Discover California Fisheries

From Crescent City to San Diego, a network of fishing communities dots the coastline, offering a visual reminder of our nation's heritage and a diverse supply of healthy seafood. A fishing community is not only defined by it's geographic location, but also by the common interests and/or occupations of individuals, families, and organizations. In addition to fishing operations, a wide range of shoreside businesses (receivers, processors, marine supply and maintenance, etc) support the fleet. Commercial fisheries are an important part of California's economy, generating revenue and providing thousands of jobs both on and off the water. As of 2009, approximately $149 million dollars in ex-vessel revenue came directly from commercial fishery landings, and more than 120,000 jobs were supported by the state's seafood industry (NOAA 2011).  

This Web site provides commercial fishery information for five coastal regions of California. For each region we describe the following:

	Commercial Fishing Communities What exactly is a fishing community? It's about more than just   fishermen...
	The Ocean Environment The oceanographic conditions off California provide diverse and productive habitat for diverse flora and fauna such as fish, invertebrates, seabirds and marine mammals.
	Types of Commercial Fisheries Commercial fishermen use a variety of fishing gears and methods. Learn more about each..
	The Management Context Fisheries are managed through state, federal and international processes using a mix of strategies such as quotas, gear restrictions, closed areas and seasons, and limits on the number of participants.
	Trends in Fisheries We describe trends in landings, value, and the number of boats participating in California fisheries.
	Fisheries Seasonality When are certain types of seafood in season?  It depends on when the fishery is open, where the fish are, and what the regulations allow.

Discover California Fisheries is a project led by Advisors Carolynn Culver and Carrie Pomeroy. The web pages were designed by Melissa Stevens, CA Sea Grant Project Specialist, UC Santa Cruz. Many thanks to Debbie Marshall, Research Associate at Eureka's Sea Grant Extension office, for graphics and other technical support.