Tag Archives: California
State, federal officials vow to take quick action on Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration for salmon fishing industry
State and federal officials are vowing to move quickly to secure disaster aid for Californians affected by the closure of this year’s commercial and recreational salmon season, which could have an economic impact of $1.4 billion, according to one industry group. The administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom requested a Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration from U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo after a decision Thursday by the Pacific Fishery Management Council to recommend full closure of both commercial and recreational salmon seasons this year. It’s unclear what that might mean in terms of total dollars and eligible stakeholders. >click to read< 08:03
California could have avoided salmon season shutdown. Did we learn nothing last time? by Sarah Bates
I fish salmon commercially from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. You can see the Golden Gate Bridge from my boat, where Chinook have passed for millions of years on their journey from the ocean, through the bay and Delta, up the Sacramento River. There is communal anticipation before the first trip of the summer, checking anchor winches and hydraulic hoses, safety equipment, leaders, weather reports. Boats are freshly painted and deck tanks for holding fish are installed. Not this year – this year feels like a funeral. >click to read< by Sarah Bates 09:52
Pacific Fishery Management Council approves salmon fishing ban for much of West Coast
A federal regulatory group voted Thursday to officially close king salmon fishing season along much of the West Coast after near-record low numbers of the fish, also known as chinook, returned to California’s rivers last year. The Pacific Fishery Management Council approved the closure of the 2023 season for all commercial and most recreational chinook fishing along the coast from Cape Falcon in northern Oregon to the California-Mexico border. Limited recreational salmon fishing will be allowed off southern Oregon in the fall. Biologists say the chinook salmon population has declined dramatically after years of drought. Though the closure will affect tens of thousands of jobs, few are opposed to it. Many fishers say they want to take action now to guarantee healthy stocks in the future. >click to read< 09:03
For Whales and Crabbers, Finding Balance Is Getting Harder
In Dick Ogg’s 25 years of commercial fishing, he’s had a few close encounters with whales—mostly while pulling Dungeness crab pots off the ocean floor. “I’ve had whales right next to me,” within about five meters, says Ogg. “They follow me, they watch, they’re curious. And then they go on about their business.” Ogg is fortunate his interactions have been so leisurely. For nearly a decade, California’s whales and crabbers have been locked in a persistent struggle. From 1985 to 2014, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported an average of 10 whales were entangled in fishing gear each year along the west coast of the United States. >click to read< 07:53
Early close to Dungeness crab season just one more strike against commercial fleet
This year’s early close also comes as state, federal and nongovernmental conservation agencies are putting increased funding and support behind whale-safe “ropeless” or “pop-up” gear in development over recent years to allow for crabbers to extend their efforts during the shoulder seasons, even when the giant marine mammals are present. “The ropeless gear is a non-starter, as far as we’re concerned,” said Crescent City crabber Ben Platt, president of the California Coast Crab Association, which represents about 140 commercial Dungeness crab permit holders in California, including about two dozen in Bodega Bay. Members of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and conservation groups are bullish about the new traps, however, with several manufacturers working on or ready to test equipment. >click to read< 07:54
Salmon fishermen reflect on causes, future as closure looms
Earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order urging California’s water board to waive environmental laws and reserve water for future agricultural use, that would otherwise be released to help insure the survival of native fish and wildlife species. “The politics of water mismanagement readily and consistently traverses party lines,” Davis said. “So we’re trying to get equitable allocation of the resource to the different sectors, agricultural, residential, and environmental, which supports the salmon.” Tim Obert, a salmon fisherman based out of Santa Cruz, said the ramifications of the closure could be devastating. >click to read< 10:16
CDFW Announces Closure Of Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery Off Central California To Protect Humpback Whales
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and announced a fishery closure for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in fishing zones 3, 4, 5 and 6 (Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the U.S./Mexico border) effective at noon on April 15, 2023. The take and possession of Dungeness crab is therefore prohibited after noon on April 15, 2023, in fishing zones 3-6. This season closure is being implemented to minimize entanglement risk for humpback whales as they return to forage off the coast of California and in response to several entanglements that occurred during March and April of 2022. >click to read< 06:53
Morro Bay – Winds of Change
The offshore wind industry is expected to grow in coming years, sourcing a global market for renewable energy. The waters off Morro Bay have been sanctioned by The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) as a viable site for offshore wind development, considering the town’s existing electrical transmission capabilities. The introduction of an offshore wind farm would have devastating effects on Morro Bay due to the town’s historic reliance on the fishing industry. This project has the potential to displace fishermen and cause widespread economic harm to the community. Winds of Change explores the complexities of this case, while giving underrepresented fishermen a voice in the matter. Video, >click to watch< 10:01
Obituary: Commercial Fisherman Ron Ellis
Our friend, fellow fisherman, brother Ron Ellis, was lost to the ocean on February 20th, while swordfishing off San Diego. His fishing vessel, Defiance, was found drifting at idle, by another fisherman, with no one on board. Ron has spent much of his commercial fishing career in Santa Barbara, initially as a deckhand, then as a top producing skipper in the crab industry. He pioneered the experimental Box Crab fishery, establishing a new fishery, while providing data and research, yet was then denied access to this important fishery by CA F&W. >click to read< 17:13
Imperiled Chinook salmon runs close ocean fishing off California, much of Oregon
The closure currently runs through May 15 and affects a length of the coast stretching from Oregon’s Cape Falcon, near Cannon Beach, south to the Mexican border. And it could be extended, officials said, as the imperiled species struggles amid a long-running drought. Further closures are likely, said Eric Schindler, head of the Oregon Department of Wildlife’s Ocean Salmon Program.“It doesn’t look good for this year or next year, and possibly the year after that, because of the drought conditions in California,” Schindler said. “We have to make sure that we’re not undermining our ability to produce salmon for the next go around.” Video, >click to read< 10:35
No California salmon: Fishery to be shut down this year
Last year, California’s commercial and recreational fishing fleet, from the Central Coast to the Oregon border, landed about 300,000 salmon. But this year, Davis and other salmon anglers won’t be fishing for salmon at all. Last year, the industry’s economic value was an estimated $460 million for fish sales and related businesses, including restaurants, tackle shops, private fishing guides, campgrounds and other services. Salmon season usually runs from May through October. Only in two previous years — 2008 and 2009 — has California’s salmon season been shut down completely. That closure came as the numbers of spawning fish returning to the Sacramento River, the state’s main salmon producer, crashed to record lows. Now California’s Chinook runs have collapsed again. >click to read< 09:54
California crabber accuses processor of price fixing
A Portland, Oregon seafood processor, the country’s largest, faces an antitrust class action over what the lead plaintiff says is an egregious case of price fixing in the West Coast’s increasingly unstable Dungeness crab market. Fisherman Brand Little of Auburn, California, filed a putative class action Monday accusing the $945 million company with fixing the price of the highly sought after Dungeness crab, which is found along the coasts and bays between Central California and Alaska. Little says Pacific Seafood, which is owned by Frank Dulcich, the grandson of the company’s founder, has “for at least the last four years, and likely substantially longer” fixed the prices paid to the region’s crabbers. That has in turn dramatically reduced the amount of money earned by the crabbers and priced out customers during the peak demand period while forcing them to buy frozen crab from the previous year, also supplied by Pacific Seafood. >click to read< 12:21
Correcting our Lobster Mistake
To Our Heal the Ocean Supporters: This notice is an important correction – and apology – to our HTO members, and to Santa Barbara’s commercial lobster fleet for errors made in our Thursday 3/9 E-Letter “Bad Rap for Lobster Traps.” Due to the numerous traps that landed on our beaches in the last severe storm, HTO had suggested that lobster fishermen pull their traps when anticipating impending storms. Additionally, we proposed the development of a protocol in collaboration with the Department of Fish and Wildlife for managing such storm situations. Our verbiage raised considerable ire amongst the lobster fleet, and for good reason. Pulling lobster traps takes weeks. Our suggestion was one of impossibility. >click to read< 20:44
Local fisherman outlines harbor concerns
Randy Smith owns and captains the F/V MISTASEA, a fishing vessel moored in the Crescent City Harbor. As sometimes happens, Smith encountered a mechanical breakdown while crabbing, three weeks ago. Apparently, F/V MISTASEA lost rudder control and possibly broke the drive shaft. Smith needed immediate assistance. With the help of his brother crabbers, Fashion Blacksmith, and several very knowledgeable marine diver experts, Smith was able to ease his vessel back into the Harbor; that’s the good news. F/V Mistasea was unable to be lifted onto the excavator at Fashion Blacksmith pier because of the tide level, and the buildup of mud and sludge due to zero dredging since 2013 allowed this immediate crisis to escalate. Photos, >click to read< 07:42
PD Editorial: Listen to fishermen: Skip salmon season
When people call for action that goes against their own short-term interests, something bigger must be at stake. The public should pay attention. So, it is with three associations of West Coast fishermen that have called for a shutdown of this year’s California salmon fishing season. Members of all three associations know that a closure will cost them dearly, but they understand that this year’s pain is the best chance for long-term survival. But the people who know salmon best and rely on them most — members of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, the Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association and the Northern California Guides and Sportsmen’s Association — say that it’s time for a pause. >click to read< 11:44
Facing Dismal Salmon Population Forecast, Fishermen’s Groups Call for Immediate Closure of Season, Request Disaster Assistance
Facing some of the worst salmon fishery numbers in California’s recorded history, a coalition of sport and commercial fishermen’s groups is calling on state regulators to immediately cancel the 2023 fall salmon season. The request comes two days after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s annual pre-season salmon informational meeting, where agency personnel delivered a dismal 2023 abundance forecast. From the press release, Today, leadership of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, the Golden Gate Fisherman’s Association, and the Northern California Guides and Sportsmen’s Association are calling for an immediate closure of the 2023 salmon season and requesting [that] Governor Newsom, the State Legislature, and state agencies seek Federal and State disaster assistance funding for affected ocean and inland commercial operators. >click to read< 12:53
Panel discusses impact of offshore wind on West Coast fisheries
The Biden administration has called for deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy to combat climate change by 2030. Depending on where the turbines are placed, they could displace highly productive fishing grounds that account for billions of dollars and thousands of jobs in Oregon, Washington and California. Projects must be planned carefully using the best available science to mitigate potential damage, according to a panel of experts who spoke March 1 at the Northwest Offshore Wind Conference in downtown Portland. >click to read< 11:52
Poor outlook for king salmon could shut down California’s sport and commercial seasons
This year’s official “forecast abundance” estimates that just 169,767 adult chinook salmon are waiting off shore to be caught — a substantial decrease from the 396,458 predicted last year and forecasts above 800,000 a decade ago. A nearly 2-month delay in the Dungeness crab season this year meant commercial crabbers missed the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays and then had a glut of fresh crab available when the market was weak, said veteran fisherman Dick Ogg, vice president of the Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Marketing Association, which represents the local commercial fleet. Though Ogg participates in a variety of fisheries, many locals only do salmon, crab or both. “For the guys that only have salmon as a potential income, it’s going to be devastating,” he said, “and for the guys who have salmon and crab, and who have had a minimal crab season, it’s going to be devastating.” >click to read< 09:05
Fishermen at Pillar Point hold fast for better days
Captain Mike Burian, who fishes under the vessel, Prime Time out of Pillar Point Harbor, bought a boat last year when it sounded like a good deal; however, his dream of running a profitable crabbing and salmon boat quickly turned into a nightmare after multiple delays in the season and various obstacles made it increasingly difficult to turn a profit. “I always wanted to do this and someone was selling the vessel, pods and permits and I thought it was a good idea at the time,” Burian said. “If I did well, I was going to do it full time and fish for salmon as well; but, at this time, there is no way to make a living with this as far as I can see.” >click to read< 08:47
Search for Missing Fisherman Off San Diego Coast Hampered Due to Storm: USCG
An incoming storm forced the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to suspend its search for a fisherman reported missing off the coast of San Diego two days ago. Sunday afternoon, USCG San Diego received reports that the 42-foot commercial fishing vessel “Defiance” was adrift and unmanned roughly 19 miles west of Point Loma. The Defiance was found around 4:30 p.m. Sunday by a friend of the missing fisherman, according to PO1 Adam Stanton, a spokesperson for USCG San Diego. At USCG’s request, the man searched the vessel for his friend but did not find him, according to Stanton. >click to read< 07:29
Flooded market has Dungeness crab prices way down
After waiting more than six weeks for the Dungeness crab season to finally open in early January, customers have no doubt noticed that prices are lower than they have been in recent years. At H&H Fresh Fish Co. in the Santa Cruz Harbor, which prioritizes sourcing crab from local fishermen, the price for cooked Dungeness crab is $15 per pound and $9 per pound for live crabs. That’s half as much as the 2021-22 crab season, when the price for live crab hovered between $14 to $18 per pound and rose above $20 around that holiday season, while cooked crab was around $18 per pound. An excess of Dungeness crab in the California market is lowering prices, explains Hans Haveman, a co-owner of H&H Fresh Fish Co, especially on the north coast. >click to read< 12:06
Commission cuts halibut limits across Alaska, Canada
The International Pacific Halibut Commission adopted its annual catch limits for halibut in 2023 from California to the Bering Sea at its meeting Jan. 27. Coastwide, the total constant exploitation yield, a term for how many total halibut longer than 26 inches are removed from the population, regardless of reason, is just shy of 37 million pounds, a 10% drop from 41.2 million pounds last year. Every regulatory area received a cut except for 2A, which covers California, Oregon and Washington. Area 3A, which covers the central Gulf of Alaska, and area 4A, which covers the eastern Aleutians, saw the largest cuts at 17% each. Southeast Alaska only saw a 1% cut, while the western Gulf, western Aleutians and central Bering Sea each saw 6% cuts. The Canadian coast saw a 10.3% cut. >click to read< 11:50
Shippers to Pay $45 Million to Settle 2021 California Oil Spill Lawsuits
Companies linked to two cargo ships accused of damaging a pipeline months before it ruptured, sending crude oil gushing into the waters off Orange County, have agreed to pay $45 million to settle lawsuits brought by business owners and residents, attorneys said Feb. 9. The combined settlements, totaling nearly $100 million, will be distributed among three classes: one representing the fishing industry, another for coastal homeowners and a third for individuals and businesses whose livelihoods relied on the use of the ocean for tourism, said attorney Wylie Aitken. Amid 60 mph winds and 17-foot waves, the MSC Danit and Cosco Beijing dragged their anchors “into areas where federal law prohibits anchoring,” including across the pipeline,,, >click to read< 10:04
Fishing industry gets hooked up again after Santa Barbara harbor was closed by sand
With the weekend reopening of the Santa Barbara harbor, the fishing industry is getting back on schedule, and some are calculating losses. While weather conditions are always a variable, the sand blockade was said to be one of the biggest and fastest hits to the harbor entrance in recent memory. The commercial fishing industry saw many boats docked instead of out in the Santa Barbara Channel. Island Hooker boat owner Robert Church was asked about the harbor issues while working on his vessel in a harbor slip. “Nobody likes to see the sandbar shutting anyone out. There’s a lot of commercial fishermen in the harbor and it affects everybody who is a commercial fisherman.” >click to read< 07:53
Fishing crew catches rare, brightly colored petrale sole
A fishing crew working for a Morgan Hill-based seafood company reeled in “the catch of a lifetime” in Moss Landing Harbor when they pulled a brightly colored petrale sole with a rare skin condition onto the boat, according to the company. The crew was fishing on the F/V Noah’s Ark vessel for Lusamerica Foods,,, “I’ve never seen anything like that, ever, and neither has my captain. And we’ve been fishing for over 100 years between us,”In an industry noted for superstition, Lusamerica and the F/V Noah’s Ark are taking the catch as a “good omen.” Adame said the Jan. 24 expedition was the boat’s first time unloading in Moss Landing, >click to read< 09:47
Biden needs to help California fishermen in our dispute over dangerous fish farms
When people think of California, they think of our coasts. Our vibrant ocean sustains a robust seafood industry, as well as many hospitality, tourism and recreation businesses. But in recent years, our coastal enterprises have faced a litany of challenges; pollution, climate change and development along the coast have made it difficult for independent businesses to survive. Now in 2023, another threat is looming: The National Oceans and Atmospheric Administration is scoping out Southern California as a new site for industrial-scale finfish farms. Last spring, NOAA identified 10 Aquaculture Opportunity Areas off the coast of Southern California. These areas are deemed ideal for offshore fish farms, despite the fact that two of them are in close proximity to a Superfund site where 500,000 barrels of the banned pesticide DDT were dumped. >click to read< 10:00
FUNDRAISER FOR OWNER OF BOAT DAMAGED WHEN TRYING TO HELP ANOTHER
Locals are jumping in to help Luke Sack, a local crabber, whose boat was damaged while trying to help another boat that got into trouble in Shelter Cove yesterday. The organizer, Lisa Machi Pleger wrote, “On Saturday January 21st Luke set out to retrieve his crab when he noticed a sport boat in distress, Luke did what any hero would do and came to their rescue only to end up in trouble himself. His boat washed ashore and was severely damaged. Many of his electronics are ruined, along with his motors and the vessel itself. >click to read< the rest, and please, donate if you can! 18:33
Restrictions lifted on beleaguered North Bay Dungeness crab fleet
The restrictions were imposed earlier this season to reduce the risk of marine animals becoming entangled in gear. Beginning this weekend, commercial crabbers south of Mendocino County can deploy 100% of their allotted crab pots, instead of operating at 50% reduction, as they have for the past two weeks. Extreme weather and rough seas proved an impediment this season, however, as have prices, which so far have kept the commercial fleet north of Sonoma County tied up at dock. Dick Ogg, vice president of the Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Marketing Association, was busy Thursday with his crew prepping gear on a rare clear day so they could try to fish this weekend. >click to read< 07:31
Commercial Dungeness crab season opens January 15
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday that the commercial Dungeness crab fishery season opens from Cape Falcon to Cape Arago January 15. The season opens February 1 from Cape Falcon north to Washington State; in accordance with the Tri-State Protocol. ODFW says that the crabs are ready for harvest after passing all administered tests. Crab meat fill now meets criteria in all areas of Oregon, and biotoxins are below alert levels in all crab tested from Cape Arago north. However, domoic acid testing of crab will continue from Cape Arago south to the California border as test results Thursday showed elevated levels of domoic acid in the area. >click to read< For more information about crabbing season you can visit ODFW’s website. 09:21
Regulated revenue: New rules, delayed season cut into local crabbers earning potential
Local crabbers and fishermen struggle to make ends meet due to stormy weather, a delayed fishing season, and a new state mandate. On Dec. 26, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that fisheries stretching roughly from Bodega Bay to Point Conception would finally open on Dec. 31, but now under one condition, crabbers and fishers are required to limit the use of crab traps and gear they throw in the water by 50 percent. Longtime Morro Bay crabber Jeff French said the new rules set by the Department of Fish and Wildlife put crabbers and fishers at a disadvantage. “Our costs are going to be basically the same, except that now we’re expected to make a living on half of our normal gear allotment and we have to pay for tags or licenses every other year for our traps,” >click to read< 12:12
