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Recreational Salmon Fishing to Reopen in California
After a three-year closure, recreational salmon fishing in California is finally reopening, marking the first opportunity for recreational ocean salmon fishing since 2022. The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), which oversees the U.S. Pacific coast fisheries, issued a new recommendation on April 15th for minimal recreational salmon fishing for 2025. At the same time, the PFMC recommended another year of closure for California’s commercial salmon fisheries, marking the third consecutive year.
While the recreational season is reopening, the California salmon stocks are still being heavily impacted by multiple issues, including multi-year drought, poor in-river spawning and migration conditions, severe wildfires, harmful algal blooms, ocean forage shifts, impacts to habitat, and thiamine deficiency. These factors led to the decision to keep the commercial salmon fisheries closed.
“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.”
The 2025 recreational ocean salmon season will be open on the following dates:
The minimum size limit for Chinook salmon is 20 inches total length, with a daily limit of two fish per day. No more than two daily bag limits may be in an angler’s possession while on land..On the water, no angler can possess or bring ashore more than one daily bag limit. The harvest of coho (silver) salmon is still prohibited in California.
These short, limited seasons with closures in between are designed to allow the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to properly track and estimate the salmon catch, ensuring the catch does not exceed the harvest guidelines.
The post Recreational Salmon Fishing to Reopen in California appeared first on OutdoorHub.
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Recreational Salmon Fishing to Reopen in California
After a three-year closure, recreational salmon fishing in California is finally reopening, marking the first opportunity for recreational ocean salmon fishing since 2022. The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), which oversees the U.S. Pacific coast fisheries, issued a new recommendation on April 15th for minimal recreational salmon fishing for 2025. At the same time, the PFMC recommended another year of closure for California’s commercial salmon fisheries, marking the third consecutive year.
While the recreational season is reopening, the California salmon stocks are still being heavily impacted by multiple issues, including multi-year drought, poor in-river spawning and migration conditions, severe wildfires, harmful algal blooms, ocean forage shifts, impacts to habitat, and thiamine deficiency. These factors led to the decision to keep the commercial salmon fisheries closed.
“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.”
The 2025 recreational ocean salmon season will be open on the following dates:
- June 7-8, 2025 – For ocean waters from the Oregon/California state line to the U.S./Mexico border, with a 7,000 Chinook summer harvest guideline. If the limit is not reached, the fishery will reopen on July 5-6, 2025, with additional dates in late July and August available until the guideline is met.
- September 4-7, 2025: For ocean waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur (portions of the San Francisco and Monterey subareas), with a 7,500 Chinook fall harvest guideline. If the guideline is not met, the fishery will reopen on September 29-30, 2025, with additional days in October between Point Reyes and Pigeon Point if any of the fall quota remains.
The minimum size limit for Chinook salmon is 20 inches total length, with a daily limit of two fish per day. No more than two daily bag limits may be in an angler’s possession while on land..On the water, no angler can possess or bring ashore more than one daily bag limit. The harvest of coho (silver) salmon is still prohibited in California.
These short, limited seasons with closures in between are designed to allow the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to properly track and estimate the salmon catch, ensuring the catch does not exceed the harvest guidelines.
The post Recreational Salmon Fishing to Reopen in California appeared first on OutdoorHub.
Continue reading...