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Offshore oil, natural gas, and mineral development may seem like a distant issue, but decisions being made now could have real implications for California’s commercial fishermen and fishing communities. MBFT’s new report, Navigating California’s Offshore Future: Offshore Oil, Gas, and Mineral Development, Implications for Commercial Fisheries, and Strategies for Engagement, provides an overview of the federal processes underway and what they could mean for access to fishing grounds, marine habitat, fish distribution, vessel operations, port infrastructure, and the coastal economies that depend on commercial fishing.

The report also explains where and how fishermen can engage in these processes and provides tools for understanding and documenting fishery-specific impacts. With potential offshore lease sales off California beginning as early as 2027, now is the time for the Monterey Bay fishing community to understand what’s being proposed and make sure fishermen’s voices are part of the conversation.

What does the future of fishing in Monterey Bay look like?

This fall, MBFT is supporting a team of UC Santa Cruz researchers to facilitate a series of workshops bringing together local fishermen and seafood industry professionals to share the changes YOU have seen in our fisheries. These workshops are designed to put local knowledge and experience alongside scientific research, giving fishermen a chance to identify what the data gets right, what is missing, and what infrastructure and other changes should be considered when planning for the future.

Funded by CA Sea Grant and the Ocean Protection Council, these workshops are an important next step in building shared understanding and taking action for the future of Monterey Bay’s fishing community.

Monterey - October 20th: 9:30am - 1:30pm

Moss Landing - October 26th: 9am - 4pm*

Santa Cruz - November 2nd: 9:30am - 1:30pm

To participate or get more information please contact Emily at ehess@mbfishtrust.org

*This is a hybrid workshop with additional community planning work led by MBFT; note the longer time.

If you missed our September webinar on the Monterey Bay Commercial Fisheries: Status and Trends Report, you can still hear directly from the researchers who developed it. The presentation walks through more than four decades of fisheries data, highlighting major trends in Monterey Bay’s commercial fisheries and what they can tell us about the future of our fishing community and working waterfront. Whether you joined us live or couldn’t make it, we encourage you to watch the full recording and dig into the data shaping the conversation about where we’ve been—and where we go from here.

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership is hosting an Innovative Pot and Trap Gear Demonstration and Tour on October 6 in Santa Cruz, offering fishermen and seafood industry professionals a behind-the-scenes look at emerging on-demand (“pop-up”) fishing gear. The free, half-day event will include a tour of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s Gear Lending Library, hands-on dockside demonstrations, and opportunities to connect directly with fishermen, scientists, and gear innovators working to reduce whale entanglement risk while supporting the future of West Coast pot and trap fisheries.

When: October 6th, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Where: 2809 Mission Street, Santa Cruz (Old Wrigley Building)

Cost: Free

Registration

To register for this event, please email SFP Protecting Ocean Wildlife Program Manager

Anne DiMonti at anne.dimonti@sustainablefish.org by October 5, 2026. Please note “RSVP

Gear Tour” in the email subject line and provide the following information:

• Name

• Business title

• Organization/Company

• Address

• Email

• Phone number

NOAA Fisheries has published its proposed rule for 2027–28 Pacific Coast groundfish harvest specifications and management measures, including proposed changes associated with Amendment 38 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The proposed rule sets catch limits and management measures for groundfish fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California. The public comment period is open through October 22, 2026. Monterey Bay fishermen are encouraged to review the proposed measures and submit comments on issues that may affect their fisheries and operations.

With a potentially significant El Niño developing in the Pacific, fishermen’s firsthand observations can help scientists better understand changing conditions across the California Current to support fisheries management. Are you noticing unusual conditions? NOAA’s Northwest and Southwest Fisheries Science Centers are asking fishermen to share observations from the 2026 fishing season to help inform the 2026–27 California Current Ecosystem Status Report. Observations include: unusual species showing up in different places or at different times, unusual water temperatures or conditions, new or unexpected catches, changes in fish diets, or shifts in fishing conditions and operating challenges. Send your observations to CaCurrent.Observations@noaa.gov anytime, through December 31, 2026.

 The Pacific Fishery Management Council met September 18–21 in Vancouver, WA, with several decisions affecting West Coast fisheries. For groundfish, the Council approved moving two trawl gear exemptions into regulations, allowing greater flexibility for midwater and bottom trawl vessels, and adopted corrected 2027–28 harvest specifications for Oregon/Washington vermilion rockfish. The Council also established a new process for tracking mortality and catch of ecosystem component species. In salmon management, the Council received updates on the Klamath River Basin two years after dam removal and discussed tools for incorporating risk and uncertainty into future salmon management. The Council also advanced proposed 2027 Pacific halibut regulations and continued work on management provisions for the newly defined coastwide Pacific sardine stock.

Want to better understand the science, policy, and decision-making that shape West Coast fisheries? The Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) is a free, nationally recognized workshop designed by fishermen, for fishermen and fishing industry professionals. Over five days, participants gain practical knowledge of fisheries science and management while building lasting relationships with fellow industry members, scientists, and resource managers.

The next West Coast Fisheries Science and Management Workshop will take place December 7–11, 2026, in La Jolla, CA.

Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust is offering scholarships to help members of the Monterey Bay fishing community attend. If you work in the local fishing industry and are interested in this incredible professional development opportunity, reach out to Emily at ehess@mbfishtrust.org to learn more and apply for a scholarship.

CA Fish and Game Commission

October 13-16

Santa Cruz Harbor Port Commission Meeting

October 27

Moss Landing Harbor Meeting

October 28

Pacific Fisheries Management Council Meeting

November 13-18

info@mbfishtrust.org | montereybayfisheriestrust.org