Salmon Season Opened May 1 Commercial salmon fishing season in California opened May 1 and continues through September 30. Most of the fish brought to market early in the season will be harvested between Monterey and San Francisco. Last year's catch yielded extremely large fish that exhibited deep salmon coloring and intense flavor. This generated a lot of enthusiasm by consumers, restaurateurs, exporters and custom smokehouses. The Pacific Fisheries Management Council, a regulatory body that manages the Pacific fishing season, predicts the commercial salmon troll industry will land as much or more King salmon this year.
Consumers can once again find fishermen selling salmon directly from their boats.
In response to an influx of cheap imported farm-raised salmon from Chile, fishermen have set up organized markets at local ports. The prices are below retail and they also offer consumers the added confidence that the salmon they purchase are local, fresh and of the highest quality. Direct marketing is expected at ports in Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Bodega Bay and Moss Landings. Consumers wishing more information can call the local port harbor office for time and locations. Sacramento River Fall-Run salmon are bountiful because of decades of work undertaken by fishermen to conserve and enhance these fish.