What California Anglers Can Expect in 2024 From The State
California recreational and commercial fishing; what to expect in 2024
Each new year we gain a bit more knowledge of the aquatic world that surrounds us. As our collective knowledge base grows so does our awareness and the urge to protect it. It is in this that fishing laws and regulations change. We know how important fishing and our public resources are to you, so this will cover several of the potential changes you should be on the lookout for in 24.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife rules and regulations don’t follow the calendar year, but instead are released each March. When the new changes come out they will be posted on the website with the option to download a pdf for portable use on mobile devices. So make sure to check back here in March. So while I can’t share any California Department of Fish and Wildlife changes or new rules right now, I can tell you about a few things you will likely see relating to coastal waters, starting a continuation of things you may already be familiar with.
Over the past few years you’ve probably heard about the 30x30 which will continue to be a topic in the news. As a refresher, the 30x30 came about in 2020 with the executive order N-82-20 that set a goal for California to conserve 30% of its land and coastal waters by 2030. This is a part of a much larger initiative (America the Beautiful Initiative) to increase biodiversity conservation, expand access to nature and build resilience to climate change. While this sounds like a good thing, it doesn’t take into consideration the already existing large area of preserved coastal waters in California. The proposed increase could further limit, already limited access for non-commercial anglers. Continued news and updates on this initiative are not the only carryover you are likely to see though.
Taking a look at some of the aquatic or marine news articles from 2020-2023, there has been a lot of talk about boating accidents and entanglement of marine mammals. North Atlantic Right Whales in particular have been making headlines on the east coast, but there have also been issues of marine mammals getting entangled in crab traps. It seems reasonable to expect new rules and regulations put in place regarding the safety and protection of marine mammals as a whole, but also with respect to individual species. Don’t be surprised to see closures, limited access areas, restricted speed zones, and reduced harvest times in areas known to have frequent marine mammal visitors.
An example of this is the following that was posted on wildlife.ca.gov on Jan 11th:
“The commercial Dungeness crab season will open from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the U.S./Mexico border on Jan. 18. The commercial season will open under a 50-percent trap reduction to reduce the entanglement risk for humpback whales. Commercial Dungeness crab vessels operating in Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5, and 6 must understand and comply with the 50-percent trap reduction and other restrictions outlined in the CDFW Declaration of Gear Reduction in the Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery and Lifting of Temporary Crab Trap Prohibition in the Recreational Crab Fishery Due to Risk of Marine Life Entanglement. The next risk assessment will take place in mid-February, and data from the assessment will inform the potential for modification of the commercial trap restriction.
Also, the recreational trap restriction will be lifted from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point, Monterey County, (Fishing Zones 3 and 4) on Jan. 12 at 8 a.m.
A Fleet Advisory has been issued for both the recreational and commercial fisheries, coastwide. Crabbers should remain vigilant and avoid setting gear in areas where whales are present, while also following best practices for crabbing with traps (PDF)(opens in new tab).”
Note: While seals and sea lions are considered marine mammals, potential rules and regulations are likely to apply primarily to whales and dolphins.
Beach access and shellfish harvesting is another area where you will probably see changes. Inevitably, each year there are incidences of chemical runoff, oil spills, and HAB’s (Harmful Algal Blooms) that cause beach closures. As these chemicals make their way into the system, they are taken up by bivalves and shellfish making them dangerous to eat. It is always important to check for regulations in your local shellfish harvesting areas to make sure you are aware of any closures. If you see a sign that a beach or local access area is closed, do your best to avoid that location until the closure is lifted, just because you can’t see something wrong, doesn’t mean it's safe. In the instances of HAB’s they can release toxins into the air which can cause breathing issues.
Commercial Fishing Changes
Changes to the fishing world aren’t just limited to recreational fishing. Some changes impacting the commercial sector were already put in place late last fall.
One such change was the Fisheries Omnibus bill (SB 500). According to fishermansnews.com, here are a few of the notable changes it included:
Revision of various provisions to refer to “electronic fish tickets” rather than to “landing receipts,” and requires electronic fish tickets to be submitted to the DFW within three business days of the landing, as specified.
Prohibition of the receipt, purchase or transfer of fish from occurring at sea or from vessel to vessel, except for certain live marine fish used as bait or as prescribed by regulation.
Requiring the Fish and Game Commission to adopt regulations related to commercial sea urchin diving permits, and to the vessels used to commercially fish for sea urchin, to better manage the number of permits issued.
Extends the operation of increased aquaculture registration, renewal, surcharge and penalty fees until Jan. 1, 2025.
Another fishery that will see changes is the California Chinook Salmon. California is home to the endangered Chinook Salmon, and starting in 2024 the Pacific Fishery Management Council has put a new management framework into place to make sure that the conservation goals are met for the California Chinook. According to the fishermansnews.com “Management tools such as trip limits (landing and possession limit), defined fishing periods, quick reporting and in-season action now will be utilized. Specifically, the plan also mandates that:
Managers will use the Klamath Ocean Harvest Model and Sacramento Harvest Model to project the all-stock harvest of Chinook salmon adhering to the CC Chinook conservation objective (including NMFS guidance).
The pre-season all-stock harvest projection will serve as an overall harvest limit and will be the basis for developing trip limits (i.e., landing and possession limit) for the commercial troll fisheries.
Management measures will include provisions for quick reporting/notification (within 24 hours) of commercial landing receipts to CDFW.
Catch triggers will be established (e.g., 50% of all-stock harvest limit) to identify when in-season action would be considered to ensure that the harvest limit isn’t exceeded.
Listed above are just some of the changes, as mentioned at the beginning, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife doesn’t release its new rules and regulations until March 1st. Don’t worry though, we will keep you up to date as soon as we learn more.
Aside from following along with R/V Pilar’s website and social media, we also recommend paying attention to the CCA or Coastal Conservation Association. The California branch, created in 2015, works with recreational anglers and outdoor enthusiasts to conserve and enhance marine resources and coastal environments, making it a great association to get involved with. The CCA has branches across the United States, so no matter where you are there should be a local chapter you can get involved in to stay up to date on new legislative changes.