Groundfish Central: Commercial Groundfish Regulations

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Notice to California Commercial Fishermen and Processors:

The Department of Fish and Game is no longer mailing commercial groundfish trip limit tables during the year. Please follow the links below to obtain online current groundfish federal regulations that are effective in waters off the coast of California.

California Commercial Fishing Regulations

State Managed Commercial Fisheries: Cabezon, Greenlings and Sheephead (CGS)

Summarized Trip Limit Tables for California Waters (Updated July 31, 2008)

Federal Groundfish Regulations
Link to NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) website

Groundfish Public Notices/Trip Limit Tables

These public notices include trip limit tables for current groundfish trip limits and serve as brief inseason updates on inseason adjustments to commercial, recreational and tribal management measures.

• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial Management Measures
  July 31, 2008 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial and Recreational Management Measures
  May 16, 2008 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Commercial limited entry fixed gear primary sablefish season tier limits
  March 21, 2008 - Adobe Reader required
• Compliance Guide for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Vessel Monitoring Program
  Effective February 4, 2008 - Adobe Reader required
• 2008 Commercial Groundfish Trip Limits (Effective January 1, 2008)
  December 14, 2007 - Adobe Reader required
• Changes to 2007 Commercial Trip Limits for Sablefish
  December 4, 2007 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial Management Measures
  October 1, 2007 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Correction to limited entry trawl trip limit tables
  July 27, 2007 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial Management Measures
  July 20, 2007 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial and Recreational Management Measures
  May 1, 2007 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Commercial limited entry fixed gear primary sablefish season tier limits
  March 1, 2007 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial and Recreational Management Measures
  January 1, 2007 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial and Recreational Management Measures
  December 1, 2006 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial and Recreational Management Measures
  October 1, 2006 - Adobe Reader required
• Industry Notice to Commercial Fishermen and Processors: Inseason Adjustment for Commercial Groundfish Fisheries that Affect California
  October 1, 2006 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Changes to Commercial, Recreational and Tribal Management Measures
  July 1, 2006 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Adjustments to commercial and recreational management; Public Notice from the National Marine Fisheries Service
  March 1, 2006 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Commercial Trip Limits for 2006; Proposed Rule for Management Measures in 2006; Lingcod Stock is Rebuilt
  December 27, 2005 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Emergency rule to establishes a salmon conservation zone for the Pacific whiting fishery
  August 26, 2005 - Adobe Reader required
• Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Higher than expected catch in the bottom trawl fishery
  July 27, 2005 - Adobe Reader required
• Rockfish Sort Groups
  April 18, 2005 - Adobe Reader required

NOAA Fisheries' West Coast Groundfish Email List

Subscribe through this link to receive public notices of groundfish regulatory changes via email from NOAA Fisheries

Rockfish Management Categories

For management purposes, rockfish are divided into four main categories, depending on the depth where they are most frequently encountered.

Commercial Fishery Press Releases

• Commercial Greenlings Fishery Season Set to Close Aug. 18, 2008
  Press release issued July 28, 2008
• Commercial California Sheephead Fishery Season to Close Oct. 1, 2007
  Press release issued September 14, 2007
• Commercial Cabezon Fishery September-October Trip Limit Decreased From 900 Pounds to 200 Pounds
  Press release issued August 16, 2007
• Commercial Greenlings Fishery Season Set to Close August 1, 2007
  Press release issued July 19, 2007
• Commercial Cabezon Fishery September-October Trip Limit Decreased From 900 Pounds to 200 Pounds
  Press release issued August 17, 2006
• Commercial Greenlings Fishery Season Set to Close Aug. 1, 2006
  Press release issued July 17, 2006