January 22, 2025

During a late evening patrol earlier this month CDFW Fish and Wildlife Officers aboard patrol boat Coho issued multiple misdemeanor citations to two recreational anglers offshore of Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County. Officers observed a commercial lobster trap line attached to the anglers’ vessel that immediately raised suspicions. Tampering with or stealing catch from any commercial fishing trap is a misdemeanor violation punishable up to a fine of $1,000 for each violation and/or up to six months in jail. Due to quick actions of the officers and an inspection of the vessel, violations were found along with evidence of robbing commercial lobster traps. In total, the suspects were cited for an overlimit of lobsters (22 total lobsters), undersized lobsters (20 undersized lobsters), unmarked hoop nets, failure to prefill a lobster report card and for tampering with commercial lobster traps.

December 9, 2024

The recreational fishery for Dungeness crab is open in the portion of northern California that was delayed due to a public health hazard. State health agencies determined that consuming the meat of Dungeness crab taken in waters from the California/Oregon border (42° 0.00’ N latitude) to the southern boundary of the Reading Rock State Marine Reserve (41° 17.6’ N latitude) no longer poses a significant threat for domoic acid exposure.

Following a recommendation from state health agencies, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham declared the recreational Dungeness crab fishery to be open in this area of northern California. 

CDFW Director Bonham continued to delay the northern California commercial Dungeness crab season for Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties until 12:01a.m. Dec. 31, 2024 due to poor quality crab. Crab meat quality tests were not conducted due to continued high domoic acid concentrations at one of the northern sampling locations. Another round of testing is anticipated to occur around Dec. 15 to determine whether the fishery may open on Dec. 31, 2024 or be delayed an additional 15 days until Jan. 15, 2025.

A continued delay in the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season in Fishing Zones 3-6 (From the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the U.S./Mexico International Border) also remains in place after entanglement risk was assessed under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP).

The temporary crab trap restriction in the recreational crab fishery in Fishing Zones 3 and 4 (From the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point [36° N. latitude]), and a Fleet Advisory for the recreational fleet in all Fishing Zones will also continue.

The next scheduled risk assessment is expected to occur on or around Dec. 20, 2024. For more information, please visit  CDFW's Whale Safe Fisheries Webpage

For the latest consumption warnings, please check for any Dungeness crab health advisory information on the CDPH's shellfish advisories page or by calling the CDPH’s Biotoxin information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.

November 22, 2024

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has seen the first returns of threatened coho salmon to the upper Klamath River Basin in more than 60 years following historic dam removal completed last month. Not since the construction of the former Iron Gate Dam in the early 1960s has CDFW documented coho salmon occupying their historic habitat in the upper watershed.

On Nov. 13, seven coho salmon entered CDFW’s new Fall Creek Fish Hatchery in Siskiyou County, which is located on Fall Creek, a formerly inaccessible Klamath River tributary about 7.5 miles upstream of the former Iron Gate Dam location.

“To see coho successfully returning this quickly to this new habitat post-dam removal is exciting,” said Eric Jones, a Senior Environmental Scientist who oversees CDFW’s north state hatchery operations. “We’ve already seen the Chinook make it back and now we’re seeing the coho make it back.”

Of the seven coho salmon that entered the Fall Creek Fish Hatchery last week, four were male and three were female. Two had missing adipose fins, identifying them as being of hatchery origin. The other five were natural origin fish as all hatchery raised coho salmon in the Klamath Basin have their adipose fins removed for identification prior to release.

The returning coho are being kept at the Fall Creek Hatchery pending genetic testing at the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center laboratory in Santa Cruz. Geneticists will determine which of the seven coho are the least related genetically and direct the spawning of those pairs to maximize genetic diversity.

Coho salmon in the Klamath Basin are listed as a threatened species under both state and federal endangered species acts. Coho salmon typically return to freshwater to spawn in the late fall and winter, later than the more numerous fall-run Chinook salmon.

CDFW’s Fall Creek Fish Hatchery has an annual production goal of raising 75,000 coho salmon to help restore populations in the upper Klamath River Basin post dam-removal.

Also pertaining to CDFW’s salmon work in the Klamath Basin:

** CDFW last week released approximately 270,000 yearling, fall-run Chinook salmon into Fall Creek, the last Klamath Basin hatchery release of the year and the first release following dam removal. The year-old juvenile salmon, approximately 4 to 6 inches in length, were released over four days, mostly at dusk to improve survival, and allowed to swim freely out of the hatchery into Fall Creek without handling.

“We’re releasing various life histories so that gives the fish a chance to out-migrate at different times of the year mimicking what we would see in the river naturally,” said Crystal Robinson, Senior Environmental Scientist and CDFW’s Klamath Watershed Program Supervisor.

Hatchery salmon released as yearlings in the fall show some of the highest rates of return as adults, which is attributed to their larger size at release and optimal fall river conditions with cool temperatures and strong flows.

** CDFW’s Fall Creek Fish Hatchery, a $35 million, state-of-the-art facility in its first year of operation, began spawning returning fall-run Chinook salmon in late October. To date, the hatchery has spawned 100 fish and collected 277,393 eggs. The hatchery has an ambitious annual production goal of 3.25 million fall-run Chinook salmon.

** Multiple state and federal agencies, Tribes and non-governmental organizations are monitoring salmon throughout the Klamath Basin, including the 420 miles of newly accessible habitat following dam removal. CDFW is particularly focused on newly accessible tributaries within the former reservoir footprints, including Jenny and Shovel creeks. To date, a video fish counting weir installed on Jenny Creek has recorded 310 adult Chinook salmon and one Pacific lamprey entering the tributary from the Klamath River. CDFW field crews are surveying regularly for salmon nests, or redds, and post-spawned adults.

The salmon work taking place in the Klamath Basin reflects all six priorities of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future released in January 2024. Those priorities are removing barriers and modernizing infrastructure for salmon migration; restoring and expanding habitat for spawning and rearing; protecting water flows and water quality at the right times to benefit salmon; modernizing salmon hatcheries; transforming technology and management systems for climate adaptability; and strengthening partnerships.

CDFW’s post-dam removal management strategy, as detailed in the recently released Klamath River Anadromous Fishery Reintroduction and Monitoring Plan, is to mostly allow these ocean-going fish species to naturally repopulate the 420 miles of newly accessible habitat as they are now doing.

November 9, 2024

https://apnews.com/article/amazon-drought-brazil-fishing-sustainable-pirarucu-climate-511ce3090c8a21202f04bfd9829d4d32

November 1, 2024

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning consumers to not eat the internal organs (viscera) of Dungeness crab caught from two coastal areas of northern California.

This warning is in effect for state waters located at:

Reading Rock State Marine Reserve (41° 17.6' N. Latitude) to Cape Mendocino (40 10° N. Latitude), and
​​Sonoma/Mendocino county line (38° 46.125' N. Latitude) to Point Reyes (38⁰ 0.00' N. Latitude). ​
The recreational Dungeness crab season for California anglers begins on Saturday, November 2, 2024. 

Dangerous levels of domoic acid, also referred to as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, have been detected in the internal organs (viscera) of Dungeness crab caught from northern California. Domoic Acid is a naturally occurring biotoxin. Cooking the crab does not decrease or destroy the toxin.

Consumers are advised to always discard the viscera and cooking liquids and adhere to the following best preparation practices to avoid any inadvertent exposure to domoic acid that may be sporadically found in the crab's viscera. It is always best to remove the viscera and rinse out the body cavity prior to cooking, i.e., boil, steam, or fry. If whole crab is cooked in liquid, domoic acid may leach into the cooking liquid. The cooking water or broth should be discarded and not used to prepare dishes such as sauces, broth, soups, or stews (for example, cioppino or gumbo), stocks, roux, dressings, or dips.

Symptoms of domoic acid 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. These symptoms disappear within several days. 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. 

CDPH continues to coordinate its efforts with the California Department ​of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the fishing community to collect and test crab samples from the impacted areas until domoic acid levels have dissipated. Please contact CDFW for information about the recreational Dungeness crab season.

Test results are updated as laboratory results become available and can be viewed on the CDPH Domoic Acid web page. Please visit CDPH's Domoic Acid FAQ for more information. To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and quarantines, call CDPH's toll-free “Shellfish Information Line" at (800) 553-4133.

October 30, 2024

The recreational fishery for Dungeness crab will open on Saturday, Nov. 2 except for one area in northern California due to a public health hazard.

State health agencies determined that Dungeness crab in portions of northern California have unhealthy levels of domoic acid and recommended delaying the opening of the recreational fishery in state waters from the California/Oregon state line (42° 0.00’ N latitude) south to the southern boundary of the Reading Rock State Marine Reserve (41° 17.6’ N latitude) in Humboldt County.

Following this recommendation, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham ordered a delay of the opening of the recreational Dungeness crab fishery in this area of northern California. Recreational take and/or possession of Dungeness crab is prohibited in these closed waters. Please see the Directors Declaration regarding allowances for transiting and possessing Dungeness crab in the area. Other areas of the coast will open as scheduled.

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 shellfish, other invertebrates and sometimes fish without the organism becoming ill themselves. 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.

This delay of season shall remain in effect until the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, in consultation with the State Public Health Officer of California Department of Public Health (CDPH), determines that domoic acid no longer poses a significant risk to public health. Results of the sampling could change, or eliminate, the need for this delayed area. If a determination is made that the delay should be changed or lifted, announcements will be made as soon as possible. Pursuant to Fish and Game Code, section 5523, the Director of CDFW will notify the California Fish and Game Commission of the delay and request that the Commission schedule a public discussion at its next scheduled meeting.

The latest information on current fishing season closures related to domoic acid will be updated on CDFW’s fishery closure information and health advisories website or by calling CDFW’s Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Information Line at (831) 649-2883.

The latest domoic acid test results for Dungeness crab are posted on the CDPH’s Domoic Acid website (subsection Analytical Data – Crabs).

For the latest consumption warnings, please check for any Dungeness crab health advisory information on the CDPH's shellfish advisories page or by calling the CDPH’s Biotoxin information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.

October 28, 2024

The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats has been detected in several counties across California this year, although bats with visible signs of the disease have yet to be observed in the state.

White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats across North America and decimated entire colonies. Hibernating bats like little brown myotis, Yuma myotis, and cave myotis are especially vulnerable. While white-nose syndrome is often fatal to hibernating bats, it does not infect humans, pets, livestock or other wildlife.

White-nose syndrome develops when the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans invades the skin cells of bats, resulting in damage to delicate wing membranes. The infection typically appears as white fuzz on the faces of infected bats, giving the syndrome its name. Bats with white-nose syndrome often end winter hibernation early, when water and insect prey resources are scarce, causing them to deplete their fat reserves and become dehydrated. As a result, infected bats often perish.

In 2023, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) first confirmed definitive presence of the fungus in a bat roost in Humboldt County. In 2024, the fungus was also confirmed present in Sutter, Placer, Amador, and Inyo counties. Inconclusive laboratory results suggest the fungus may also be present in Trinity, Siskiyou, Shasta, Plumas, Alpine, San Diego, and San Bernardino counties. Additional results are still pending for several other counties around the state. The fungus has been detected on several bat species in California, including the little brown myotis, Yuma myotis, long-legged myotis, big brown bat, Mexican free-tailed bat, and Western red bat.

This is the first time a Western red bat has been reported with presence of the fungus. The positive sample was returned from a female bat captured on May 9, 2024, in Sutter County. Both Western and Eastern red bats occur in California and can be difficult to differentiate, so CDFW used genetic sequencing to confirm this individual as Western red bat (Lasiurus frantzii, previously recognized as  L. blossevillii).

While white-nose syndrome has not yet been observed in any bat in California, the presence of the fungal pathogen suggests the disease could manifest in California’s bats within the next few years. Such progression has been observed in other states, as the fungus and disease have been spreading across North America since discovery in 2006. The fungus was first detected on the West Coast in 2016 when it was discovered on a bat in King County, Wash.

While the fungus is primarily spread from contact between bats, humans can unintentionally spread it as well. People can carry fungal spores on clothing, shoes or recreation equipment that has come into contact with the fungus at bat roosts. To learn more about limiting the spread of white-nose syndrome, see the National White-nose Syndrome Decontamination Protocol (updated March 2024).

Biologists with CDFW, the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been sampling California’s bats for the presence of the fungus and clinical signs of white-nose syndrome since 2016 in support of national surveillance efforts led by the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center. When bats at monitoring sites emerge from hibernation each spring, biologists swab their faces and wings to test for the fungus. Swabs are analyzed by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute at Northern Arizona University.

Sustained efforts to monitor bat populations will be critical to understanding and managing this devastating disease. CDFW and its partners will continue conducting white-nose syndrome surveillance and bat population monitoring across the state to assess potential impacts of the disease and inform research and management actions. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leads the collaborative national response effort for white-nose syndrome through which scientists are continuing to develop and test innovative tools to manage the disease.

California is home to 25 species of bats. A single bat can eat thousands of insects each night. California’s bats keep insect populations in check, benefiting rural, suburban and urban communities as well as a wide variety of natural landscapes that range from forests to deserts to grasslands. The pest control services that bats provide also protect crops and benefit California’s agricultural economy – the largest in the nation. Across the country, bats contribute approximately $3.7 billion worth of insect pest control for farmers each year and their guano can be used as fertilizer to improve soil health. Robust bat populations are vital to a healthy environment and economy.

CDFW urges people to not handle wildlife, especially dead wildlife or individuals that appear sick. If you find sick or dead bats, or notice bats acting strangely, please report your sighting. Bats flying or roosting outside during the winter is an example of noteworthy behavior that can sometimes, but not always, be associated with white-nose syndrome.

You can help watch for white-nose syndrome in California by reporting bat sightings to CDFW:

Report a Sick or Dead Bat Report a Bat Colony

For more information about white-nose syndrome, visit https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/

October 23, 2024

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has lifted the shellfish safety notification today related to sport-harvested mussels, scallops, and clams from Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara counties. The safety notification for Santa Cruz County issued July 18, 2024 (Monterey County warning is still in effect) was due to dangerous levels of naturally occurring paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins. The safety notification for Santa Barbara County issued September 26, 2024, was due to dangerous levels of naturally occurring domoic acid, also referred to as amnesic shellfish poisoning. Both of these biotoxins can cause illness or death in humans. Recent testing shows the biotoxins have decreased to safe or undetectable levels for bivalve shellfish in these areas.   

This notification does not change the annual mussel quarantine, which still remains in effect. The annual quarantine prohibits the sport-harvest of mussels for human consumption and applies to all species of mussels harvested along the California coast, as well as all bays and estuaries, and will continue through at least October 31.

This warning does not apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, 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.

Symptoms of 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. These symptoms disappear within several days. 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. 

PSP toxins affect the nervous system, producing a tingling around the mouth and fingertips within a few minutes to a few hours after eating toxic shellfish. These symptoms are typically followed by loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech, and difficulty swallowing. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.

You can get the most current information on shellfish advisories and quarantines by calling CDPH’s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at (800) 553-4133 or viewing the recreational bivalve shellfish advisory interactive map. For additional ​information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring web page.