California Moves to Protect Hundreds of Forage Fish Species in State Waters - Oceana

Victory | October 17, 2016

California Moves to Protect Hundreds of Forage Fish Species in State Waters

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is establishing conforming regulations to prohibit new fisheries from developing on seven groups of currently unmanaged forage fish in state waters (0-3 miles). These regulations will mirror those finalized by NOAA in May for federal waters off California, Oregon, and Washington. Action by California is the last piece of the puzzle to achieving protections for hundreds of forage fish species from 0-200 miles off the U.S. West Coast. California state regulations are expected to go into effect early in 2017.