Overview

FishingCommunities.net is an informational resource for stakeholders, managers, and the public. The website presents profiles of the history, economics, and culture of California’s fishing communities with information, data, and interactive charts for thirteen of the state’s principal fishing ports. While this site focuses on ports with the highest levels of commercial landings and recreational activity, there are many other smaller ports that do not yet have profiles. However, the landings, revenue, and trips from these other locations are included in statewide totals.

For commercial fisheries, the port profiles present extensive data covering many aspects of the fisheries. For recreational fisheries, the port profiles include only data from commercial passenger fishing vessels (CPFVs); other types of recreational fishing are not included in the analysis.

Text and data on FishingCommunities.net are drawn from port profile reports written by Lauren Drakopulos and Carrie Pomeroy (California Sea Grant) for Resources Legacy Fund based on analysis of data provided by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

This website was last updated in 2023 based on analysis of data through 2021. For more recent data, visit the CDFW Marine Fisheries Data Explorer.

Data Disclaimer

Data on this website are not for management purposes. CDFW collects data from various sources for fisheries management purposes, and data may be modified at any time to improve accuracy and as new data is acquired. CDFW may provide data upon request under a formal agreement. Data is provided as-is and in good faith, but CDFW does not endorse any particular analytical methods, interpretations, or conclusions based upon the data it provides. Unless otherwise stated, use of CDFW’s data does not constitute CDFW’s professional advice or formal recommendation of any given analysis. CDFW recommends users consult with CDFW prior to data use regarding known limitations of certain data sets.

For More Information

Extensive information about California fisheries is provided on the CDFW website:

• CDFW Marine Region: Home page of the CDFW Marine Region serving the California coastline from border to border.
• California Marine Species Portal: Provides searchable access to basic species information. Enhanced Status Reports (ESRs) are included for select state-managed fisheries.
• Marine Fisheries Data Explorer: Allows the public to explore reviewed and summarized California commercial landings data.
• Marine Life Management Act Master Plan: Roadmap and toolbox for implementation of California’s primary fisheries law, the Marine Life Management Act (MLMA).

Questions and Feedback

Please send questions and comments about the FishingCommunities.net website to contact@fishingcommunities.net.

Questions about the management of California’s fisheries may be directed to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

Acknowledgments

The FishingCommunities.net website was developed by Peter Taylor (Waterview Consulting) in collaboration with Huff McGonigal (Fathom Consulting) and Lauren Drakopulos (Cornell University) with funding from Resources Legacy Fund.

We thank the California fisheries stakeholders who have helped review and revise the content of the reports and the website.