Recreation salmon fishing for the Half Moon Bay area opens on April 2 amid an increase in salmon stock, with the full length of the season still to be determined.
California scientists have seen an increase of Sacramento River Fall Chinook this year compared to previous years, a positive sign amid long-term declining rates due to drought, water pollution, over-fishing and climate change. Sacramento River Chinook is the primary salmon species seen in Half Moon Bay during recreation season, although, there is a small mixture of stocks of Klamath River Chinook. California Salmon migrate upstream to rivers like the Sacramento and Klamath as adults to spawn in freshwater streams, while juveniles go downstream to mature in the oceans. According to Grace Easterbrook, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Sacramento Fall Chinook ocean abundance forecast is 396,500 adult salmon this year, a significant increase compared to last year’s forecast of 270,958. However, the number is lower than its 10-year average of 487,600. Easterbrook said CDFW basis the forecast on statistical modeling of salmon aged 2 who returned to the Sacramento system from previous years.
In 2021, salmon aged 2 returning to the system was greater than the number that returned in 2020, resulting in a higher forecast in 2022.
The higher salmon numbers will only help the April opening from Point Arena south to the United States and Mexico border. However, openings for areas north of Point Arena will be decided in mid-April, which mostly has Klamath Chinook. Klamath salmon numbers were around 181,500 last year, also significantly lower than its 10-year average.
“The 2022 fishing season will be a mix of good and bad news,” Easterbrook said. “For recreational anglers wishing to pursue salmon off the Central Coast, there will be ample opportunity if the fish show. However, fishing seasons in the north will be more constrained due to the persistent low abundance of Klamath River Fall Chinook.”
The Pacific Fishery Management Council will decide the final season dates for Half Moon Bay and areas north of Point Arena at its April 6-13 conference in Seattle, Washington. The council manages fisheries for salmon across the West Coast of the United States.
Harry Morse, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said it is hard to predict what fishing success will be until people go out on the opening weekend. He noted rising numbers could only help in the Bay Area.
“Sacramento River Fall Chinook are projected what’s above last year’s return. We think the San Francisco and Monterey Bay opener should be good, with better options further south. That’s usually the way the early season works,” Morse said.
Morse said good open conditions over the past two years led to more fish surviving and reaching maturity, increasing salmon stock.
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“Some of the factors involved include how the ocean treats the young fish with food abundance and currents,” Morse said.
Drought and climate change have also led to changes in fishing habits.
CDFW shortened the commercial salmon season last summer due to an estimated low Chinook salmon stock derived from statistical modeling.
Drought causes logistical concerns, as low river depths have forced CDFW to look at alternatives ways like trucking to get young salmon to the ocean. Even if they get salmon to the sea, getting adult salmon back to the river from the ocean remains an issue.
“With poor river conditions the last two years, we’ve increased and done extensive trucking to get them to the ocean,” Morse said.
Restrictions remain for recreational sporting guidelines, including a daily bag limit of two salmon of any species, Coho salmon fishing is prohibited, and people cannot fillet salmon on any boat before being brought ashore. A salmon size minimum limit of 24 inches total length is also in place.
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