2023 Brings New Groundfish Regulations

The CDFW implemented new changes to recreational fishing seasons for various groundfish species as of Jan. 1, 2023, and now include depth and bag limits.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted the new regulations in June 2022, and the California Fish and Game Commission in Nov. 2022. As in previous years, the boat-based fishery for most groundfish species will be closed statewide beginning Jan. 1, while spear divers and shore-based anglers will continue to have year-round fishing opportunities for groundfish.

For groundfish, including Rockfish, Cabezon, and Greenling (RCG), as well as lingcod, the boat-based fishing seasons will bring a mix of increased and reduced fishing opportunities, depending on the species. Unlike years before, all Groundfish Management Areas will have a portion of the season when ‘all-depth’ fishing is permitted, and anglers are not subject to the Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) depth constraints. This change allows new fishing opportunities for deeper-water shelf and slope rockfish, which are most plentiful in places previously closed to recreational groundfish fishing.

Listed below is a summary of the new boat-based regulations for RCG species and lingcod in each management area:

Southern Management Area between 34°27′ N. latitude (Point Conception) and the U.S./Mexico border:

• For nearshore rockfish, cabezon, and greenlings: closed Jan. 1 through March 31, open at all depths April 1 through Sept. 15, closed Sept. 16 through Dec. 31.
• For all other rockfish (shelf and slope species) and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through March 31, open at all depths April 1 through Sept. 15. From Sept. 16 through Dec. 31, take of shelf, and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom RCA line.
• Additional regulations still apply within the Cowcod Conservation Areas.

Central Management Area between 37°11′ N. latitude (Pigeon Point) and 34°27′ N. latitude (Point Conception):

• For nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenlings: closed Jan. 1 through April 30, open at all depths May 1 through Sept. 30, closed Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.
• For all other rockfish (shelf and slope species) and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through April 30, open at all depths May 1 through Sept. 30. From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, take of shelf, and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50-fathom RCA line.

San Francisco Management Area between 38°57.5′ N. latitude (Point Arena) and 37°11′ N. latitude (Pigeon Point):

• For nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenlings: closed Jan. 1 through July 15, open at all depths July 16 through Dec. 31.
• For all other rockfish (shelf and slope species) and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through May 14. From May 15 through July 15, take of shelf and slope rockfish, as well as lingcod, is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50-fathom RCA line. From July 16 through Dec. 31, open at all depths.

Mendocino Management Area between 40°10′ N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino) and 38°57.5′ N. latitude (Point Arena):

• For nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenlings: closed Jan. 1 through July 15, open at all depths July 16 through Dec. 31.
• For all other rockfish (shelf and slope species) and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through May 14. From May 15 through July 15, take of shelf, and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50-fathom RCA line. From July 16 through Dec. 31, open at all depths.

Northern Management Area between the California/Oregon state line and 40°10′ N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino):

• For rockfish, cabezon, greenlings, and lingcod: closed Jan. 1 through May 14, open at all depths May 15 through Oct. 15, closed Oct. 16 through Dec. 31.

Anglers will need to be able to identify the rockfish species they catch and, as of 2023, be able to determine if the fish is categorized as a nearshore, shelf, or slope rockfish species, as different seasons and depths apply to each category depending on the Groundfish Management Area and month. The RCG bag limit will remain at ten fish consisting of an assortment of rockfish, cabezon, and greenlings, with sub-bag limits of not more than four vermilion rockfish, one copper rockfish, and one quillback rockfish. Take and possession of cowcod, yelloweye, and bronzespotted rockfish remains forbidden.

The new groundfish regulations are a significant shift from the fishing seasons and depth limits that anglers are acclimated to and are critical due to scientific information suggesting that copper rockfish and quillback rockfish populations are in severe decline.

The season structures for each management area were designed in consultation with fishing industry representatives, non-governmental organizations, and state, federal, and tribal governments. The CDFW has stated that the changes will provide the most appropriate amount of groundfish fishing time and opportunity to anglers throughout the year.

“While recognizing there are concerns with copper and quillback rockfish that will reduce nearshore fishing time in the near-term, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is excited to offer recreational anglers new deeper-water and offshore bank and reef opportunities for groundfish that have been closed for more than two decades,” said CDFW Environmental Program Manager Marci Yaremko in a press release from Dec. 20. “We look forward to seeing the diversity of healthy species come across the docks in the coming years as significant new fishing grounds will now be available to recreational angling.”

In addition, there are also changes for several species that have been subject to boat-based fishing closures in the past, which may offer new alternatives for boat-based anglers as early as January. They include:

• New year-round opportunities: ocean whitefish, California scorpionfish, leopard shark, soupfin shark, Dover sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish, skates, ratfish, grenadiers, finescale codling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting, sablefish, and thornyheads will now be open year-round in all depths, statewide.
• Boat-based fishing for California sheephead will open statewide from March 1 through Dec. 31. Regardless of fishing mode, the bag limit will decrease from five fish to two fish.

The recreational groundfish fishery is subject to in-season regulatory changes to meet harvest goals.

To stay informed, visit CDFW’s summary of recreational groundfish fishing regulations webpage before fishing.