San Francisco  --  The 2020 salmon season will start for sport anglers from Pigeon Pt. in southern San Mateo County south to the Mexican border on April 4.  Sport anglers north of there, including those out of HMB, SF, Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg and Shelter Cove will get a chance to catch a salmon starting a week later on April 11. 

Commercial salmon fishermen will start fishing in water from Pigeon Point south on May 1 and north of Pigeon Point in the second week of May.  They’ll land salmon until mid-October when their season ends. 

The Pacific Fisheries Management Council will finalize other details relating to the opening of the commercial season and sport salmon fishing in California at a meeting scheduled for early April. They’ll chose from the season alternatives listed below. 

The forecast for salmon fishing off the California coast is better than at this time last year, due mostly to plentiful rain and runoff during the last several years coupled with improved hatchery release practices.  Adequate runoff in the Central Valley always increases salmon numbers since it provides the “conveyor belt” that moves baby fish from the valley out to the ocean in good shape. 

 

Although experts expect to see more salmon that originated in the Sacramento Valley this year, they are expecting fewer from the Klamath River.  Restrictions on fishing in areas known to harbor Klamath salmon will be in place this year which will restrict the commercial fleet’s access to fishing grounds off the northern Mendocino and southern Humboldt counties’ coast. 

 

A 24 inch minimum size limit to protect federally protected winter run salmon in the water of Monterey Bay and points south will be in place in the sport fishery.   Water from Pigeon Point north of Pt. Arena will see a 24 inch minimum size limit in the sport fishery until May 1 when it drops to 20 inches.

 

“We have reason to be hopeful as we look to the start of salmon fishing in 2020 and we’re glad to see that programs supported by the Golden State Salmon Association are apparently resulting in more fish for everyone to catch this year,” said John McManus, president of the Golden State Salmon Association.

 

OR/CA Border to Horse Mt. (California KMZ) • June 6-July 31.

OR/CA Border to Horse Mt. (California KMZ) • June 11-July 31.

OR/CA Border to Horse Mt. (California KMZ) • July 1-19 .

 

Horse Mt. to Point Arena (Fort Bragg) • April 11-30; • May 1-November 1.

Horse Mt. to Point Arena (Fort Bragg) • April 11-30; • May 1-October 31.

Horse Mt. to Point Arena (Fort Bragg) • April 11-30; • May 1-October 30.

 

Point Arena to Pigeon Point (San Francisco) • April 11-30; • May 1-November 1. 

Point Arena to Pigeon Point (San Francisco) • April 11-30; • May 1-October 31.

Point Arena to Pigeon Point (San Francisco) • April 11-30; • May 16-June 30; • July 1-October 30.

 

Pigeon Point to Mexican border (Monterey) • April 4-October 4(C.6).

Pigeon Point to Mexican border (Monterey) • April 4-September 27 (C.6).

Pigeon Point to Mexican border (Monterey) • April 4-September 7 (C.6).

 

Horse Mt. to Point Arena (Fort Bragg) • August 1-28; • September 1-30.  Chinook minimum size limit of 28 inches total length through August, then 27 inches total length thereafter. 

Horse Mt. to Point Arena (Fort Bragg) • September 1-30 Chinook minimum size limit of 27

Horse Mt. to Point Arena (Fort Bragg) • September 1-30 Chinook minimum size limit of 27

 

Pt. Arena to Pigeon Pt. (San Francisco) • May 7-29; • June 10-30; • July 15-28; • August 1-28; • September 1-30.  27” minimum size limit.

Pt. Arena to Pigeon Pt. (San Francisco) • May 6-28; • June 4-30; • July 11-22; • August 1-28; • September 1-30.

Pt. Arena to Pigeon Pt. (San Francisco) • May 6-31; • June 12-30; • August 1-20; • September 1-30 

Bolinas Fall Fishery

Point Reyes to Point San Pedro (Fall Area Target Zone) • October 1-2, 5-9, 12-15. Open five days per week (Mon.-Fri.)    Chinook minimum size limit of 26 inches total length

Commercial Monterey Cell Draft Commercial Season Alternatives

Pigeon Point to U.S./Mexico Border (Monterey) • May 1-29; • June 10-30; • July 15-28; • August 1-28 Chinook minimum size limit of 27 inches

Pigeon Point to U.S./Mexico Border (Monterey) • May 1-28; • June 1-30; • July 11-22; • August 1-28 

Pigeon Point to U.S./Mexico Border (Monterey) • May 1-28; • June 1-30; • July 12-31; • August 1-28 

About GSSA: The Golden State Salmon Association (www.goldenstatesalmon.org) is a coalition of salmon advocates that includes commercial and recreational salmon fishermen and women, businesses, restaurants, a native tribe, environmentalists, elected officials, families and communities that rely on salmon. GSSA’s mission is to restore California salmon for their economic, recreational, commercial, environmental, cultural and health values.

Currently, California’s salmon industry is valued at $1.4 billion in economic activity and 23,000 jobs annually in a normal season and about half that much in economic activity and jobs again in Oregon. Industry workers benefiting from Central Valley salmon stretch from Santa Barbara to northern Oregon. This includes commercial fishermen and women, recreational fishermen and women (fresh and salt water), fish processors, marinas, coastal communities, equipment manufacturers, the hotel and food industry, tribes, and others.