California anglers have a couple of reasons to be happy about their prospects for this summer’s fishing. For the first time in several years, there will be an ocean salmon fishing season. Also, the looming shutdown of the popular barred sand bass fishery has been forestalled.
Ocean Salmon Season
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) recently announced a limited California salmon fishing season for recreational anglers. It’s good news for anglers and chinook salmon, as a fishery that has been closed since 2022 was deemed healthy enough to allow some harvest opportunity.
According to the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the decision balances the need to conserve salmon populations with providing angler access. Chinook salmon off the California coast have suffered due to drought, climate and habitat issues. This carefully monitored opening ensures a sustainable harvest.
The 2025 season will open as follows:
• June 7-8: Ocean waters from the Oregon/California state line to the Mexico border will be open with a summer harvest guideline of 7,000 chinook. If the limit is not reached, the season will reopen July 5-6, with additional dates in July and August until the guideline is met.
• September 4-7: Ocean waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur (portions of the San Francisco and Monterey subareas) will open with a fall harvest guideline of 7,500 chinook. If the limit is not reached, the fishery will reopen on September 29-30, with additional days in October between Point Reyes and Pigeon Point if any of the quota remains.
“We are thrilled to see the PFMC open the door for recreational salmon fishing in California after three challenging years,” said ASA’s Larry Phillips. “These limited seasons offer a glimmer of hope for anglers and coastal communities, and we appreciate the council’s collaborative efforts to balance conservation with access to this iconic fishery.”
Summer Barred Sand Bass Season Saved
With a total summer shutdown looming, the California Fish and Game Commission voted by a narrow two-to-one margin to establish a four-fish daily sub-bag limit for barred sand bass. This limit will extend for three years and forestalls a threatened no-take summer season for the popular species.
The Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA CAL), the Sportfishing Association of California and the American Sportfishing Association were instrumental in drumming up public support for retaining some recreational harvest opportunity and working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in the face of a data set that showed declining recreational landings over the last several years.
In some years, barred sand bass gather to spawn over mud flats, making them easily accessible to anglers. Based on a CDFW study, harvest in this fishery has been down in recent years, sparking concern for the status of barred sand bass stocks. CCA CAL and others argued this drop in landings was more likely due to limited angler participation in the fishery—because of the booming bluefin tuna fishery—and the fact that barred sand bass don’t spawn on the California mud flats every year.
Going forward, CCA CAL has agreed to help with data collection on barred sand bass through its large network of recreational anglers.
“We look forward to helping the Department and Commission develop a more accurate stock assessment to better inform regulatory decisions regarding this important recreational species going forward,” said Chris Arechaederra, CCA CAL executive director.
• Regulations: effective June 1, the four-fish sub-bag limit for barred sand bass exists within an aggregate five-fish bass limit that may include kelp bass and spotted sand bass. Minimum legal size is 14 inches.
