News Room

CDFW announces ocean salmon season openers for additional management areas along the California coast.

CDFW has been working with a diverse coalition of commercial fishing representatives, environmental organizations, scientists and agency partners to reduce the risk of whale and sea turtle entanglements in commercial fishing gear used by the Dungeness crab fleet

CDFW completed the most recent marine life entanglement risk assessment under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program. Recent survey data indicate Humpback whales have begun to return from their winter breeding grounds to northern California fishing grounds.

After a five-year closure, the CDFW Director has re-opened the recreational razor clam fishery in Del Norte County following a recommendation from state health agencies that the consumption of razor clams in the area no longer poses a significant threat for domoic acid exposure.

CDFW is pleased to announce the 2021 recreational Pacific halibut fishery will open Saturday, May 1 and remain open until Nov. 15, or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier.

While the spring season typically signals the start of the recreational red abalone season, CDFW reminds anglers that the northern California recreational red abalone fishery will remain closed until April 1, 2026

CDFW just completed the most recent marine life entanglement risk assessment under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program. Recent survey data indicate most Humpback and Blue whales remain outside of the California fishing grounds, however a few Humpback whales have begun to return to Monterey Bay and the Gulf of the Farallones.

California’s recreational salmon fishery will open in ocean waters on Saturday, April 3 in the Monterey management area, from Pigeon Point (37° 11’ 00” N. latitude) south to the U.S./Mexico border, with a minimum size limit of 24 inches.

New freshwater sport fishing regulations which take effect on March 1, 2021, aim to simplify and streamline the laws regulating inland fishing while maintaining and protecting California’s fisheries.

CDFW is pleased to announce new map-based flyers and an updated online web map will soon be available to assist recreational anglers with Rockfish Conservation Area waypoints and boundaries on the CDFW website.