{"id":424934,"date":"2026-08-05T23:50:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T23:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/424934\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T23:50:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T23:50:10","slug":"state-o-fish-rebuilding-californias-still-struggling-salmon-fishery-and-another-unpredictable-year-for-dungeness-crab-lost-coast-outpost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/424934\/","title":{"rendered":"STATE O’ FISH: Rebuilding California’s Still-Struggling Salmon Fishery and Another ‘Unpredictable’ Year for Dungeness Crab | Lost Coast Outpost"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Photo: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)<\/p>\n

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Obstacles facing California\u2019s Dungeness crab and salmon fisheries were the focus of Tuesday\u2019s annual fisheries meeting in Sacramento.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Zeke Grader Fisheries Forum, named after the renowned sustainability advocate and longtime leader of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen\u2019s Association, gives industry experts, tribal leaders and scientists an opportunity to discuss issues facing California\u2019s commercial fisheries with state lawmakers and explore potential legislative action.<\/p>\n

Over the last decade, elevated levels of the neurotoxin domoic acid<\/a>, mandatory gear reductions, whale entanglements and price negotiations with seafood suppliers have led to unprecedented delays for commercial crabbers<\/a>. Similarly, historic drought and poor habitat conditions have devastated California\u2019s salmon population in recent years, forcing the closure of the commercial fishery<\/a> from 2023 to 2025.<\/p>\n


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Mike McGuire | Screenshot<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a commercial fisherman on the West Coast has not been easy over these past several years,\u201d State Sen. Mike McGuire, chair of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, said at Tuesday\u2019s forum. \u201cHistoric droughts, climate impacts, dams [and] wildfires all have advanced significant challenges. Climate change continues to reshape our oceans, our rivers [and] our coastlines. Federal uncertainty has made long-term planning more difficult. All the while, those who depend on healthy fisheries continue to navigate an increasingly unpredictable future.\u201d<\/p>\n

State of California\u2019s Fisheries <\/p>\n

During an overview of the state of fisheries, Craig Shuman, marine region manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), said commercial fishermen landed 217 million pounds of fish in 2025 worth roughly $212 million. The haul represented a 30% increase in weight and a 15% increase in value over the 10-year average, according to CDFW\u2019s \u201cBy the Numbers Report<\/a>\u201d for 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is driven primarily by market squid at 174 million pounds worth $83 million, and Dungeness crab coming in second with 8.6 million pounds at about $6.5 million less [compared to] prior years,\u201d Shuman said, underscoring the economic boon fishing brings to port cities. \u201cWhen you get back from a day of fishing, you spend the night at a hotel, you go to a restaurant and you\u2019re spending money. You go to a coffee shop in the morning. All of these things combined really bring back the fabric of our small coastal ports and communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shuman also acknowledged the unprecedented three-year closure of California\u2019s ocean salmon fishery, and steps taken by CDFW and other state agencies to reopen the fishery in 2026<\/a> with in-season management for commercial and recreational fisheries. He credited California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot and \u201cthree years of really good rain\u201d for bringing back the commercial and recreational seasons.<\/p>\n


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Craig Shuman | Screenshot<\/p>\n

\u201cI just could not overstate how important that is to our fishing communities,\u201d he said. \u201cFor the first time in three years of closure on the main stem [of the] Sacramento and Klamath rivers, we have increased recreational ocean salmon opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shuman pointed to yelloweye rockfish and cowcod as beacons of hope and representations of how science-based management can rebuild overfished species.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year, we expect the [NOAA] Fisheries to declare yelloweye rockfish rebuilt,\u201d he said. \u201cNot only is this 50 years ahead of schedule, [but] this is after 20 years of precautionary and economically impactful management to avoid yelloweye rockfish,\u201d he said. \u201cWe expect 2027 will bring new fishing opportunities, including a brief one-month window where retention of yelloweye at low levels will be allowed for both commercial and recreational sectors. Similarly, in 2027, we also expect there will be a one-month opportunity to retain cow cod at low levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese last two examples give me hope and exemplify that when we work together to implement sound fisheries management, we can maintain sustainable stocks and bring back those that have been depleted, and in doing so, support the hardworking men and women in our commercial and recreational fishing industries,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

That said, Crowfoot acknowledged the difficulty in balancing the water needs of fish and people, particularly in the Sacramento River.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the salmon fishery, the Sacramento is the most important river in California,\u201d he said. \u201cWhile we can do great things for other rivers \u2014 particularly coastal rivers and streams, where temperatures are remaining pretty cold and will remain pretty cold \u2014 the salmon fishery is greatly impacted by what happens to these species on the Sacramento River. \u2026 There\u2019s no doubt that the driest three years in the state\u2019s history \u2014 2020 to 2022 \u2014 resulted in the closures of 2023, 2024 and 2025 because of the three-year salmon life cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crowfoot expressed optimism about the water board\u2019s update to the Bay-Delta Plan, which \u201ccalls for improved flows as well as commitments to construct a lot of habitat.\u201d<\/p>\n

McGuire brought up the Trump Administration\u2019s recent decision to rescind the word \u201charm\u201d from the Endangered Species Act (ESA), weakening protections for thousands of threatened and endangered species. He asked Crowfoot to describe his top concerns with the policy change.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll start by saying the federal government\u2019s announcement that it is seeking to reinterpret the federal [ESA] is to suggest that the destruction of an endangered species habitat isn\u2019t \u2018harm\u2019 is highly problematic,\u201d he said. \u201c[The CDFW] is assessing the degradation or the loss of protection at the federal level, and how we can potentially backstop those protections. \u2026 The gutting of the federal agencies [poses] another big challenge. [We\u2019ve seen] our federal agencies lose over a third of their workforce in 18 to 24 months, and that impacts management. \u2026 [There are] huge challenges from this federal administration, but we\u2019re clear-eyed about them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Removing Barriers for Struggling Salmon <\/p>\n

The second panel of the day focused on the successful return of salmon<\/a> to the Klamath River post-dam removal, as well as ongoing barriers to salmon navigating the Feather River, a tributary of the Sacramento River.<\/p>\n

Crystal Robinson, a senior environmental scientist with CDFW\u2019s Klamath Watershed Program, provided an overview of the decades-long endeavor to remove four hydroelectric dams on the lower Klamath River, opening more than 400 miles of habitat. In the two years since the project wrapped, scientists have seen dramatic ecological improvements in the river.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe majority of historic [Chinook] habitat is now occupied within two years post-dam removal,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been seeing low returns to the hatchery as adult salmon are repopulating historic habitats at a more accelerated rate than expected. For context, in 2025, 13,008 adult Chinook migrated past the former Iron Gate Dam, and 1,245 of those fish returned to Fall Creek Hatcheries \u2014 about 10%.\u201d<\/p>\n


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James | Screenshot<\/p>\n

Yurok Tribal Chairman Joe James described dam removal as a \u201cbig part of healing\u201d the Klamath Basin, emphasizing that salmon are not just a food source, but are \u201cthe Yurok\u2019s way of life.\u201d He described the \u201cjoy\u201d and \u201cexcitement\u201d he\u2019s felt among tribal members, especially kids.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can feel it, and it is joy,\u201d he said. \u201cI carry that feeling with me as we continue to move forward. But again, dam removal was the first phase. \u2026 We need to continue to move forward with the state [to] advocate and protect our river, our streams [and] our endangered species from the federal government. \u2026 but the Yurok Tribe is committed, and we\u2019re here for the long haul to provide a healthy system for the Klamath Basin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Craig Tucker, a natural resources policy advocate for the Karuk Tribe, described the Klamath restoration effort as \u201camazing,\u201d underscoring the importance of preserving cold water flows across the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should pat ourselves on the back for what we\u2019ve accomplished, but we should also roll up our sleeves for what to do next,\u201d he said, pointing to the Scott and Shasta river watersheds, where wild Chinook and Coho salmon are born. \u201cAB 263<\/a> \u2026 has required the state of California \u2026 to set minimum flows for these terrains, making sure those flows are not just the bare, belly-scraping minimum for fish to eke out a living, but are flows that are robust and allow fish to recover so we have a harvestable surplus of fish in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

North Coast Assemblymember Chris Rogers acknowledged that \u201cthere\u2019s an entire chapter\u201d of the salmon recovery strategy that\u2019s devoted to partnerships, but asked Chairman James how he and other state representatives could help close gaps that still exist.<\/p>\n

\u201cContinued research and continued funding,\u201d James said. \u201cAgain, dam removal, from our eyes, is a big step, but it is step one. \u2026 Those continued partnerships and collaborations are key, and we still need that moving forward to expand restoration and conservation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another \u2018Unpredictable\u2019 Year for Dungeness Crab <\/p>\n

Over the past decade, it has become routine for the Dungeness Crab season to begin weeks after the scheduled opener in early November. There are four factors at play in determining when and where the season will open: domoic acid, meat quality, whale migration and fishing fleet dynamics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At Tuesday\u2019s forum, Joanna Grebel, program manager for CDFW\u2019s invertebrate fisheries management program, provided an outlook for the upcoming season, which is currently scheduled to open on Nov. 7. She noted that whale migration patterns may be altered due to \u201celevated coastal sea surface temperatures and reduced upwelling,\u201d which could increase the entanglement risk. However, her primary concern was domoic acid.<\/p>\n


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Grebel | Screenshot<\/p>\n

\u201cThis one\u2019s going to be a biggie this year,\u201d she said. \u201cStaff are preparing for the potential impacts of a large domoic acid event, given the prediction of a very strong El Ni\u00f1o<\/a> this fall and into spring. \u2026 If forecasts are correct, we could see something similar to what we saw back in the 2015 and 2016 season<\/a> \u2026 [when] we had extremely high levels of domoic acid that persisted for a long time. This caused the fishery to remain closed until late March in some areas, and as late as mid to late May in others.\u201d<\/p>\n

To prepare, CDFW staff are going to start testing for domoic acid earlier than usual \u201cwith the hopes of trying to get some early warning indication of where we think domoic acid is this year,\u201d Grebel said.<\/p>\n

Still, it\u2019s difficult to predict how the season will play out this early. Fortunately, Grebel said, CDFW has some \u201cnew tools\u201d in the toolbox that will improve its ability to prepare.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe [can] expect this to be another adventurous and somewhat unpredictable opening for the crab fishery,\u201d she said. \u201cMeanwhile, we will work closely with the fleet to maximize our fishing opportunities while minimizing entanglement risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dick Ogg, a lifelong commercial fisherman based in Bodega Bay, urged caution when using predictive and speculative modeling that could force unnecessary restrictions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re held captive by unrealistic thresholds,\u201d Ogg said. \u201cI believe we should live by data, not by assumption. \u2026 We have to understand that accidents will happen no matter how perfectly we plan [and] I want to see us use more technology \u2026 [including] vessel surveys, satellite imagery, drone surveys, acoustical studies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawmakers didn\u2019t take any action at Tuesday\u2019s fisheries forum. Want to see it for yourself? Visit the state senate\u2019s media archive at this link<\/a> and search for the \u201cJoint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture\u201d hearing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Photo: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ### Obstacles facing California\u2019s Dungeness…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":424935,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8],"class_list":["post-424934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=424934"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424934\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/424935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=424934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=424934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=424934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}