The California Fish and Game Commission is evaluating potential amendments to recreational fishing regulations for barred sand bass (Paralabrax nebulifer), aiming to address the concerns they have regarding the species’ population sustainability. The term “barred” in barred sand bass refers to the dark vertical bars of blotches that run down the sides of the fish. Currently, anglers are permitted to catch up to five bass per day in any combination of species, with a minimum size requirement of 14 inches.
This measure aims to protect the species’ population while maintaining year-round fishing access. Seasonal closures were considered but rejected due to enforceability concerns and fears of leading to permanent restrictions. For anglers, this means adjusting strategies to comply with the reduced limits, while fishing charter companies may need to adapt their offerings and educate clients on the new rules. The proposed changes reflect a balance between conservation efforts and the economic and recreational interests of the fishing community
The Commission’s Marine Resources Committee (MRC) (an advisory body that provides recommendations to the full Commission on matters related to California’s marine resources) has recommended a range of alternatives for consideration, including implementing a two-part seasonal approach with varying bag limits. Specifically, the MRC suggests reducing the bag limit during peak spawning months — June, July, and August — when barred sand bass (BSB) are most active and vulnerable. The proposed bag limits range from one to five fish within the existing five-fish aggregate limit, with a provision for these changes to expire after three years.
Concurrently, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) supports a year-round reduction in the BSB bag limit to four fish within the five-fish aggregate, also with a three-year sunset clause. Both the MRC and CDFW advise against implementing seasonally closed areas, citing concerns about enforceability and potential progression toward permanent closures.
According to Armand Barilotti, an environmental scientist with the CDFW, “the proposed three-year sunset regulation is designed to temporarily establish a precautionary conservation measures for the BSB fishery while allowing the Department to further evaluate the fishery using a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) tool with stakeholder input, to test potential management measures and put forth a science backed regulation to most effectively manage the fishery. There will be a concentrated outreach effort to inform the public once the regulation has been determined and ratified. The Department and partners will use social media, blogs, and our recreational fishery samplers to get pertinent information out to the public before the regulations take effect.”
Barilotti and his team manages the state marine fishes including barred sand bass. Barilotti explained that the Department uses a variety of information to monitor and evaluate the BSB fishery. These include fishery dependent data such as landings and length measurements, fishery independent data such as abundance and sizes from Department and other researcher’s scuba surveys, and recent scientific publications focusing on tagging studies, larvae abundance, and hyperstability.
“These measures are precautionary due to our concerns over the sustainability of the population, as no formal stock assessment exists for BSB,” said Barilotti. “For the past decade, BSB landings have been a fraction of what they had been in the previous decades and the large spawning aggregations were not observed. In the mid 2010s, there was a recruitment pulse of BSB, and with scuba surveys, the Department has seen these fish get larger and enter the fishery (minimum size limit of 14 inches). The spawning aggregations have gradually started to return, and we saw the first evidence of increased landings in 2023 and 2024. However, the Department has concerns as there is no evidence of a recruitment pulse behind these legal-sized fish and continued increased fishing success could reduce the spawning population to unsustainable levels.”
According to Barilotti, BSB form large spawning aggregation in the months of June through August. BSB migrate tens of miles from reefs to spawning aggregation areas, typically to mud/sand flats. Commercial passenger fishing vessels (CPFVs) and private fishing boats target these aggregations as BSB are easily found and caught. Fish in spawning aggregations can exhibit hyperstability which is where catch rates remain constant while the population size decreases, giving the illusion of plenty. The aggregating behavior of the fish masks decreases in the population, which can reach critically low levels where aggregations cease to form. Seasonal fishing restrictions during the spawning months are being considered as way to protect BSB when they are most vulnerable.
When inquiring about enforcement of potential bag limit changes, particularly during peak fishing seasons or in heavily trafficked areas, The Log posed the question to Barilotti to which he explained that the Department’s Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Officers are responsible for enforcing all fish and wildlife regulations to protect California’s natural resources and ensure public safety, adding that the Department would conduct public outreach to inform anglers about any regulation changes.
Proposed changes to the recreational fishing regulations for BSB also propose a possible impact on fishing charter companies, which often rely on this species as a primary draw for their customers. However, to address concerns and ensure a collaborative approach, the CDFW has engaged in discussions with fishing industry representatives, commercial passenger fishing vessel captains, black sea bass research scientists, and the California Fish and Game Commission’s MRC. This effort has resulted in the formation of a working group comprised of representatives from these various stakeholders. The group’s objectives include developing a shared understanding of the BSB population and fishery’s status, determining the need for conservation measures, identifying gaps in existing data, devising strategies for future data collection, and maintaining an open information-sharing process regarding the species and its fishery.
According to Capt. Brian Woolley, a captain for Dana Wharf Sportfishing with 28 years of experience in the industry, “Our anglers like to see a return for their expense, such as ticket fare, fishing license fee, etc. A lot of times anglers come out during peak season to capitalize on their catch potential. The sand bass season during the summer is one of those occasions, with a potential reduction in a daily bag limit of sand bass would be a factor.”
If new regulations reduce bag limits or impose stricter seasonal restrictions, it opens up the possibility for fishing charters to face challenges in meeting client expectations and maintaining booking levels. Many anglers choose charter trips specifically to target species like BSB, and reduced opportunities to catch these fish could influence demand for such services.
Charter companies would also need to adapt their practices to comply with new regulations, potentially altering fishing strategies or shifting focus to alternative species, which might not hold the same appeal to their clientele.
“Fisherman always preach sustainable practices,” said Capt. Woolley. “We encourage anglers to take only what they can consume in a realistic timeframe. Anglers that are up on the potential change to bag limits on sand bass, however, may think twice before coming out and spending money.”
According to the CDFW, there is agreement among the agency, scientists and the public supporting the need for improved scientific data, particularly regarding the origins of sand bass populations in Southern California waters and the documentation of juvenile fish. However, CDFW has also noted that while the recent increase in barred sand bass is a promising sign, there has not been a large recruitment event since the pulse in the mid-2010s raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of the fishery and the potential impact of fishing during spawning aggregations.
In contrast, Capt. Woolley said, “We see plenty of juvenile sand bass. We have spots where that’s all we see. Spawning aggregations may be smaller but pinning it on overfishing isn’t accurate. Other factors like habitat loss, urban runoff, and environmental factors play a big role in when and where these fish decide to spawn. Since I’m not a sand bass, I can’t tell you where all these spawning aggregations are located, but I believe it’s important to understand that the traditional spawning locations probably aren’t the only areas in which these fish choose to spawn. There has to be unknown locations.”
Reducing the bag limit on sand bass will inevitably shift pressure onto calico bass, according to Capt. Woolley. With the daily bag limit of five bass in any combination of sand bass and calico bass, a reduction in sand bass would likely lead anglers to target more calico bass to reach their limit. However, Capt. Woolley emphasized that their focus as a charter is not on maximizing daily limits but rather on ensuring anglers have a positive experience while responsibly harvesting what they catch.
The Commission’s deliberation process involves multiple meetings, starting with the authorization of a Notice of Intent to amend regulations, followed by discussions of the proposed options, and concluding with the adoption of selected measures. The first meeting was held on December 11 and 12, 2024, in Sacramento, marking the initial step in this regulatory review. The next meeting will take place February 12 and 13, 2025, in Sacramento.
Stakeholders, including environmental groups and representatives from the sportfishing community, have expressed diverse perspectives on the proposed changes. The Commission aims to balance ecological sustainability with recreational fishing interests, ensuring that any regulatory adjustments are both effective and equitable.
As the process unfolds, the Commission encourages continued public engagement to inform decisions that will impact the management and conservation of barred sand bass populations along California’s coast.
