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After three consecutive years of closure, the commercial salmon season in Monterey Bay is set to reopen on May 1, marking a significant milestone for West Coast fishing communities. At its April meeting, the Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted a cautious, highly managed 2026 ocean salmon season designed to balance renewed fishing opportunity with continued stock recovery. The Council implemented strict harvest controls, including limited opening windows, vessel trip limits, and overall quotas, alongside an in-season management framework that allows fisheries to close once catch limits are reached. These measures reflect modest improvements in key Chinook salmon populations while maintaining protections for still-vulnerable stocks, enabling a carefully structured return of commercial fishing activity for the first time since the statewide shutdown.

Season dates from Pigeon Point to the U.S./Mexico Border (Monterey and South):

• May 1-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-29
• June 3-8, 12-16, 26-30
• July 6-10, 20-24,
• August 1-7, 13-16, 25-27

The newly created U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Seafood marks the first time the federal government has established a dedicated office to support fishermen as part of the broader U.S. food system. The office is designed to help seafood harvesters and businesses better access federal funding, loans, marketing programs, and risk-management tools that have traditionally been geared toward agriculture, while also improving coordination across agencies and strengthening domestic seafood production. For small-scale fishermen locally, this could mean greater access to financial support, expanded market opportunities, and a stronger voice in federal policy—helping level the playing field with larger operations and imported seafood, while supporting the long-term viability of local fishing communities.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced changes to the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in Fishing Zones 1, 2 and 3 (California/Oregon border to Pigeon Point, 37°11' N. Latitude) as the fishery in Monterey Bay and the broader central coast is transitioning to “pop-up” (ropeless) gear for the remainder of the 2026 season, allowing fishing to continue even as traditional trap gear is restricted or closed.

The draft California Aquaculture Action Plan, developed by the state’s Ocean Protection Council, lays out a coordinated roadmap to expand sustainable commercial aquaculture—particularly shellfish, seaweed, and land-based finfish—while strengthening environmental protections and public health standards. The plan focuses on streamlining permitting, improving interagency coordination, and creating clearer, more transparent rules to support responsible growth of the industry. For the fishing community in Monterey, this could mean new economic opportunities through diversification into aquaculture and related infrastructure, but also increased competition for ocean space and the need to ensure that development is carefully sited to protect wild fisheries and existing livelihoods.

The public comment period for this plan is open through MAY 13th.

Santa Cruz Harbor Port Commission Meeting

May 26

Moss Landing Harbor Meeting

May 27

Pacific Fisheries Management Council Meeting

June 11-15

Ocean Protection Council

June 16

info@mbfishtrust.org | montereybayfisheriestrust.org