New Groundfish Regulation Implementation Delayed

February 1, 2017

On Jan. 20, 2017, White House staff on behalf of President Trump implemented a regulatory freeze to ensure that the President’s appointees or designees have the opportunity to review any new or pending federal regulations. This freeze includes the pending 2017 and 2018 commercial and recreational groundfish regulations. Until the federal freeze is lifted, 2016 regulations remain in effect for commercial and recreational groundfish fisheries.

For current groundfish regulations, please call the Recreational Groundfish Hotline at (831) 649-2801 or check the CDFW Groundfish website. The hotline and websites will be updated once the new regulations go into effect. CDFW will also issue a press release announcing the new regulations. To receive the press release by email, sign up for CDFW News or the Marine Region News Service (ocean-related news only).

Note that the 2017-2018 Saltwater Sport Fishing regulations booklet will not contain groundfish regulations. Updated recreational groundfish regulations will be printed in the annual Sport Fishing Regulations Supplement, which is usually available around May each year.

For more information about the federal regulatory freeze, contact the National Marine Fisheries Service at (206) 526-6140.