Big Changes to Sport Groundfish Regulations Coming in 2023

July 28, 2022

Significant changes to California’s groundfish sport fishing regulations are expected starting next year, in response to recent scientific information suggesting some nearshore groundfish species are in decline. To reduce pressure on these stocks, fishing seasons will be shorter in nearshore waters, but new opportunities in deeper water are anticipated.

The upcoming changes were developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) over the past year and reflect outcomes of a public decision-making process where the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) worked with fishing industry representatives, non-governmental organizations, and state, federal and tribal governments to balance the need for fishing season closures in nearshore waters with the needs of these communities and industries. The PFMC approved the recommendations for 2023 and 2024 at its June meeting.

Based on these recommendations, the National Marine Fisheries Service has begun the process of amending federal regulations, which are expected to take effect in January 2023. The California Fish and Game Commission is considering the same changes to ocean sport fishing regulations for state waters.

California’s sport groundfish regulations divide the state into five “Groundfish Management Areas” – in which the fishing seasons, Rockfish Conservation Areas or depth constraints, and bag limits may differ. In 2022, nearshore groundfish fishing season lengths ranged from eight to 10 months, but in 2023, they are expected to shrink to not more than five and a half months in all areas.

Within the 10-fish daily combined rockfish, cabezon and greenling bag limit, the sub-bag limits of one fish each for quillback and copper rockfish, and four fish for vermilion rockfish will continue in 2023. These sub-bag limits have been in effect since January 2022 and were necessary because new information in 2021 indicated severe declines in the populations of quillback and copper rockfish off California, and recreational vermilion rockfish catch continued to be greater than sustainable harvest limits.

Both the sub-bag limits and shortened fishing seasons are expected to achieve necessary reductions in copper, vermilion and quillback rockfish catch.

While groundfish fishing seasons will be shorter for nearshore waters and some bag limits are reduced, new opportunities to fish in deeper water beginning in 2023 will allow anglers to target healthy populations of shelf and slope rockfish in deeper waters, like schooling mid-water widow and yellowtail rockfish, or bottom-dwelling blackgill rockfish. Additionally, the sport fishing seasons for some other federally managed groundfish species like sablefish (sometimes called “black cod” or “butterfish”) will be open year-round without depth constraints. Access to these previously closed depths means new experiences for anglers as they explore new habitats, new fishing locations, new target species, and new gear configurations to assemble and deploy.

“Next year is expected to bring a momentous shift in the sport groundfish fishery as all but one of the overfished shelf species that drove management decisions for the better part of the past two decades are now healthy,” said CDFW Environmental Program Manager Marci Yaremko. “While concerns for quillback and copper rockfish will impact the nearshore fishery in the coming years, there are also a number of new opportunities for anglers, and CDFW looks forward to supporting their development.”

Sounds interesting for sure.  Seems that they are attempting to provide options to offset changes/restrictions.

I don’t get it. In the past, sublimits or no take for select species (canary, for example) seemed to work, so why wouldn’t it work now for quillback, copper, and vermillion?

i four 1 cannot w8 2 try for a blackgill slope rockfish

I don’t get it. In the past, sublimits or no take for select species (canary, for example) seemed to work, so why wouldn’t it work now for quillback, copper, and vermillion?

The need to make a show of doing something. This is not meant to poo poo helpful and reasonable measures; it’s just reality these days that the California bear wants it known when it poops in the forest.

… the California bear wants it known when it poops in the forest.

That’s hilarious—I’m going to have to recycle that one…

Anyways, it seems to me that these changes are especially negative for kayakers. The “sweetener” of deep water stuff does not seem all that relevant to kayak fishing, at least in the areas I mostly fish.

I know it is just anecdotal, but there are far more rockfish in Santa Cruz this year than I’ve ever seen before, and I’d think that that’s a place that gets maximum fishing pressure. And, ironically, vermillion seem to be especially common.

This just doesn’t make much sense to me…

Those butter fish are pretty tasty, we kept some after the pac hali skunk. Something to do at least. I wonder what the new months will be :/

Does anyone know if there is a number one species of rockfish the "Live" fishers target.
What impact do they have on Quillback and Coppers population or Vermillion.
Will the "Live" fishers have similar restrictions.

Shortened season? Significant change. Went out last weekend for a couple hours, Monterey Bay area… an olive, and two vermillion, in close. Third in three weeks. Shoot, was thinking I’d retire but if they’re going to take away my hobby, maybe not. Well, been wanting to get better at catching halibut, at least. Big news, thanks. Guess I’ll put a motor on the old 15’ Ocean after all to go deep. Long line sand dabs.

Anyways, it seems to me that these changes are especially negative for kayakers. The “sweetener” of deep water stuff does not seem all that relevant to kayak fishing, at least in the areas I mostly fish.

+1. Most of us (kayak fishers) would rather see a longer groundfish season with lower and bag and sub bag limits, if necessary. Shore fishers, human-powered boats and boats with trolling motors only can't reasonably access most deep water areas (Mr. X being an exception). So I would like to have seen some sort of exemption for nearshore groundfish with lower bag limits.

Do we have an organized way to make our unique interests known to the powers that be?  The process for making regulations usually involves some sort of public input process.

How does one catch a butterfish/sablefish/black cod anyway? 

How does one catch a butterfish/sablefish/black cod anyway?

while trollng real deep for salmon we'd get black cod bycatch

The near shore stuff needs a rest. The Sonoma coast has been decimated in the last 20 years. It sucks for us ,but it's the resource that counts.

I find it interesting that nearly every year the groundfish regs change, but the halibut regs haven't changed in over 20 years. I'd like to see more effort by DFW to curb the downward trajectory of halibut numbers in places like Tomales Bay. Catching halibut there has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Perhaps it's time DFW take a closer look.

I find it interesting that nearly every year the groundfish regs change, but the halibut regs haven't changed in over 20 years. I'd like to see more effort by DFW to curb the downward trajectory of halibut numbers in places like Tomales Bay. Catching halibut there has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Perhaps it's time DFW take a closer look.
[/quoteThere was a mention in the Lawson's blog of the winds of halibut harvest being considered so stay tuned...