Department of Fish and Game

Groundfish Central: Groundfish Management

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As they occur in both state (0 to 3 nautical miles offshore) and federal (3 to 200 nautical miles offshore), groundfish are jointly managed at the state and federal levels by the California Fish and Game Commission, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries.

  • California Fish and Game Commission
    Established by the California State Constitution, the Fish and Game Commission is composed of five commissioners appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The Commission has been involved in the management and wise use of California's fish and wildlife resources since 1870. The Commission has general regulatory powers, under which it decides seasons, bag limits and methods of take for game animals and sport fish. With the passage of the Marine Life Management Act (MLMA) in 1998, management authority for many commercial fisheries has been transferred from the state Legislature, and now resides with the Commission. Many Californians are not fully aware of the identity, function or responsibilities of the California Fish and Game Commission, and consider it synonymous with the California Department of Fish and Game. Actually, the Commission is a separate entity. Some have criticized the Commission's regulatory powers actions as being nothing more than a rubber stamp for the Department's recommendations. A review of the Commission's actions on various Department recommendations indicates that this is not the case. In many instances, the Commission rejects or substantially modifies actions recommended by the Department, but only where it is convinced that such action is in the best interest of the resource and truly reflects the wishes and needs of the people. It is only natural that the Commission often relies heavily on the Department's biological data and recommendations, since the Department has the largest staff of experts for compiling data on California's wildlife.
  • Understanding Fisheries Management: A Manual for Understanding the Federal Fisheries Management Process
    Publication describing the federal fishery management process
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  • NOAA Fisheries Service
    NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service is the federal agency, a division of the Department of Commerce, responsible for the stewardship of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service is responsible for the management, conservation and protection of living marine resources within the United States' Exclusive Economic Zone (water three to 200 mile offshore).
    • NOAA Fisheries Northwest Regional Office
      The Northwest Region administers National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration programs off the coasts of Oregon and Washington. The Northwest Region is the lead for managing the West Coast groundfish fishery with the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The Groundfish Fishery Management Plan covers a multi-species complex of 89 species from Mexico to Canada.
      • Northwest Fisheries Science Center
        The Northwest Fisheries Science Center studies living marine resources (e.g., salmon, groundfish, and killer whales) and their habitats in the Northeast Pacific Ocean-primarily off the coasts of Washington and Oregon and in freshwater rivers and streams in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The Center seeks to better understand living marine resources and their ecosystems to assist resource managers in making sound decisions that build sustainable fisheries, recover endangered and threatened species, and sustain healthy coasts.
    • NOAA Fisheries Southwest Regional Office
      Headquarters for the National Marine Fisheries Service's Southwest Region, located in Long Beach, California, is responsible for the management, conservation and protection of living marine resources found off the coast of California in the United States Exclusive Economic Zone. NOAA Fisheries Southwest Region also plays a supportive and advisory role in the management of living marine resources in coastal areas under the jurisdiction of the State of California, provides scientific and policy leadership in the international arena, and implements international conservation and management measures as appropriate. Sustainable Fisheries, Protected Resources and Habitat Conservation programs are administered throughout the Southwest Region. In addition to the Long Beach headquarters office, field offices are located in Arcata, Eureka, Ukiah, Yreka, Santa Rosa, Sacramento, and Santa Barbara, California.
      • Southwest Fisheries Science Center
        The Southwest Fisheries Science Center is the research arm of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Region. The Center consists of three laboratories located in La Jolla (headquarters), Pacific Grove, and Santa Cruz, California. The Center's former Honolulu Laboratory in Hawaii is now the NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. The Southwest Fisheries Science Center conducts marine biological, economic, and oceanographic research at these laboratories. Center scientists gather and analyze data on living marine resources and their environment throughout the Pacific and in the Antarctic. The ultimate purpose of the data collection and analysis is for protection and management of these resources, to ensure that fish, marine mammal, and sea turtle populations remain at sustainable and healthy levels and that the most effective fishing regulations and international fisheries treaties are implemented.
  • Pacific Fishery Management Council
    The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 for the purpose of managing fisheries 3-200 miles offshore of the United States of America coastline. The Pacific Council is responsible for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.
    • Navigating the Council Process
      This guide is designed for a wide variety of people. It's for those who want to have their voice heard in the fisheries management arena; for those who would prefer not to get involved in fisheries management, but need to know how it works; for fishermen and women who want to have more control over the decisions that affect their livelihood; for people concerned about environmental issues; for students, managers, fishing family members, and recreational anglers. The guide is designed for those who know little about fisheries management and those who are somewhat familiar with the process. It can be used to guide you through a formal Council meeting-or to get involved in management issues even if you do not have time to attend Council meetings. It explains whom to contact with your comments and questions, and outlines which fisheries the Council manages. The appendices provide contact information, websites, and links to explanations of common terms and acronyms.
    • Council Groundfish Fact Sheet
      Groundfish management in a nutshell
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    • PFMC Online Calendar
      Meetings and events by month
    • Current Season Management
      Current groundfish management information
    • PFMC Groundfish Staff Contact Information
  • Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
    Formed by Congress more than 50 years ago, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) helps resource agencies and the fishing industry sustainably manage our valuable Pacific Ocean resources in a five-state region. PSMFC's primary goal is to promote and support policies and actions to conserve, develop, and manage our fishery resources in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska.
    • PacFIN
      The Pacific Coast Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) is the nation's first regional fisheries data network. It provides information which enables agencies and industries to track commercial fish catches by area, and to manage and plan more effectively.
    • RecFIN
      Established in 1992, the Recreational Fishery Information Network is designed to integrate state and federal marine recreational fishery sampling efforts into a single database to provide important biological, social, and economic data for Pacific coast recreational fishery biologists, managers and anglers.
  • 2007-2008 Groundfish Management Cycle
  • Nearshore Fishery Management Plan
    Adopted in 2002 after more than three years of work, the NFMP is designed to guide DFG's management of both the recreational and commercial harvest of 19 finfish species found in nearshore ocean waters along the state's entire 1,100-mile coastline.
  • Federal Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan
    Specifies how the PFMC develops recommendations for management of the groundfish fishery
  • Federal Groundfish Stock Assessments, STAR Panel Reports and Rebuilding Plans
    Scientific reports summarizing the current status of many groundfish populations. Once approved by the PFMC's Scientific and Statistical Committee, these stock assessments are the basis for fishery management decisions.
  • 2007 Assessment of Blue Rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) in California
  • Commercial Fishery Data
  • Rockfish Management Categories
    For management purposes, rockfish are divided into four main categories, depending on the depth where they are most frequently encountered.