CALTROUT
On April 15, 2025, officials announced a third consecutive closure of California’s commercial salmon fishery as Chinook salmon populations continue to struggle across the state. Limited windows for recreational fishing will be allowed on specific dates to ensure minimal impact on the salmon population. This season’s decision by the Pacific Fishery Management Council marks the most consecutive closures the state has ever seen, exemplifying how dire the crisis for California’s native salmon has become.
While this decision will help keep populations afloat, the closure has significant economic repercussions, affecting the commercial fishing industry, recreational charter operators, and communities reliant on salmon-related industries from Monterey to the Oregon border. Additionally, salmon hold cultural importance for Native American Tribes in California. Low salmon numbers directly impact many Californians’ way of life.
“A third year of closure is brutal for towns along the North and Central coasts that rely on anglers to fill hotels and restaurants during the season,” said Charlie Schneider, California Trout Lost Coast Project Manager. “While a short recreational season will keep hope alive for some anglers, it won’t do much to support the communities and economies that rely on these fish. We aren’t going to stop working for those folks.”
California’s salmon crisis is a result of long-term habitat degradation, water mismanagement, and compounding impacts from climate change. The staggering loss of these fish is part of a larger biodiversity crisis. CalTrout and UC Davis’ SOS II: State of the Salmonids report found that 45% of California’s native salmon, trout, and steelhead are at risk of going extinct in the next 50 years if current trends continue.