California’s highly anticipated ocean salmon season delivered fast action and full limits along much of the coast during its June 7-8 opener — the first ocean salmon fishery since 2022. Favorable conditions and strong fishing were reported from Crescent City down to San Luis Obispo County, with the bulk of catches coming from ports in the greater San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) estimates that 9,165 Chinook salmon were landed statewide by 10,505 anglers over the two-day opener, quickly meeting the summer harvest guideline of 7,000 Chinook. As a result, the National Marine Fisheries Service has canceled the remaining scheduled summer fishing dates in July and August.
CDFW credited the success of the season opener to both favorable ocean conditions and strong participation from anglers, along with the cooperation of nearly 100 agency staff collecting data dockside. These efforts included gathering hatchery-origin fish heads to recover coded wire tags, which help biologists track salmon life history information.
The recreational salmon season will reopen September 4 through 7 in waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur under a separate fall harvest guideline of 7,500 Chinook. Additional dates may be offered through October, depending on harvest numbers.
This year marks the first use of in-season management and harvest guidelines in California’s ocean salmon fishery, part of a new approach outlined in California’s Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, released earlier this year.
For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/oceansalmon or call the CDFW Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at (707) 576-3429.
