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California
Commercial Fishing Restrictions
(Taken
from Fish and Game Code and California
Code of Regulations, Title 14)
This information is provided for educational purposes only; recent changes in fishing regulations may not be reflected here. For the "official word," please contact the Department of Fish and Game. A map of Fishing Districts referenced in this section follows. Click here for a description of individual Fishing Districts.
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SPECIES LIMITATION
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GEAR
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SEASON
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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All Species Except Live Bait
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All Gears
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Commercial fishing (except for live bait) is prohibited
within Santa Monica Bay (District 19A).
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All Species Except Shark & Swordfish drift gill
nets (with restrictions on length and mesh size)
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Gill Nets
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Districts 6, 7, 10. [1] Use prohibited north of
a line extending 245º magnetic from the most westerly point of the
Point Reyes headlands in Marin County. [2] Prohibited in waters
40 fathoms or less between a line extending 245º magnetic from the
most westerly point of Point Reyes headlands and a line extending
225º magnetic from Pillar Point at Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County.
[3] Prohibited in waters 60 fathoms or less between a line extending
225º magnetic from Pillar Point and a line extending due west from
Pigeon Point Lighthouse in San Mateo County. [4] Prohibited within
3 nautical miles of the Farallon Islands in San Francisco County
and Noonday Rock buoy, approx. 3 1/2 miles 276º magnetic from North
Farallon Island. Further length and mesh restrictions apply.
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All Species
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Gill Nets
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Use prohibited in Districts 16, 19A, 19B, 20,
21
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All Species
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Gill Nets
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District 17. Prohibited in waters 60 fathoms or
less in depth between a line extending due west magnetic from Pigeon
Point Lighthouse in San Mateo County and a line extending 220º magnetic
from the mouth of Waddell Creek in Santa Cruz County. Prohibited
in waters 30 fathoms or less south of a line extending 220º magnetic
from the mouth of Waddell Creek in Santa Cruz County. Prohibition
on take of rockfish in State waters applies. Further restrictions
on length and mesh apply.
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All Species - Marine Resorces Protection Zone
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Gill Nets
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Districts 18, 118.5, 19, 20, 20A, 21. (1) Prohibited
within 3 nautical miles of the mainland coast, and the area within
3 nautical miles off any man-made breakwater, between a line extending
due west from Pt. Arguello in Santa Barbara County south to the
US-Mexican border.
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(2) Prohibited in waters less than 70 fathoms
or within 1 nautical mile, whichever is less, around the Channel
Islands (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, San Nicolas,
Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, and San Clemente).
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(3) Prohibited in waters less than 35 fathoms
between a line running 180º true from Point Fermin in Los Angeles
County and a line running 270º true from the south jetty of Newport
Harbor, Orange County.
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All Species
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Gill Nets
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District 18. Prohibited north of a line extending
due west from Point Sal, Santa Barbara County, in waters 30 fathoms
or less in depth.
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All Species - Sea Otter Translocation Zone
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Gill Nets
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District 19. Prohibited at San Nicolas Island
in waters 20 fathoms or less in depth.
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SPECIES LIMITATION
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GEAR
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SEASON
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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All Species
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Trawl Nets
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Prohibited out to 3 miles offshore mainland coast.
(Except California halibut trawl grounds, 1-3 miles offshore between
Pt. Arguello and Pt. Mugu. Special restrictions apply.)
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All Species
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Trawl Nets
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Prohibited in Districts 16, 20, 20A.
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SPECIES LIMITATION
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GEAR
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SEASON
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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All Species
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Set Lines
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Prohibited in District 16.
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All Species Except Salmon & CA Halibut
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Set Lines, Vertical Lines, and Troll Lines
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From sunset on Friday to sunset on Sunday or from
sunset on day before State holiday to sunset on that holiday
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Districts 7 and 10. Commercial use prohibited
one mile from the nearest point of land on mainland.
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All Species
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Set Lines
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District 16. Use prohibited.
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SPECIES LIMITATION
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GEAR
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SEASON
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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All Species Except Live Bait
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Round Haul Nets
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Use prohibited in District 19A and 19B except
to take fish for sale as live bait only.
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SPECIES
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GEAR
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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Rockfish
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Gill Nets
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Rockfish & Lingcod
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Gill Nets
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District 17. Prohibited in waters 100 fathoms
or less in depth south of a line extending 240º magnetic from Santa
Cruz Point. Prohibition on take of rockfish in State waters applies.
Further restrictions on length and mesh size apply.
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Rockfish & Lingcod
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Gill Nets
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District 18 (north of Pt. Sal). Prohibited in
waters 100 fathoms or less in depth north of a line extending 240º
magnetic from Point Sur Lighthouse in Monterey County. Prohibited
in waters 75 fathoms or less in depth between a line extending 240º
degrees magnetic from the Point Sur Lighthouse and a line extending
240º magnetic from Pfeiffer Point. Prohibited in waters less than
40 fathoms in depth between a line extending due west magnetic from
the Lighthouse at Point Piedras Blancas in San Luis Obispo County
and a line extending due west magnetic from Point Sal in Santa Barbara
County. Prohibition on the take of rockfish in State waters applies.
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Rockfish & Lingcod
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Gill Nets
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District 18 (south of Pt. Sal), District 19 and
20A. Prohibited in District 20A and in waters less than 70 fathoms
in depth south of Point Sal, except drift and set gill nets shall
not be used in waters less than 100 fathoms in depth at Sixty-Mile
Bank. Prohibition on the take of rockfish in State waters applies.
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SPECIES LIMITATION
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GEAR
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SEASON
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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Swordfish & Shark |
Drift Gill Nets
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Drift gill net fishery for shark and swordfish
is subject to special permit, season and area restrictions. Sharkfins
may not be landed without a corresponding carcass. For additional
and specific information, contact the Department of Fish and Game.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Feb 1 to April 30
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Closed Season
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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May 1 to Aug 14
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Use prohibited within 75 nautical miles of the
mainland coast between the westerly extension of the CA-OR boundary
and the westerly extension of the US-Mexico boundary.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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May 1 to July 31
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Use prohibited within 6 nautical miles westerly,
northerly, and easterly of the shoreline of San Miguel Island between
a line extending 6 nautical miles west from Point Bennett and a
line extending 6 nautical miles east from Cardwell Point and within
6 nautical miles westerly, northerly, and easterly of the shoreline
of Santa Rosa Island between a line extending 6 nautical miles west
from Sandy Point and a line extending 6 nautical miles east from
Skunk Point.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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May 1 to July 31
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Use prohibited within 10 nautical miles westerly,
southerly, and easterly of the shoreline of San Miguel Island between
a line extending 10 nautical miles west from Point Bennett and a
line extending 10 nautical miles east from Cardwell Point and within
10 nautical miles westerly, southerly, and easterly of the shoreline
of Santa Rosa Island between a line extending 10 nautical miles
west from Sandy Point and a line extending 10 nautical miles east
from Skunk Point.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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May 1 to July 31
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Use prohibited within a radius of 10 nautical
miles of the west end of San Nicolas Island.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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June 1 to Nov 15
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Use Prohibited two hours after sunrise to two
hours before sunset east of a line from Las Pitas Point to San Pedro
Point on Santa Cruz Island, thence to Gull Island Light, thence
to the northeast extremity of San Nicolas Island.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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Aug 15 to Sept 30
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Use prohibited in ocean waters bounded as follows:
beginning at Dana Point, in a direct line to Church Rock, Catalina
Island, thence in a direct line to Point La Jolla; and thence northwesterly
along the mainland shore to Dana Point.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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Aug 15 to Sept 30
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Use prohibited within 6 nautical miles of the
coastline on the northerly and easterly side of San Clemente Island,
lying between a line extending 6 nautical miles west from the extreme
northerly end of San Clemente Island to a line extending 6 nautical
miles east from Pyramid Head.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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Dec 15 to Jan 31
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Use prohibited in ocean waters within 25 nautical
miles of the mainland coast.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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Prohibited within 12 nautical miles from the nearest
point on the mainland shore north of a line extending due west from
Point Arguello.
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Swordfish & Shark
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Drift Gill Nets
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Prohibited east of a line running from Point Reyes
to Noonday Rock to the westermost point of southeast Farallon Island
to Pillar Point.
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SPECIES LIMITATION
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GEAR
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SEASON
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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| Lobster | Traps | First Wed. after March 15th to 1st Wed. in October | Closed Season |
| Lobster | Traps | Use prohibited in a portion of District 20 lying on the north and east sides of Santa Catalina Island north of Southeast Rock. | |
| Lobster | Traps | The districts in which lobsters may be taken: 18, 19, 20A, and those portions of district 20 lying on the southerly side of Santa Catalina Island between Southeast Rock and China Point. | |
| Rock Crab | Traps | Use of traps prohibited in Districts 9, 19A, 19B, and those portions of District 20 lying on the north and east sides of Santa Catalina Island north of Southeast Rock. | |
| Prawns & Shrimp | Traps | Use prohibited from Point Conception south to the Mexican border inside 50 fathoms depth. |
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SPECIES LIMITATION
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GEAR
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SEASON
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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| Squid | Round Haul Nets | Between noon on Friday and noon on Sunday of each week. | Use prohibited north of a line extending due west from Point Conception. |
| Yellowtail, barracuda, white seabass, salmon, steelhead, striped bass and shad prohibited | Round Haul Nets | May 1 to September 10 | District 19. Purse seines or ring nets prohibited [1] on weekends within 3 miles of the shoreline of Orange County; [2] within 2 miles of Dana Point, San Mateo Point and shoreline of Orange County between Santa Ana River and 6 miles south. (This restriction does not apply to use of roundhaul nets to take fish for use or sale for live bait.) |
| All Except Live Bait | Round Haul Nets | Use prohibited in District 19A and 19B except to take fish for sale as live bait only. | |
| Yellowtail, barracuda, white seabass, salmon, steelhead, striped bass and shad prohibited | Round Haul Nets | From sunrise Saturday to sunset Sunday and June 1 to August 31 | District 20. Purse and round haul nets prohibited in that portion of District 20 from extreme easterly end of Santa Catalina Island to China Point from sunrise Saturday to sunset Sunday. Round haul nets prohibited in that portion of District 20 from the extreme easterly end of Santa Catalina Island to government light of the southeasterly end of island June 1 through August 31. This restriction does not apply to nets used to take fish for live bait. |
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SPECIES LIMITATION
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GEAR
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SEASON
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CLOSURE/RESTRICTION
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| All Species | Trawl Nets | Districts 6, 7, 10, 17, 18*, 19*. Trawl nets prohibited inside 3 miles from mainland. Exceptions: Dist. 18 - midwater trawl prohibited inside 1 nautical mile of shore between Point Sur and Yankee Point. Dist 19 - California halibut trawl grounds - trawl prohibited inside 1 mile between Point Arguello and Point Mugu. Additional restrictions apply. | |
| Halibut | Trawl Nets | March 14 - June 16 | Closed Season - California Halibut Trawl Grounds. Use prohibited in waters between one and three nautical miles from the mainland shore between Pt. Arguello and Pt. Mugu. |
| Pink Shrimp | Trawl Nets | November 1 - March 31 | Closed Season for Pacific Ocean Shrimp. |
Click here for a description of individual Fishing Districts.
