News Archive

California's second Free Fishing Day of 2023 is Saturday, Sept. 2.

CDFW has completed the release of approximately 23 million fall-run Chinook salmon raised at its four Central Valley anadromous fish hatcheries, the Feather River Fish Hatchery, the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, the Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery and the Merced River Hatchery.

As of 12:01 a.m. Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, the 50-fathom Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) boundary line for the Mendocino Groundfish Management Area (GMA) (Cape Mendocino to Point Arena), San Francisco GMA (Point Arena to Pigeon Point) and Central GMA (Pigeon Point to Point Conception), will take effect.

The recreational Pacific halibut fishery will close statewide on Friday, Aug. 4 at 11:59 p.m. Based on the latest catch projections, CDFW expects the 2023 California recreational quota of 39,520 net pounds will be reached by this date.

Retention of quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger) is prohibited statewide in both the recreational and commercial fisheries effective Aug. 7.