Pacific Fishery Management Council unanimously recommends repeat closure for state ocean salmon fisheries

CENTRAL COAST REGION, Calif. – The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) unanimously recommended closing California's commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries through the end of 2024 Wednesday.

The PMFC's recommendation will prompt action from the National Marine Fisheries Services for the closure that will begin in mid-May.

The California Fish and Game Commission will also consider closure of inland salmon fisheries in its May 15 meeting.

Salmon continue to be impacted from drought and climate issues across California.

Current salmon populations in state coasts and rivers suffered from those conditions as well as wildfires, habitat shifts, harmful plants and ocean shifts.

Low returns of salmon last year led to a full closure for fisheries across the state, a difficult decision for PCFFA president George Bradshaw.

“While incredibly painful to fishing families and fishing communities, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations supports the closure,” said Bradshaw. “We all need to be doing everything we can to give California’s salmon a chance to recover. It has to be an all-hands-on-deck effort to ensure survival for our Central Valley and Klamath salmon runs.” 

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife will continue working towards restoring salmon populations across the state with funding expected to aid the disaster.

More information on the importance of salmon in California's ecosystems can be found on the CDFW website and for more on the PFMC, visit its respective website.