Check Out Fish Fest for Free Family Activities!
Brought to you by :
The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
Join a variety of local organizations who will be on hand to tell sanctuary fish tales, provide free guided fishing for you and your family, and share tips on sustainable recreational fishing.

Coast Side Fishing Club Summer Social – August 19th, 2023
We’re excited to announce the very first “Summer Social” hosted by the Coastside Fishing Club! Join us on Saturday, August 19th, from 1pm to 4pm at the picturesque Old Princeton Landing
Who can come?
This event is exclusively for our members, and we are limiting participation to the first 100 sign-ups. If you miss the initial registration; we’ll keep a waiting list of 20 names in case of any cancellations. Those on the waiting list will be notified a week prior if a spot opens up.
What’s on the agenda?
The Summer Social offers the perfect opportunity to rub shoulders with your fellow members, indulge in amiable chitchat with our esteemed Board members, catch up on all the latest happenings of the club, and savor some good food and beverages.
Best of all, this gathering comes at no cost to you, and we’ll even provide some complimentary snacks. For drinks, Old Princeton Landing has you covered.
Where is this happening?
Where is the Old Princeton Landing you ask? Click the link for directions or use your sextant and find your way to
460 Capistrano Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Sign me up!
Sign up for the Coastside Summer Social.
Please keep in mind that space is limited and if for whatever reason you cannot make it let us know so we can open up the wait list.
Sign up list will be closed 2 weeks prior on August 5th or when we reach 120 sign ups, whichever comes first.
Apologies, but only ticket holding members will be allowed.
Want a chance to win a descender?
Link a ROCKFISH report to the thread in Projects and Events to be entered into a door prize drawing for a new descender! Only one link/report necessary and only one entry per attendee.
And the Winners are… 2023 Mike Starr Kid’s Lifetime Fishing Awards
Congratulations to Brooks and Dane! These 2 young fisherman are set for life! Tight lines young men!
These 2 lucky kids will now have a lifetime of memories. A great celebration of Mike Starr.
Check out this link to read about the winners!




Saturday May 20th Net Pen Build
Saturday May 20, 2023 at Pillar Point Harbor Launch Ramp
Need 20 to 30 Able bodies, tools needed 3/4 inch sockets, open ended and box wrenches, spud wrench, hammers, pry bars, pliers, side cutters, sun screen, hats, gloves, knee pads, Smiley face!
Food at 8 am, work at 9am Pillar Point Harbor Half Moon Bay, Upper parking lot for food, Launch ramp for work.
YOU’RE INVITED:Standing Committee on Offshore Wind Energy and Fisheries
B.O.E.M. Off Shore Wind Energy Meetings
Another opportunity to get involved and make your opinions about Off Shore Wind Energy known. (To more than your fishing buddies!) |
BOEM Contact:John Callahan907-334-5208 |
Dear Stakeholder – Please join BOEM Director Liz Klein for the first public meeting of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Standing Committee on Offshore Wind Energy and Fisheries. WHEN: April 13, 2023 (3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET) WHERE: Virtual Webcast – Registration Instructions All are welcome and encouraged to attend the webcast. The virtual open session will introduce the committee to the public and discuss the standing committee goals. The National Academies require advance registration. Meeting details, including a webcast link, registration instructions and a full agenda, will be available via the Registration Instructions above. Established at BOEM’s request, this new standing committee will help BOEM expand and improve its engagement and communication with the fishing community on offshore wind energy activities. The committee is to serve as an independent, credible forum to discuss the state of science and pressing concerns related to the intersection of offshore wind with fisheries. Committee members will choose meeting topics in consultation with BOEM staff, based on input from BOEM and other stakeholders. |
https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/standing-committee-on-offshore-wind-energy-and-fisheries
You can also visit the P.F.M.C.’S Off Shore Wind Page for additional information |
Enter a Kid to win a Lifetime Fishing License!
Submit Entries to the 3rd. Annual Mike Starr Kids Lifetime Fishing License Drawing
Check out this thread in Coastside Projects and Events
What to know about the 2023-2024 Rockfishing Season!
Deciphering the 2023-2024 Rock Fishing Regulations. Depth Restrictions, Species Identification and Closures. Check your management area for specific rules.
San Francisco Management Area – (Ocean waters between 38°57.5′ N. latitude (Point Arena) and 37°11′ N. latitude (Pigeon Point)
May 15-July 15 2023. 50 fathoms or deeper only. No Inshore fishing or retention of inshore species.
July 16-December 31 2023. All depths open to fishing.
Central Management Area – (Ocean waters between 37°11’N. latitude (Pigeon Point) and 34°27′ N. latitude (Point Conception))
May 1- September 30 2023. All depths open to fishing.
October 1-December 31 2023. 50 fathoms or deeper only. No Inshore fishing or retention of inshore species.
To clarify, at the start of the season.
North of Pigeon Point from May 15 – July 15
NO INSHORE FISHING!
South of Pigeon Point May 1 -September 30
ALL DEPTHS!
Important to remember that no inshore fish are allowed to be kept when inshore fishing is closed, regardless of what depth they were caught. Emphasizing that it doesn’t matter if you caught a blue or a black in deeper than 50 fathoms, no retention of inshore species allowed.
How can I tell which species are inshore and which are slope and shelf?
Im so glad you asked. Here are some ID cards provided by CDFW, ODFW and Recfin to help with identification. Not only are there ID cards for Inshore, Shelf and Slope rockfish, there are also some for the Copper, Quillback and Vermillion among others. The individual species ID cards include several variations in color and appearance for each species. There are a few that are helpful in comparing and contrasting
Ok, So now I know what I can fish for and when? How can I find the 50 Fathom line?
Keep in mind it does not follow the contour line! Check you local waypoints!
Here is a link to the waypoints from Canada to Mexico.
Here is another link to the NOAA list of the same.
Now that we are catching all these deepwater fish, how do we safely release them? (Yes, they can be safely released!!!). Stay tuned for more information about barotrauma. Coastside has an interesting history of involvement in influencing the use of descending devices to create more fishing opportunity for all.
Here is a great barotrauma video, served with extra cheese lol. https://forums.coastsidefishingclub.com/threads/short-video-on-rockfish-releases-in-the-market.85864/
Check out our Greybeard Articles on Rockfishing for additional info!
Check out the Mendocino, Northern and Southern Management Area rules here.
Get Involved in the Salmon Planning Season- P.F.M.C. April Meeting.
Demystifying the salmon season planning process. An introduction to the Pacific Fisheries Marine Council
The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. They recommend fishery management measures in the Federal waters off Washington, Oregon, and California. Planning the Salmon fishing season is one of their functions.
https://www.pcouncil.org/about-the-council-2/
How is the Salmon Season planned?
Each year at its March and April meetings the Council establishes management measures for commercial, tribal, and recreational salmon fisheries off the coasts of California, Washington, Oregon, and even landlocked Idaho. The management year for ocean salmon fisheries begins on May 16 and lasts for 12 months to the following May 15th. To support Council decision making the Council’s Salmon Technical Team and Council staff develop four documents that outline salmon management for the upcoming fishing year:
- Review of Ocean Salmon Fisheries for the previous year (Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation, or SAFE, document)
- Preseason Report I: The forecast used to set salmon fisheries
- Preseason Report II: A description of the Council’s proposed ocean salmon management alternatives and their impacts on ocean salmon fisheries and stocks
- Preseason Report III: The Salmon Technical Team’s analysis of ocean salmon fishery management measures adopted by the Council for submission to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Here is the first report on the 2022 season.
https://www.pcouncil.org/documents/2023/02/review-of-2022-ocean-salmon-fisheries.pdf/
Preseason Report 1 now available.
Overall, the process of planning the salmon fishing season on the West Coast involves a complex and multifaceted decision-making process, with many different factors and stakeholders to consider. The PFMC works closely with state and federal agencies, as well as fishermen and other interested parties, to ensure that its decisions are based on the best available data and reflect the needs and concerns of all stakeholders.
There is opportunity for the general public to be involved.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) has a unique process of public participation in the planning and use of natural resources, particularly when compared to other federal processes that may not have as much public input.
One of the main ways that the PFMC involves the public is through its advisory bodies, which include representatives from different stakeholder groups, including commercial and recreational fishermen, environmental organizations, and tribes. These advisory bodies provide input to the council on issues related to fishery management and help to ensure that the council’s decisions reflect the needs and concerns of all stakeholders.
The council also holds public meetings throughout the year, which provide opportunities for members of the public to provide input and feedback on proposed regulations and management plans. The council encourages public comment and actively seeks out input from a wide range of stakeholders, including fishermen, conservation groups, and the general public.
Overall, the unique process of public participation in the PFMC’s decision-making process reflects the council’s commitment to promoting the sustainable use of natural resources and to ensuring that its decisions reflect the needs and concerns of all stakeholders.
How it get involved.
The PFMC posts a schedule of upcoming meetings, agendas, briefing books and E-portal for public comments. Additionally there is an archive of materials including youtube videos of past meetings. Please click through the links below to access the PFMC site directly.