The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has announced that the commercial fishery for greenlings (genus Hexagrammos) will close Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007 at 12:01 a.m. for the remainder of the year.

Based on recent landing receipts and dockside tabulation efforts, DFG expects that by Aug. 1, the annual commercial allocation of 3,400 pounds of greenling (both kelp and rock greenling combined) will be taken for the 2007 calendar year. The recreational fishery for greenlings will remain open.

The latest estimates from the DFG indicate approximately 3,000 pounds of commercial greenlings were landed by mid-July 2007. Historically, catch rates increase throughout the summer.

Greenlings (both kelp and rock greenling) are nearshore species of fish found mostly in California's northern and central coastal areas and are highly valued in the live-fish fishery.

In May 2002, the Fish and Game Commission adopted regulations providing DFG the authority to close either or both the recreational and commercial sectors of the greenling, sheephead, and cabezon fisheries when their allowable harvest levels are projected to be reached.

Beginning in 2004, two-month cumulative trip limits were instituted for the commercial California sheephead, greenling, and cabezon fisheries in an effort to sustain those fisheries throughout the year. The greenling fishery has a two-month cumulative trip limit of 25 pounds per nearshore fishery permit holder when fishing is permitted