CENTRAL COAST—Precautions around the coronavirus outbreak have forced officials to restack this year’s salmon season and close launch ramps in area harbors.
California’s recreational ocean salmon fishing season will be delayed statewide through the end of the month, despite plans made earlier this year for it to open in some locations as early as April 4, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.
The National Marine Fisheries Service and other agencies ordered the delay in response to social distancing requirements and widespread closures of launch ramp facilities, charter boat operations and restrictions to harbor and marina access due to the pandemic.
Santa Cruz Harbor officials taped off their boat launch ramp last week and the harbor has largely come to a standstill save for a few businesses.
Delaying the opening will reduce impacts to stocks of concern and provide more fishing opportunities in the summer months than would otherwise be possible, CDFW said.
In Santa Cruz Harbor, H&H Fresh Fish has maintained open hours and continues to offer a selection of seafood at their indoor, walk-up counter. Co-owner Heidi Rhodes said her business has made numerous adjustments to the work day to ensure safe handling of food and safe social distancing at the 17-year-old business.
“Right now we are letting one customer in the store at a time with a line forming outside,” Rhodes said. “We welcome phone orders; and we can take your orders out to your cars.”
H&H sells fish regularly at 13 farmers markets around Santa Cruz County and the Bay Area. Additionally, Rhodes said her business has operated their Community Supported Fishery for the past eight years. Modeled after Community Supported Agriculture, the system allows customers to establish an online account and then receive regular packaged deliveries at their door or at predesignated refrigerated, self-regulated personal coolers known as “drop sites.”
“It’s a one-of-a-kind in Santa Cruz County,” Rhodes said. “Our customers really like this weekly seafood subscription. The program runs on Tuesdays where our members sign up for a commitment to what is in season and fresh. We have blog reminders and recipes as well. Deliveries are weekly or every other week and you can manage or modify your order any time.”
Rhodes said that her business model is shaped to “whatever is coming across the docks.” Currently they are seeing catches of rockfish, sole, lingcod, clams, muscles, sustainable shrimp, a few kinds of oysters and wild king salmon (previously frozen).
Longtime fisherman Joe Tomasello, who operates his Sea Breeze commercial boat out of the Santa Cruz Harbor, said he recently had all his deckhands “split on me.”
“So I went out by myself,” he said. “Here I am at 65 and I went out alone; you know, those crab pots are heavy.”
After a few signs of bad luck, he hit pay dirt.
“At the end of day I pulled in my 53 crab pots and I had 420 pounds of crab. But the problem is you can’t ship them. Most of the crab is live, they go on a plane, and you can’t fly anything nowadays,” he said. “A lot of our crabs go to China but this virus is changing so many things…. Until there’s real shipping going on again, what are we going to do with all the fish?”
Officials at the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor have temporarily suspended late charges or interest for boat slip renters and landslide tenants through June 30. That April 2 move, by the Santa Cruz Port Commission, is aimed at halting evictions and slip and space revocations and taking in late fees and interest.
Anglers are advised to check for updated information when planning a salmon fishing trip. Season dates, bag/possession limit information and gear restrictions can be found by calling the NMFS ocean salmon hotline at (800) 662-9825.
