So, you may ask, what's going on in fishing and crabbing in Dillon Beach? Good question. While this past month has had some of the best fishing weather of the year (if you like flat water and little wind) the choices of fish to catch are minimal and get worse after December. Next year's rules are: "

Media Contacts: Caroline McKnight, CDFW Marine Region, (831) 277-7683 Jordan Traverso, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352

New Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations Coming in the New Year Changes to recreational fishing seasons, depth limits and bag limits for a variety of groundfish species will be implemented in 2023. The new regulations were adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council in June 2022 and the California Fish and Game Commission in November 2022 and are expected to take effect on or around Jan. 1, 2023. As in previous years, the boat-based fishery for most groundfish species will be closed statewide beginning Jan. 1, while spear divers and shore-based anglers will continue to have year-round fishing opportunities for groundfish. For groundfish including Rockfish, Cabezon and Greenling (RCG) as well as lingcod, the boat-based seasons will bring a mix of increased and reduced fishing opportunities, depending on the species. Unlike prior years, all Groundfish Management Areas will have a portion of the season when ‘all-depth’ fishing is allowed and anglers are not subject to the Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) depth constraints. This allows new fishing opportunities for deeper-water shelf and slope rockfish, which are most abundant in areas that have been previously closed to recreational groundfish fishing. The following is a summary of the new boat-based regulations for RCG species and lingcod in each management area: Southern Management Area between 34°27' N. latitude (Point Conception) and the U.S./Mexico border: For nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenlings: closed Jan. 1 through March 31, open at all depths April 1 through Sept. 15, closed Sept. 16 through Dec. 31. For all other rockfish (shelf and slope species) and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through March 31, open at all depths April 1 through Sept. 15. From Sept. 16 through Dec. 31, take of shelf and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Additional regulations still apply within the Cowcod Conservation Areas.  Central Management Area between 37°11' N. latitude (Pigeon Point) and 34°27' N. latitude (Point Conception): For nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenlings: closed Jan. 1 through April 30, open at all depths May 1 through Sept. 30, closed Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. For all other rockfish (shelf and slope species) and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through April 30, open at all depths May 1 through Sept. 30. From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, take of shelf and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom RCA line. San Francisco Management Area between 38°57.5' N. latitude (Point Arena) and 37°11' N. latitude (Pigeon Point): For nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenlings: closed Jan. 1 through July 15, open at all depths July 16 through Dec. 31. For all other rockfish (shelf and slope species) and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through May 14. From May 15 through July 15, take of shelf and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom RCA line. From July 16 through Dec. 31, open at all depths. Mendocino Management Area between 40°10' N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino) and 38°57.5' N. latitude (Point Arena): For nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenlings: closed Jan. 1 through July 15, open at all depths July 16 through Dec. 31. For all other rockfish (shelf and slope species) and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through May 14. From May 15 through July 15, take of shelf and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom RCA line. From July 16 through Dec. 31, open at all depths. Northern Management Area between the California/Oregon state line and 40°10' N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino): For rockfish, cabezon, greenlings and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through May 14, open at all depths May 15 through Oct. 15, closed Oct. 16 through Dec. 31. Anglers will need to identify rockfish species they catch, and beginning in 2023, be able to determine if the fish is categorized as a nearshore, shelf or slope rockfish species, as different seasons and depths apply to each category depending on the Groundfish Management Area and month. The RCG bag limit will remain at 10 fish in combination of rockfish, cabezon and greenlings, with sub-bag limits of not more than four vermilion rockfish, one copper rockfish and one quillback rockfish. Take and possession of cowcod, yelloweye and bronzespotted rockfish will remain prohibited. The new groundfish regulations are a significant departure from the fishing seasons and depth limits that anglers are accustomed to and are necessary due to scientific information suggesting that copper rockfish and quillback rockfish populations are in severe decline. The season structures for each management area were developed in consultation with fishing industry representatives, non-governmental organizations and state, federal and tribal governments, and were designed to provide the greatest amount of groundfish fishing time and opportunity to anglers throughout the year. “While recognizing there are concerns with copper and quillback rockfish that will reduce nearshore fishing time in the near-term, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is excited to offer recreational anglers new deeper-water and offshore bank and reef opportunities for groundfish that have been closed for more than two decades,” said CDFW Environmental Program Manager Marci Yaremko. “We look forward to seeing the diversity of healthy species come across the docks in the coming years as significant new fishing grounds will now be available to recreational angling.” There are also changes for several species that have been subject to boat-based closures in the past, which may offer new alternatives for boat-based anglers as early as January. They include: New year-round opportunities: ocean whitefish, California scorpionfish, leopard shark, soupfin shark, Dover sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish, skates, ratfish, grenadiers, finescale codling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting, sablefish and thornyheads will now be open year-round in all depths, statewide. Boat-based fishing for California sheephead, will be open from March 1 through Dec. 31, statewide. The bag limit, regardless of fishing mode, will decrease from five fish to two fish. To meet harvest goals, the recreational groundfish fishery is subject to in-season regulatory changes. Please stay informed by visiting CDFW’s summary of recreational groundfish fishing regulations webpage before fishing.

"  I bolded the part for us. Short form, no rockfishing until mid-May, and no rockfishing where you want to fish until mid-July. Deep-water rockfishing will open sooner and run the year, it just will cost more in gas and be more highly restricted by weather. But when you get there, have your filet knives sharpened. Booyah.

    In the crab department, it mostly sucks locally. Inside Tomales Bay has been hard; outside in the Outer bay not much better. Snarers have caught a few from shore but numbers aren't awesome. Not many limits but a few dinners were had. Sales of hotlinks and canned beans has been up. Salmon Creek and points north have been better. Not perfect, but people that crabbed there have been likelier to have crab to share. That may change soon. The recommendation to the CDFW is this: 

"Recreational Fishery: • Lift Crab Trap Prohibition and Issue a Fleet Advisory for Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6 • Alternative Management Action for consideration by the Working Group is to continue the trap restriction until the next risk assessment (see Section C) The recreational Dungeness crab fishery is currently open statewide in all Fishing Zones (see CCR Title 14, section 29.80(e)), although use of traps is temporarily restricted in Fishing Zones 3-6. CDFW Marine Region’s preliminary recommendation is for the Director to lift the trap restriction in Fishing Zones 3-6 and issue a Fleet Advisory, with specific information on recent humpback whale sighting locations. The recommendation is that the recreational trap restriction be lifted on December 28, 2022, at 8:01am in Fishing Zones 3-6 and a Fleet Advisory issued. 

Commercial Fishery: • Season opener with Gear 50% Gear Reduction (trap reduction) and Fleet Advisory for Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6 • Alternative Management Action for consideration by the Working Group is to continue the season delay until the next risk assessment (see Section C) The commercial Dungeness crab fishery is currently delayed in all Fishing Zones due to crab meat quality or elevated entanglement risk. Fishing Zones 1 and 2 were evaluated during the November 21, 2022 risk assessment under RAMP and CDFW Marine Region staff’s final recommendation for the commercial fishery was to allow the season to open in these Fishing Zones due to reduced entanglement risk. However, the commercial fishery opener in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 was further delayed pursuant to Fish Page 3 of 5 and Game Code Section 8672.2 (due to quality testing results) until at least December 31, 2022. CDFW Marine Region’s preliminary recommendation is for the Director to open Fishing Zones 3-6 under a Gear Reduction of 50% of allotted traps by permit tier for each permitted vessel and issue a Fleet Advisory on December 31, 2022. Buoy tags issued pursuant to Fish and Game Code 8276.5 shall be reduced consistent with the Director’s declaration and all unused buoys tags shall be onboard the permitted vessel and made available for inspection by the department upon request, pursuant to Section 132.8 (e)(3) Title 14, CCR. Specific information on recent humpback whale sighting locations will be included in the Fleet Advisory. The 64-hour pre-soak would begin for the commercial fishery at 8:01am on December 28, 2022. " 

   So, this ain't the law, yet, but likely will be. When the guys that have been waiting to go crabbing to make money to pay for their lives finally get the opportunity to go, I'm guessing that they're gonna go, given the opportunity. So far, in two years (or less) of whale rules, the recommendations have been adopted as is. Really, no sense in having an advisory panel if you can't blame things on it later. That's what they're for. So, probably, traps will open on December 28. Probably. We should see an official proclamation tomorrow. Again, probably. I'll tell you tomorrow, probably.