WSB size limit increase

FGC/CDFW is considering increasing the white seabass minimum size from 28" to ~35". Recent studies indicate that WSB may not actually mature until closer to 40" and the stocks may have declined from 2006-2016.

There will be an item at the Marine Resources Committee meeting this Thursday 03/12/2026 to learn more and discuss if you are interested.
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=242507&inline

I've never caught one, but it seems like few short ones are caught. Would an increase to 35" make much difference?

I looked at the PDF and 32% of recreationally sampled fish would be undersized for the new limit vs only 6% for commercially sampled fish.

They stated that estimates of spawning biomass decreased from 2006 to 2015 as justification for increasing the size limit. However, their graph shows highly cyclical biomass and 2006 was a banner year. It doesn't seem right to me to peg the desired biomass on the most abundant year ever recorded. Also, I have serious doubts about their data/models because they show the biomass at zero or near zero frequently.

I suspect the mortality rate for hook & line caught WSB is pretty high…so, instead of stopping after catching two 28-35” fish, those fish will be released to die, and the angler continues fishing.

I have been fortunate enough to catch many wsb over the past 30 years.  They literally fight themselves to death and then come belly up to the boat every time. Releasing fish less than 35" will have zero impact on increasing reproduction,  they will all die. Our fishery managers don't know shit about the fisheries they are supposedly managing.

I've only seen one before. Riverwatcher caught an undersized one near the kelp in SC and was able to release it. It swam off pretty well. I suspect if it over the current minimum size, that it would have been a longer fight and maybe not such a good outcome for it.

I have been fortunate enough to catch many wsb over the past 30 years.  They literally fight themselves to death and then come belly up to the boat every time.

I’ve always heard that. Since that’s the case, it seems weird that there would be any length limit at all…

I have been fortunate enough to catch many wsb over the past 30 years.  They literally fight themselves to death and then come belly up to the boat every time.

I’ve always heard that. Since that’s the case, it seems weird that there would be any length limit at all…

I completely agree. Should be first 3 fish, regardless of size.

The only White Sea bass I catch are croaker so this won’t effect me. Maybe I will get lucky one of these days…

They addressed the mortality rate in the slides. Pretty low until about ~40" which makes sense. You can man-handle the small ones on most gear. The big ones are toast when brought to color.

Most of the comments from sportfishing reps were cautiously in support. Surf casters were concerned they would get shut out of ever landing legal fish, with opportunities to hook currently legal fish already coming few and far in between. I suggested that they mirror rat yellowtail sub-limits to throw lucky anglers a bone, i.e. one fish >= 28", two fish >= whatever the new size limit is.