California Faces Potential Third Consecutive Salmon Fishing Ban

Regulators will decide in April whether to prohibit salmon fishing again as populations remain critically low.

California's fall-run Chinook salmon population is estimated at 166,000, a significant decline from historical levels and similar to 2023's figures.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council will determine in April whether to impose a complete ban or strict limits on the 2025 salmon fishing season.
Fishing bans in 2023 and 2024 were intended to help salmon stocks recover, but ongoing challenges like drought, warm river temperatures, and water management policies have hindered progress.
Critics, including fishing industry leaders, attribute the salmon decline to poor water management prioritizing agriculture over river ecosystems, exacerbating the impact of recent droughts.
State efforts to support recovery include habitat restoration, dam removal, and increased hatchery releases, but officials caution that meaningful population rebounds may take years.