NorCal / SF Bay reference.

Seasonal Overview

Reference

• SF Bay Tides
• Sea Forager’s Guide to Northern California Coast
• SF Bay Subtidal Habitat Report
• CDFW Fish and Shellfish Identification Guides

Regulations

• CDFW Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations Booklet (PDF)
• CDFW Sport Fishing Regulations Map

Safety

• Recreational Bivalve Shellfish Advisory Map — (800) 553-4133
• Annual Mussel Quarantine Info — May 1 through October 31
• CDFW Clam Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Info — (831) 649-2883

Targeted Species

Crabs

CDFW Regulations §29.80 (page 49)

• Methods of take: hand, snares (6x loop limit), hoop nets, and CA compliant box traps
• 10 trap limit. Using box traps requires Crab Trap Validation
• Hoop nets check every 2 hours, traps every 9 days. Must have buoy with GO ID # if not from shore or structure
• No crabbing in the SF Bay at night — daylight hours only

Dungeness

• Limit — 10
• Size limit — 5¾” excluding spines
• No Dungeness take in SF Bay. Must be west of GGB.
• Season — typically starts 11/1, but check CDFW Crabs page. Northern zones regularly delayed for domoic acid.

Rock Crabs

• Open all year
• Limit 35 any combination
• Size limit — 4” excluding spines

Monkeyface Eel / Rockfish

• CDFW Monkeyface Eel — part of the RCG Complex
  • Limit 10 — no size limit
  • No closed season from shore
• Rockfish Identification
  • CA Rockfish ID Guide (PDF)
  • OR Rockfish ID Tips
  • AK Rockfish ID Manual links to PDF

Mussels

CDFW Regulations §29.10

• Season open all year, BUT Annual Mussel Quarantine prohibits take May 1 through October 31
• Bag & Possession Limit = 10 lbs
• Must be taken by hand — no tools
• “Bay Area Mussel Foraging: Tips Hints and Spots” blog

Purple Sea Urchin

CDFW Regulations §29.06 (page 44)

• Bag limit 35 per each species
• No possession limit for purple only!
• “Uni Foraging in the Bay Area” blog

Clams

CDFW Regulations §29.20 (page 47)

• No limits unless otherwise stated
• Clamming hours: 30min before sunrise to 30min after sunset
• No possession of clamming tools on any beach outside clamming hours
• Legal Take Methods: hand tools like shovel/hoe/rake/etc., suction powered “clam guns”, & rigid pipes to support digging
• Undersized clams have to be immediately reburied
• All holes have to be refilled
• Separate containers per person required — no mixing take

Gaper (aka Horse / Horseneck) & Washington Clams

• Limit 25 total, 10 per species. All clams dug must be taken.

Geoduck

• Limit 3. All clams dug must be taken.

Littlenecks, Soft Shell Clams, Chiones, Northern Quahogs, and Cockles

• Limit 50 in any combination
• Minimum size: 1½” except soft-shell clams, which must be taken.

Pismo Clams

• Open year round except in Santa Cruz & Monterey counties (9/1 - 4/30)
• Limit 10
• Minimum Size: 5” if taken north of SLO-Monterey county line, 4½” if taken south of the boundary

Razor Clams

• Open all year except Clam Beach in Humboldt, Del Norte county (check regs)
• Limit: 20, all clams dug must be taken.