Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations

Regulations

Updated June 23, 2026.

These regulations are subject to in-season change. It is the reader's responsibility to know and abide by all regulations in effect at the time of fishing activity. Check for current regulations on this page and on the Ocean Sport Fishing interactive map prior to fishing. (Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from seasons and depths 2.)

See Boundary Line Descriptions for information on groundfish boundary lines.

Certain areas within the management area may further prohibit or restrict fishing 1, 3 such as:

• Marine protected areas
• Cordell Bank: all groundfish fishing is prohibited to protect sensitive habitat. See the NMFS compliance guide (PDF)(external link) for detailed information
• Groundfish Exclusion Areas: Eight Groundfish Exclusion Areas in the Southern Management Area restrict certain fishing activities (§27.50)
• Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line descriptions

Descending Devices Required 4: No one may take or possess any federal groundfish from any boat or other floating device in ocean waters without a descending device in possession.

These Rockfishes May Not Be Taken or Possessed in California - No Retention at Any Time: Bronzespotted Rockfish (JPG)(external link), Cowcod(external link), Quillback Rockfish(external link), and Yelloweye Rockfish(external link) (CCR T14, §28.55). Fishing is closed year-round, at all depths, no retention at any time (zero fish per person).

Statewide Daily Bag Limits and Minimum Size Limits

Groundfish Regulations For All Anglers and Spearfishing Divers

Seasons, Depth Restrictions, and Groundfish Management Areas

(external link)(click/tap to enlarge)

Jump to

• Northern Management Area

The California-Oregon border to Cape Mendocino (40°10' N. latitude)

• Mendocino Management Area

Cape Mendocino (40°10' N. latitude) to Point Arena (38°57.5' N. latitude)

• San Francisco Management Area

Point Arena (38°57.5' N. latitude) to Pigeon Point (37°11' N. latitude)

• Central Management Area

Pigeon Point (37°11' N. latitude) to Point Conception (34°27' N. latitude)

• Southern Management Area

Point Conception (34°27' N. latitude) to the U.S.-Mexico border

• Cowcod Protections - Groundfish Exclusion Areas

Found within the Southern Management Area

Northern Management Area Recreational Groundfish Regulations Summary 1, 2, 3

42°00’ N. latitude (CA-OR Border) to 40°10' N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino) (CCR T14, §27.25(a))

Printable PDF of this table(external link)

Mendocino Management Area Recreational Groundfish Regulations Summary 1, 2, 3

40°10' N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino) to 38°57.5' N. latitude (Point Arena)(CCR T14, §27.30(a))

Printable PDF of this table(external link)

San Francisco Management Area Recreational Groundfish Regulations Summary 1, 2, 3

38°57.5' N. latitude (Point Arena) to 37°11' N. latitude (Pigeon Point)(CCR T14, §27.35(a))

Cordell Bank: all groundfish fishing is prohibited to protect sensitive habitat. See the NMFS compliance guide (PDF)(external link) for detailed information

Printable PDF of this table(external link)

Central Management Area Recreational Groundfish Regulations Summary 1, 2, 3

37°11' N. latitude (Pigeon Point) to 34°27' N. latitude (Point Conception)(CCR T14, §27.40(a))

Printable PDF of this table(external link)

Southern Management Area Recreational Groundfish Regulations Summary 1, 2, 3

34°27' N. latitude (Point Conception) to the U.S.-Mexico Border (CCR T14, §27.45(a))

Groundfish Exclusion Areas: Eight Groundfish Exclusion Areas here restrict certain fishing activities (§27.50)

Printable PDF of this table(external link)

Footnotes

1 Certain areas may prohibit or restrict fishing, including state and federal marine protected areas, and other state and federal conservation areas. Check marine protected area regulations, or the Ocean Sport Fishing interactive map for fishing regulations, closures, and other restrictions, as well as marine protected area regulations.

2 Divers and shore-based anglers are exempt from season and depth restrictions affecting the RCG Complex and other federally managed groundfish (CCR T14, §27.20(b)(1)(C) and (b)(1)(D)). Shore-based anglers are fishermen that fish from beaches, banks, piers, jetties, breakwaters, docks, and other manmade structures connected to the shore. Divers are spear fishermen entering the water either from the shore or from a boat or other floating object. The possession and transit provisions for shore-based anglers and divers are as follows:

• When angling from shore (includes beaches, banks, piers, jetties, breakwaters, docks, and other man-made structures connected to the shore), all species, except those listed in CCR T14, §28.55(b)(1), may be taken and/or possessed year-round. No vessel or watercraft (motorized or non-motorized) may be used to assist in the take, transport and/or possession of these species under this provision.
• When diving or spearfishing, as authorized in CCR T14, §28.90, all species, except those listed in CCR T14, §28.55(b)(1), may be taken and/or possessed year-round. When boat-based groundfish fishing is closed, all types of fishing gear, except spearfishing gear, are prohibited to be aboard the vessel or watercraft (motorized or non-motorized) when taking and/or possessing these species under this provision.

3 Transit Provision: In waters where groundfish species or species groups are closed to take or possession but authorized for take or possession in other areas, those species or species groups may be possessed aboard a vessel that is anchored, drifting, or transiting in or through that closed area. While anchored, drifting, or transiting through an area closed to take or possession of these groundfish species or species groups, no gear may be deployed other than for the take of crustaceans with hoop nets used pursuant to CCR T14, §29.80(b), Dungeness crab traps used pursuant to CCR T14, §29.80(c), and dip nets used pursuant to CCR T14, §28.80 (§27.20(b)(1)(A)).

• It is unlawful to possess a groundfish species or species group within a Groundfish Management Area where the take and possession of those species are prohibited in all waters of that Groundfish Management Area or in excess of the bag limit of that Groundfish Management Area, regardless of if the groundfish species or species group were taken in a different Groundfish Management Area where the take or possession is authorized (§27.20(b)(1)(A)(1)).

4 No person shall take or possess any federal groundfish as defined in CCR T14, §1.91 and all greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos from any boat or other floating device in ocean waters without having a descending device in possession and available for immediate use to assist in releasing rockfish to the depth of capture (CCR T14, §27.20(b)(2)).

5 Total length is the longest straight-line measurement from the tip of the head with the mouth closed to the end of the longest lobe of the tail (CCR T14, §1.62). A measurement method illustration is available in the current Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, available on the CDFW website.

6 For the purpose of these regulations, the definition of fillet is the flesh from one side of a fish extending from the head to the tail which has been removed from the body (head, tail, and backbone) in a single continuous piece (CCR T14, §27.65(a)). No person shall fillet on any boat or bring ashore as fillets any fish except in accordance with requirements established in CCR T14, §27.65(b). See regulations for information on gear restrictions (CCR T14, §28.65 - 29.00) and species-specific fillet regulations (CCR T14, §27.65).

Boundary Line Descriptions

Access the map viewer to see the 50-fathom Rockfish Conservation Area line along the mainland coast and around the Channel Islands for reference.

Coordinates delineating the Federal Rockfish Conservation Area lines and other groundfish closures can be downloaded at NOAA Fisheries' West Coast Groundfish Closed Areas(external link) page.

Marine Region (Region 7)

Regional Manager: Dr. Craig Shuman

Main Office: 20 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Suite 100, Monterey, CA  93940

Email CDFW's Marine Region  |  (831) 649-2870

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