The timing of individual fisheries varies from region to region and year to year due to:
- Regulations
- Market demand
- Resource availability
Fisheries also may be concentrated in certain areas at certain times during the season. For example, the Chinook (king) salmon troll fishery is generally open from May through September in the Central Coast region, and for a shorter time within that window along the North Coast. The squid fishery is open year-round (subject to early closure if the 118,000 metric ton quota is reached in less than 12 months), but is most active in the Central Coast region from April through September, and south of Point Conception from October through February.
Below we provide a seasonality chart for several of California’s major commercial fisheries based on 2013 regulations, general resource availability, and market demand. Note that seasons do not necessarily start on the first day of the month or end on the last day of the month, as could be interpreted from the chart. Fisheries may have seasonal or year-round closures for particular areas, species, and/or gear types that may not be evident here. They also may have quotas which, if reached before then end of the season, will result in early closure of the fishery as occurred in the market squid fishery in 2013. See this website's management context page for further information. For information on fisheries seasonality for specific areas, visit the regional pages and downloadable regional posters.
