May 5, 2025

In a significant shift of California’s salmon strategy, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has begun releasing juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon from CDFW-operated hatcheries into the main stem of the Sacramento River for the first time.

The release of approximately 3.5 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts into the main stem of the Sacramento River occurred in mid-April near Redding and Butte City. The fish originated from increased production at CDFW’s hatchery operations at the Feather River Fish Hatchery and the Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery. CDFW-operated salmon hatcheries historically have supported populations on their home rivers elsewhere in the Central Valley.

“We strongly support the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s bold decision to release salmon smolts directly into the main stem of the Sacramento River – a historic first that gives juvenile fish a fighting chance at survival,” said Scott Artis, executive director at Golden State Salmon Association. “With Sacramento fall-run Chinook returns at crisis levels, and fishing families and businesses having been impacted since 2023, this innovative move is exactly the kind of action we need. We applaud the tireless hatchery staff who made this possible and stand with them in the effort to rebuild our salmon runs and revive California’s commercial and recreational fisheries.”

Last month, for the third year in a row, the federal Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended the closure of all commercial salmon fishing in California while also recommending an extremely limited ocean sport fishing season due to continued low abundance of salmon populations.

While fisheries managers are seeing some positive signs for fall-run Chinook salmon in other parts of the Central Valley due in part to increased hatchery production from state-operated hatcheries and better in-river conditions with wetter years, returns to the main stem of the Sacramento River remain at concerningly low levels.

“The naturally spawning Sacramento River salmon populations have been the primary driver of California’s commercial and recreational salmon fisheries for decades,” said Jay Rowan, CDFW Fisheries Branch Chief. “Poor spawning and migration conditions for fall-run Chinook during the past two droughts have resulted in low returning adult numbers the last three years. These low adult returns not only affected fishing seasons but also reduced the number of spawning adults and, consequently, the number of juvenile salmon available to take advantage of the good river conditions to rebound this part of the run. The extra effort by our hatchery staff to maximize production has allowed us to take measures this year to speed up the rebuilding of these critical Sacramento River natural spawning areas. This significant shift in strategy speaks to CDFW’s long-term commitment to boosting these important salmon populations.”

The 3.5 million fish being released into the main stem of the Sacramento River are part of an additional 9.7 million salmon produced in 2025 above normal production goals, funded in partnership with ocean and inland fishing groups. CDFW’s hatchery operations, in coordination with the state Department of Water Resources, East Bay Municipal Utility District, and the federal Bureau of Reclamation, will raise and release more than 28 million fall-run Chinook salmon in total in 2025.

CDFW’s Sacramento River salmon releases are being timed with increases in water flows that have been shown to improve survival in their journey to the Pacific Ocean and also with salmon releases from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coleman National Fish Hatchery in Shasta County to overwhelm predators with a massive volume of released fish.

Additionally, CDFW has provided the Coleman National Fish Hatchery with 10 million salmon eggs to help meet its production goals and offset low adult salmon returns to the federal fish hatchery located on Battle Creek about 3 miles east of the Sacramento River in Anderson.

The juvenile salmon released into the Sacramento River are expected to imprint on the main stem during their migration to the ocean, which in three years upon their return to freshwater is expected to increase the number of adults utilizing important natural spawning areas within the main stem.

May 2, 2025

For the past four years, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has been working to develop cryopreservation techniques for salmon and steelhead sperm to capture the genetic diversity of these fish in their current state. Maintaining sperm from current generations of fish can be important for long term fisheries conservation. Unforeseen disasters and climate change impacts can result in declining population sizes, and this allows fisheries managers to add genetic diversity back into the population, if needed. Cryopreservation is not new and has been used for decades in animal farming and in places like the San Diego Zoo for important species conservation. CDFW keeps this salmonid sperm in a laboratory suspended in liquid nitrogen where it can last for decades, theoretically forever, if kept in its static, frozen condition. This year, CDFW research scientists and hatchery staff successfully fertilized Chinook salmon eggs with sperm frozen from the previous year. Watch this video to learn more.

May 1, 2025

There is a no-take seasonal closure of Pismo clams which began at 12 a.m. Thursday May 1, 2025, and runs through Sunday August 31, 2025, 11:59 p.m. within both Santa Cruz County and Monterey County. During this closure you may not take Pismo clams from beaches located within these two counties. In all other counties, take of Pismo clams remains open. During the open season the bag and possession limit is 10 Pismo clams per person, with a minimum size of 5 inches north of the San Luis Obispo/Monterey County line and 4.5 inches south of the San Luis Obispo/Monterey County line.

May 1, 2025

On May 1, in California state waters north of the 36°00' N latitude line (near Point Lopez, Monterey County), the boat=based 20-fathom inshore fishery opened. During this time (May 1 – September 30) boat-based anglers may target and retain nearshore, shelf, and slope rockfish, lingcod, cabezon and greenling from waters shoreward of the 20-fathom (120 feet) boundary line as defined in state regulations. South of the 36°00' N latitude line, the all-depth fishery continues through June 30. Please visit CDFW’s Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations web page for up to date regulations.

April 21, 2025

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and announced changes to both commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries in the Central Management Area. These changes, which will go into effect at 6 p.m. on May 1, 2025, are intended to minimize entanglement risk as humpback whales return to forage off the coast of California.

The commercial fishery will close in Fishing Zone 3 (Sonoma/Mendocino County line, 38°46.125' N Latitude, to Pigeon Point, 37°11' N Latitude), at which time the commercial take and possession of Dungeness crab from those waters is prohibited. The commercial fishery will remain open in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (California/Oregon border to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line 38°46.125' N Latitude) under existing trap reductions and depth constraints. Fishing Zones 4-6 (Pigeon Point to the U.S./Mexico border) were closed for the commercial season on April 15, 2025.

A recreational crab trap restriction will be extended to include Fishing Zone 3. A crab trap restriction was implemented in Fishing Zone 4 (Pigeon Point to Lopez Point, 36°00' N Latitude, Monterey County) on April 15, 2025. CDFW reminds recreational crabbers that take of Dungeness crab by other methods (including hoop nets and crab snares) is allowed through the close of the season.

All open Fishing Zones remain under a Fleet Advisory for both the commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries. CDFW also reminds all fishery participants to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. 

Commercial Dungeness crab vessels are authorized to retrieve an unlimited number of commercial Dungeness crab traps which are lost, damaged, abandoned or otherwise derelict in Fishing Zone 3 starting at 6 a.m. on May 8, 2025. In Fishing Zones 4-6, permitted Dungeness crab vessels were authorized to retrieve an unlimited number of lost, damaged, abandoned, or otherwise derelict traps on April 22, 2025. CDFW requests that individuals regularly report retrieved gear to WhaleSafeFisheries@wildlife.ca.gov. Any vessel operating or transiting in an open Fishing Zone may not possess more than six traps belonging to another vessel, pursuant to Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 132.2(a)(2)(A). In addition, CDFW has authorized the Lost and Abandoned Gear Retrieval Program to begin removing commercial Dungeness crab traps left in the water beginning May 8, 2025, at 6 a.m. in Fishing Zone 3. In Fishing Zones 4-6, retrieval operations began on April 22, 2025.

CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place in early May 2025. For more information related to the risk assessment process or trap gear retrieval, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page. For more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/crab.

April 24, 2025

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today announced the annual quarantine of sport-harvested mussels gathered along the California coast. The quarantine begins May 1 and applies to all species of mussels that are recreationally harvested for human consumption along the California coast, including all bays and estuaries. During the quarantine, mussels may only be harvested for use as bait. The quarantine is in place to protect the public against poisoning that can lead to serious illness, including coma and death.   

The mussel quarantine is in addition to the shellfish safety advisories warning against eating sport-harvested bivalve shellfish (mussels, clams, scallops, and oysters) in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties due to elevated levels of PSP toxins and domoic acid in shellfish in the region.

The quarantine is designed to prevent paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and domoic acid poisoning, also known as amnesic shellfish poisoning, in people who might otherwise consume sport-harvested mussels. Both of these syndromes are from naturally occurring toxins produced by certain phytoplankton consumed by shellfish, including mussels and clams. Cooking does not destroy the toxins.   

Historically, the majority of human cases of PSP illnesses occur between spring and fall. In California, PSP is extremely rare due to the efforts put forth by CDPH to protect the public against poisoning. There have been no reported human cases of domoic acid poisoning in California. 

Early symptoms of PSP include tingling of the lips and tongue, which may begin within minutes to a few hours after eating toxic shellfish. These symptoms are typically followed by a loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech, and difficulty swallowing. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.

Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning, also referred to as amnesic shellfish poisoning, can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma or death.

This quarantine does not apply to commercially sold mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

More information about the quarantine, PSP, and domoic acid can be found on the CDPH Annual Mussel Quarantine - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) web page. 

For updated information on shellfish advisories and quarantines, visit the recreational bivalve shellfish advisory interactive map or call the CDPH Biotoxin Information Line at (800) 553-4133. For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring web page. ​​​​

April 3, 2025

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and announced changes to both commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries. These changes, which will go into effect at 6 p.m. on April 15, 2025, are intended to provide continued fishing opportunities while minimizing entanglement risk as humpback whales return to forage off the coast of California.

The commercial fishery will remain open in Fishing Zones 1, 2, and 3 (California/Oregon state line to Pigeon Point, 37°11' N. latitude, San Mateo County) 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 Title 50 of the Federal Codes of Regulations, Part 660, Section 660.71. 

The commercial fishery will close in Fishing Zones 4, 5 and 6 (Pigeon Point, 37°11' N. latitude, San Mateo County, to the U.S./Mexico border), at which time the commercial take and possession of Dungeness crab from those waters is prohibited. 

A recreational crab trap restriction will be implemented in Fishing Zone 4 (Pigeon Point to Lopez Point, 36°00' N Latitude, Monterey County). CDFW reminds recreational crabbers that take of Dungeness crab by other methods (including hoop nets and crab snares) is allowed through the close of the season.

All open Fishing Zones remain under a Fleet Advisory for both the commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries. CDFW reminds all fishery participants to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. Based on historical migration data, CDFW anticipates an increase in whale abundance in the upcoming weeks. Individuals should remain vigilant and be prepared to remove gear quickly, to minimize entanglement risk, in the event whales arrive sooner than expected. 

Commercial Dungeness crab vessels are authorized to retrieve an unlimited number of commercial Dungeness crab traps which are lost, damaged, abandoned or otherwise derelict in Fishing Zones 4 through 6 starting at 6 a.m. on April 22, 2025. CDFW requests that individuals regularly report retrieved gear to WhaleSafeFisheries@wildlife.ca.gov. Any vessel operating or transiting in an open Fishing Zone may not possess more than six traps belonging to another vessel, pursuant to Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 132.2(a)(2)(A). In addition, CDFW has authorized the Lost and Abandoned Gear Retrieval Program to begin removing commercial Dungeness crab traps left in the water beginning April 22, 2025, at 6 a.m. in Fishing Zones 4, 5 and 6.   

CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place in mid-April 2025. For more information related to the risk assessment process or trap gear retrieval, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page. For more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/crab.