begins Nov. 1 With Limitations, Commercial Season Delayed
September 18, 2025
UPDATE: Recreational Groundfish Regulations Now Effective in State and Federal Waters
September 17, 2025
Fall Ocean Salmon Fishery Meets the 7,500 Chinook Fall Harvest Guideline and is Set to Close for Remaining 2025 Dates
August 28, 2025
Recreational Groundfish Regulations Now Effective in State Waters
August 14, 2025
California Fish and Game Commission Increases Fishing Opportunities for the 2025 Recreational Groundfish Season
July 30, 2025
Del Norte County Razor Clam Fishery Opens Under a Continuing Health Advisory for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
July 3, 2025
Commercial Sea Urchin Fishery Regulation Changes Now in Effect
June 23, 2025
Ocean Salmon Fishery Achieves Summer Catch Limit, Will Reopen in September
June 13, 2025
CDFW Closes Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery in Northern Management Area to Protect Whales From Entanglement
Southern California Pacific Sardine Domoic Acid Restrictions Lifted
May 9, 2025
Southern California Pacific Sardine Take Restrictions In Place Due to Public Health Hazard
April 24, 2025
Commercial Rock Crab Fishery Opens from California/Oregon Border to Humboldt Bay
April 21, 2025
Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishing Opportunity Continues in Northern Management Area, Will Close in Central Management Area to Protect Whales from Entanglement
April 15, 2025
Pacific Fishery Management Council Recommends Limited Recreational Ocean Salmon Season, Continued Closure for Commercial Salmon Fishing off California
April 3, 2025
CDFW Protects Returning Humpback Whales from Entanglement Risk While Providing Continued Fishing Opportunities for Dungeness Crab
Summaries of Regulation or Season Changes
October 24, 2025
The commercial Dungeness crab fishery has been delayed until at least the New Year. From the California-Oregon border to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line, the recreational Dungeness crab fishery is closed until further notice due to unhealthy levels of domoic acid in the crab. CDFW's Director will open the northern California recreational fishery when state health officials determine that domoic acid no longer poses a significant risk to public health. When the season opens south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line on Nov. 1, state health officials advise not eating the viscera (internal organs) of Dungeness crab from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Point Reyes to avoid potential domoic acid exposure. When the season opens, crab traps may not be set or fished in ocean waters from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point due to an elevated risk of marine life entanglement. The use of hoop nets and crab snares will still be permitted in this area. The next risk assessment will likely take place in mid-December to inform a possible opening of the commercial fishery and lifting of recreational trap restrictions.
September 18, 2025
In federal and state waters, between the Oregon/California border and Point Conception, fishing for rockfish, cabezon, and greenling (RCG Complex) and lingcod is now open in all depths. The Central-North Groundfish Management Area and Central-South Groundfish Management Area have been combined into a new Central Groundfish Management Area. A new, two-fish sub-bag limit is in effect for canary rockfish, statewide. Vermilion rockfish and sunset rockfish are now considered the same species for regulatory purposes. Both species in combination count towards the vermilion rockfish/sunset rockfish sub-bag limits.
September 17, 2025
The 7,500 Chinook fall harvest guideline was reached during the September 4-7 recreational ocean salmon fishery. The National Marine Fisheries Service took in-season action on September 17 to close the remaining 2025 fall dates of September 29-30, October 1-5, and October 27-31. The action closed the California ocean salmon fishery statewide for the remainder of 2025.
August 28, 2025
In state waters only, between the Oregon/California border and Point Conception, fishing for rockfish, cabezon, and greenling (RCG Complex) and lingcod is now open in all depths. Similar all-depth fishing regulations are expected to take effect for federal waters sometime in mid-September. A new, two-fish sub-bag limit is in effect for canary rockfish, statewide. Vermilion rockfish and sunset rockfish are now considered the same species for regulatory purposes. Both species in combination count towards the vermilion rockfish/sunset rockfish sub-bag limits.
August 14, 2025
Changes are under review for a suite of recreational fishing regulations that pertain to rockfish, cabezon, greenlings, and lingcod:
- North of Point Conception (34° 27’ N. Lat.; within the Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco, and Central groundfish management areas), groundfish fishing will be authorized in all water depths through December 31, 2025.
- Nearshore, shelf, and slope rockfishes, lingcod, cabezon, and greenlings may be retained during the all-depth fishery.
- Canary rockfish will have a new two fish sub-bag limit statewide.
- Vermilion rockfish and sunset rockfish in combination will be limited to two fish south of 40° 10’ N. Lat. (in the Mendocino, San Francisco, Central, and Southern groundfish management areas), and four fish between the OR/CA border and 40° 10’ N. Lat. (in the Northern Groundfish Management Area).
- The management line at Lopez Point will be removed, reuniting the split Central Groundfish Management Area into a single management area. The Central GMA will extend along the coast from 37° 11’ N. Lat. (Pigeon Point) to 34° 27’ N. Lat. (Point Conception).
CDFW will notify the public when the new regulations take effect through the Marine Management News blog; please subscribe to receive notification or check regularly for the announcement confirming the new regulations have gone into effect.
July 30, 2025
The recreational razor clam fishery in Del Norte County has been reopened following recommendations from state health agencies. However, a July 3, 2025 health advisory is still in effect that warns not to consume any sport-harvested bivalve shellfish (such as clams, mussels, and scallops) from Del Norte County due to dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin. The recreational razor clam fishery remains closed in neighboring Humboldt County due to elevated levels of domoic acid.
July 3, 2025
New and updated commercial sea urchin fishery regulation changes are in effect as of July 1, 2025. Regulations now allow an individual with a commercial fishing license to assist a permitted diver harvesting sea urchins. New regulations also greatly reduce the size of the South Caspar Point Sea Urchin Closure; the closure will be eliminated entirely on April 1, 2029. The regulation changes also open up Fridays as fishing days from June through October each year in the northern fishery. Regulation changes also specify how sea urchins are to be measured and clarify language regarding the red sea urchin size limit. Structural changes were also made to the regulations, dividing up the original Title 14, Section 120.7 into two sections: Section 120.7 is now called “Permits Used to Commercially Take Sea Urchins”, and Section 120.8 is called “Taking of Sea Urchin for Commercial Uses”.
June 23, 2025
Statewide, over 9,000 Chinook salmon were taken in the recreational summer ocean salmon fishery, achieving the summer fishery harvest guideline of 7,000 salmon. The National Marine Fisheries Service has closed the remaining summer dates of July 5-6, July 31-August 3, and August 25-31. The recreational ocean salmon season is set to reopen September 4-7 under a separate fall harvest guideline of 7,500 Chinook salmon in waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur. If this harvest guideline isn’t reached, the season will continue on September 29-30. If any fish remain in the fall harvest guideline after this date, the fishery will continue in waters between Pt. Reyes and Pigeon Point on October 1-5 and October 27-31.
June 13, 2025
Dungeness Crab
The commercial Dungeness crab season will close on June 20, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (from the California/Oregon border to the Mendocino/Sonoma county line at 38°46.125’ N latitude). The recreational Dungeness crab fishery remains open in these zones.
A Fleet Advisory remains in effect for recreational crab fisheries. Avoid setting gear in areas where whales are present and follow best practices for crabbing with traps.
Pacific Sardine
CDFW has lifted the restriction on the recreational and commercial take of Pacific sardine for human consumption south of Point Conception (34° 27.000’ N. lat.) to the California/Mexico border. Domoic acid levels in Pacific sardine no longer pose a threat to public health, as determined by state health agencies.
May 9, 2025
CDFW has restricted the take of Pacific sardine for human consumption south of Point Conception (34° 27.000’ N. lat.) to the California/Mexico border. Take is restricted in this area due to elevated levels of domoic acid in the fish. The commercial Pacific sardine fishery for live bait and the recreational fishery for bait purposes only remain open. The restrictions will be lifted when domoic acid levels in Pacific sardine no longer pose a threat to public health, as determined by state health agencies. The current fishery restrictions only apply to Pacific sardine.
April 24, 2025
The commercial rock crab fishery has been reopened from the California/Oregon border south to near Cape Mendocino, Humboldt County (40°30.00’ N. lat.) as of April 24, 2025. The commercial fishery continues to be open south of the Humboldt-Mendocino county line to the U.S.-Mexico border. A fishery closure remains in effect from the Mendocino/Humboldt county line (40°00.00’ N. lat.) to 40°30.00’ N. lat. (near Cape Mendocino, Humboldt County), until state health agencies determine that domoic acid levels no longer pose a significant risk to public health in this area and recommend the fisheries be opened, and the CDFW director provides notification of fishery reopening to commercial fishermen.
CDPH's health advisory regarding consumption of recreationally-taken rock crab is still in effect from the Mendocino/Humboldt county line to Cape Mendocino, Humboldt County. CDPH recommends that consumers not eat the viscera (internal organs, also known as "butter" or "guts") of crabs caught in this area.
April 21, 2025
The commercial Dungeness crab season will close on May 1, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in Fishing Zone 3 (from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line, 38°46.125' N latitude, to Pigeon Point, 37°11' N latitude). The commercial season will remain open in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (California/Oregon state line to Sonoma/Mendocino county line) under existing trap reductions and depth constraints.
A recreational crab trap restriction will be implemented in Fishing Zone 3 on May 1, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Crab traps may not be set or used to take crab recreationally in this area. Crab may be taken by other methods (including hoop nets and crab snares) through the close of the season.
A Fleet Advisory remains in effect for both commercial and recreational crab fisheries statewide where the season is open. Avoid setting gear in areas where whales are present and follow best practices for crabbing with traps.
April 15, 2025
The Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended limited fishing opportunities for California's 2025 recreational ocean salmon fisheries, and the closure of California's commercial salmon fisheries. Statewide, the recreational season will open June 7-8, with a 7,000 Chinook salmon summer harvest guideline. If the limit is not attained in those two days, the fishery will open again July 5-6. Additional dates are available in late July and August if the summer harvest guideline is not attained. For ocean waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur, the fall fishing season will open September 4-7, with a 7,500 Chinook salmon fall harvest guideline. If this guideline is not attained, the fishery will reopen September 29-30. Additional days are available in October between Point Reyes to Pigeon Point if any of the fall harvest guideline remains.
April 3, 2025
The commercial Dungeness crab season will close on April 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in Fishing Zones 4, 5, and 6 (from Pigeon Point, 37°11' N. latitude, San Mateo County to the U.S./Mexico border). The commercial season will remain open in Fishing Zones 1, 2, and 3 (California/Oregon state line to Pigeon Point) under existing trap reductions. A 30-fathom depth constraint will also be implemented, prohibiting the use of traps in the commercial fishery in waters seaward of the 30-fathom depth contour as defined by specific waypoints in federal regulations.
A recreational crab trap restriction will be implemented in Fishing Zone 4 (from Pigeon Point to near Lopez Point, 36°00' N latitude, Monterey County) on April 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Crab traps may not be set or used to take crab recreationally in this area. Crab may be taken by other methods (including hoop nets and crab snares) through the close of the season.
A Fleet Advisory remains in effect for both commercial and recreational crab fisheries statewide. Avoid setting gear in areas where whales are present and follow best practices for crabbing with traps.