On March 26, 2024, the California Fish and Game Commission adopted proposed changes to the 2024 groundfish season. Those changes are now in effect. The following is an overview of changes in the 2024 groundfish sport fishing regulations:

Split of Central Groundfish Management Area (GMA): The Central GMA is now split into two sub-management areas. Using 36º N. latitude (near Point Lopez) as the split point, the sub-management areas are the Central GMA North and Central GMA South. This split provides more inshore groundfish fishing opportunities to anglers in areas south of 36º N. latitude, an area that historically has little to no catch of quillback rockfish, a prohibited species.

20-fathom inshore fishery: Extending to a depth of approximately 120 feet in state waters (0-3 miles from shore), this new set of waypoints define a 20-fathom boundary line that largely avoids quillback rockfish in their primary depth range between 20 fathoms (120 feet) and 50 fathoms (300 feet) off the coast of northern and central California.

Boat-based fishing season depths: Below is a summary of the 2024 seasons for each GMA. A 20-fathom or 50-fathom ‘inshore only fishery’ and the all-depth fishery allows opportunities to retain nearshore, shelf and slope rockfish, lingcod, cabezon and greenling. During months when there is an ‘offshore only fishery’, fishing for groundfish will only be allowed seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line, and only shelf rockfish, slope rockfish and lingcod may be retained. Take and possession of nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenling are prohibited during the offshore only fishery.

Central GMA South of 36º N. Latitude & Southern Management Area Jan. 1 – Mar. 31: Closed Apr. 1 – June 30: All depth fishery July 1 – Sept. 30: 50 fathom inshore only fishery Oct. 1 – Dec. 31: 50 fathom offshore only fishery

Descending device requirement: A descending device must be carried aboard and available for immediate use on any vessel taking or possessing any species of federal groundfish. Descending devices are used to send fish back to the depth from which they were taken, resulting in considerably higher survival rates for rockfish suffering from barotrauma compared to fish that are released at the water’s surface.

Vermilion rockfish limit: To protect vermilion rockfish from overfishing, the sub-limit is now two fish within the Rockfish, Cabezon and Greenling Complex 10-fish limit, in the Mendocino, San Francisco, Central, and Southern GMAs. The 4-fish vermilion rockfish sub-limit is unchanged for the Northern GMA.

Cowcod Conservation Areas repealed: The Cowcod Conservation Areas off Southern California were repealed and replaced with a series of smaller closed areas (Groundfish Exclusion Areas) that are specifically designed to protect the sensitive and abundant coral and sponge populations documented in those areas. The Cowcod Conservation Areas, excluding the eight Groundfish Exclusion Areas, will be open to fishing for the first time in more than 20 years, after being closed in 2001.

Divers and shore-based anglers: There are no changes for divers and shore-based anglers, who will continue to be exempt from boat-based season restrictions affecting rockfish and other federally managed groundfish. This allows for year-round diving and shore-based angling for groundfish, in line with current regulations. As a reminder, when boat-based groundfish fishing is closed, all types of fishing gear except spearfishing gear are prohibited on board the vessel or watercraft (motorized or non−motorized) when taking and/or possessing groundfish.

Prohibited species: Take of bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod, quillback rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish is prohibited year-round at all depths.

For more information on groundfish, check out CDFW’s Groundfish web page, which provides information on groundfish fishery science and management, barotrauma, and new fish identification resources for yelloweye rockfish, yellowtail rockfish vs. olive rockfish, and other rockfish species of concern, as well as more general fish identification materials.