Limited salmon season in '25

https://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive/pacific-fishery-management-council-recommends-limited-recreational-ocean-salmon-season-continued-closure-for-commercial-salmon-fishing-off-california

On April 15, 2025, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) acted to recommend limited fishing opportunities for California’s recreational ocean salmon fisheries through the end of 2025. This decision will allow for the first recreational salmon fishing in California since 2022. The PFMC also recommended a repeat year of closure for California’s commercial salmon fisheries, the third year in a row.


Salmon stocks in California continue to be impacted from ongoing issues associated with multi-year drought and climate disruption, including poor in-river spawning and migration conditions, severe wildfires, harmful algal blooms, ocean forage shifts, impacts to habitat and thiamine deficiency. The low ocean abundance forecasts and low 2024 returns led the PFMC to recommend very limited fishing for California’s recreational ocean salmon fisheries and continued closure for commercial fishing to help salmon populations rebound from these difficulties.


“After years of full closure for salmon fishing, the opportunity for limited recreational salmon fishing brings hope. We know, however, that this news brings little relief for California’s commercial salmon fisheries,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “Salmon populations are still recovering from severe drought and other climate challenges and have not yet benefitted from our consecutive years of wet winters and other actions taken to boost populations. I’m deeply appreciative for the partnership of the fishing community in rebuilding these impacted populations and in fighting together for the future of salmon in California.”


“A third year without fishing is a serious blow to California’s commercial salmon fleet,” said George Bradshaw, President of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Association. “We were optimistic about a return to salmon fishing for California’s fleet, but the reality is, the low abundance and return estimates will not provide the economic impact we need. The risk of fishing this depleted population is simply not worth the reward.”


It is anticipated that the National Marine Fisheries Service will take regulatory action to enact the fishing alternative, effective in mid-May. In addition, the California Fish and Game Commission will discuss inland salmon fisheries at its April 16-17 meeting in Sacramento and is expected to take final action at its May 14 teleconference meeting.


The 2025 recreational ocean salmon season dates for the California coast are as follows:


For ocean waters between the Oregon/California state line and the U.S/Mexico border, the season will open June 7-8, with a 7,000 Chinook summer harvest guideline. If the limit is not attained in those two days, the fishery will open again July 5-6. Additional dates are available in late July and August for use until the summer harvest guideline is attained.

For ocean waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur (portions of the San Francisco and Monterey subareas), the fall fishing season will open September 4-7, with a 7,500 Chinook fall harvest guideline. If this guideline is not attained, the fishery will reopen September 29-30. Additional days are available in October between Point Reyes to Pigeon Point if any of the fall harvest guideline remains.

The short windows of open fishing followed by a period of closure are designed to allow for careful tracking and estimation of catch by CDFW to ensure the fishery does not exceed the harvest guidelines.


The minimum size limit is 20 inches total length. The daily bag limit is two Chinook salmon per day. No more than two daily bag limits may be possessed when on land. On a vessel in ocean waters, no person shall possess or bring ashore more than one daily bag limit. Retention of coho (silver) salmon is prohibited in all ocean fisheries off California.


“California's recreational anglers welcome the opportunity to get back on the water,” said PFMC member Marc Gorelnik. “The number of open days is exceedingly limited in order to achieve negligible impacts on Klamath River Chinook salmon.”


Salmon are significantly important to California. They provide important commercial, recreational, economic, intrinsic and cultural benefits to fishing communities, California Native American tribes, and the state. California is taking significant and meaningful steps to rebuild salmon stocks across California. In March 2025, CDFW released the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future: Progress Report, an update to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future released in January 2024. In the Progress Report, CDFW announced that of the 71 action items outlined in the Salmon Strategy, nearly 70 percent are already underway, with another 26 percent of action items already completed. These actions provide tangible benefits for California’s salmon populations and habitats now and into the future.


More information is available on the PFMC website.

Alright alright 

I'm picturing a bazillion powerboats launching from the local harbors on those 2 summer weekends...

Meh. They should just leave it closed for the season.

It's going to be a mad house.

Yeah idk about kayaking out there on one of those weekends… #mayhem

Meh. They should just leave it closed for the season.

Seems like it would create more chaos than anything. Welp. Looks like I will be launching at 4 am. 😂

As much as I'm saddened by the situation of salmon in California, I'm also ecstatic to at the opportunity pursue one of my favorite fish that has been closed for harvest for the last 2 years. I'll be one of the many out there on 6/7 to try my luck. Where to go is the question...reports won't be much of a help for a 2 day season. Gonna have to go with instinct & luck.

Meh. They should just leave it closed for the season.

ttly agree

Shitshow. 

The Jaws at HMB will be a major danger zone. Hopefully Pacifica will have decent conditions on those days.
I haven't landed a legal saltwater salmon yet, so I would like to get one.
I have caught a 21" landlocked on a light trout rod and that was fun, but not as tasty.

Shitshow.

Indeed. Perhaps they bet on the boat insurance market so they could fund more restoration projects down the road?

Meh. They should just leave it closed for the season.

Yeah, I kind of agree with this (though I might try to get it on the action). If there are so few wild salmon that we can only have a 7000 fish season, then why have a season at all?

On the other hand, the hatcheries continue to produce fish, but we can't fish for them because of this dwindling population of wild fish that the state won't take meaningful measures to protect and rebuild?
At a certain point, perhaps we should just throw the wild fishery to the wind and get our season back, based on the hatcheries/trucking-system.

Maybe clip 100% of the hatchery fish, and only allow clipped fish to be retained.

Those are my two polar-opposite views on the current state of the salmon fishery.

I understand this is a small reprieve for fisherfolks and local business that rely on them.
I don’t understand why there should even be a discussion about take of “inland salmon” at all. Once those fish hit the sweet water I believe they should be protected. More than half of a salmons life cycle depends on healthy freshwater ecosystems.
Last, what about the hundreds of thousands of salmon released every year by the state, and organizations like Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project, Coastside and Golden State Salmon Association?

Meh. They should just leave it closed for the season.

Yeah, I kind of agree with this (though I might try to get it on the action). If there are so few wild salmon that we can only have a 7000 fish season, then why have a season at all?

On the other hand, the hatcheries continue to produce fish, but we can't fish for them because of this dwindling population of wild fish that the state won't take meaningful measures to protect and rebuild?
At a certain point, perhaps we should just throw the wild fishery to the wind and get our season back, based on the hatcheries/trucking-system.

Maybe clip 100% of the hatchery fish, and only allow clipped fish to be retained.

Those are my two polar-opposite views on the current state of the salmon fishery.

Maybe folks who want to fish should volunteer to clip fins. The state should then guarantee access to those people first.

I'm picturing a bazillion powerboats launching from the local harbors on those 2 summer weekends...

yeah for sure... plan accordingly