NOAA To Shut Down Ocean Recreational Salmon Fishing In California Waters

Following a wildly successful abbreviated California ocean salmon season earlier this month – the first after two years of closures – NOAA Fisheries West Coast announced the closure of recreational salmon fishing throughout California ocean waters.

Here’s the NOAA press release, which also updated commercial fishing regulations for north of California, where that season has been closed for 2025.

Inseason Action #6-8 in Ocean Salmon Fisheries, South of Cape Falcon (recreational), OR/CA border to the U.S./Mexico border, and North of Cape Falcon (commercial), U.S./Canada border to Cape Falcon, Oregon

NOAA Fisheries has taken inseason action in the recreational fishery south of Cape Falcon and the commercial salmon fishery north of Cape Falcon.

Inseason Action #6

• Effective July 5, 2025, at 12:01 AM, the recreational ocean salmon fishery between the OR/CA border to the U.S./Mexico Border previously scheduled for July 5-6, July 31 – August 3, and August 25-31 is closed.

Inseason Action #7

• Effective 4:00 PM June 23, 2025, through 11:59 PM June 29, 2025, the commercial salmon troll fishery in the area north of Cape Falcon is open.  The Chinook salmon landing and possession limit for the entire area is 10 Chinook per vessel for the entire open period.
• All other pre-season regulations remain in place.

Inseason Action #8

• Effective 12:01 AM July 1, 2025, for the commercial salmon troll fishery in the area north of Cape Falcon, the landing and possession limit for the period July 1-9 will be modified to 60 Chinook for the open period.
• Effective 12:01 AM July 10, 2025, for the commercial salmon troll fishery in the area north of Cape Falcon, the landing and possession limit will be modified to 50 Chinook per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday).
• All other pre-season regulations for the July-September fishery remain in place.

Please refer to the West Coast Salmon Fisheries 2025-2026 Specifications and Management Measures for additional regulations and supporting materials.