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1. Port-at-a-Glance

One of the southern-most ports in California, Dana Point is in a region of southern California that was first colonized by Spanish Catholic missionaries and soldiers in 1769. Although the town did not incorporate until 1989, Dana Point has been an important area supporting the Acjachemen and Kizh Nations for thousands of years. Agriculture and fishing were mainstays of the local economy early on, and eventually, tourism in the 1950s. Fishing has remained one of Dana Point’s most important sectors both economically and culturally, although the fisheries on which it has been most dependent have shifted over time.

Fisheries for spot prawn and groundfish fisheries emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as trawl technologies improved. Groundfish became an important year-round fishery for the port, however, in 2000 it was declared a federal fishery disaster following a sharp decline in landings of rockfish species and overcapitalization in the fishery. (Source) The fishery rebounded in Dana Point, peaking in 2010 with a shift to fixed-gear targeting sablefish and thornyheads. The red sea urchin fishery was established in the 1970s, however, the early fishery was unregulated, and soon 75% of California’s sea urchin population was depleted. Although the stock rebuilt after regulations were implemented, the Japanese export market collapsed in the early 2000s, though the domestic market has since grown.

Currently, important fisheries for the port include California spiny lobster, coastal pelagic species and highly migratory species with coastal pelagic species as the port’s primary fishery by both weight and ex-vessel value in 2021. In 2021, landings at Dana Point Harbor accounted for less than 1% of California’s total landings and 1% of ex-vessel value. From 2000 to 2021, the number of fish business licenses active in Dana Point has quadrupled. The number of commercial fishing licenses associated with the port has decreased from 20 in 1999 to 18 in 2021.