South Coast

south coast

The South Coast region includes several fishing communities in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. Historically, this area was known as the “tuna capital of the world," hosting a large fleet of tuna seiners and tuna-processing canneries, along with a variety of other fisheries. By the early 1980s, most of the canneries had moved offshore (to US territories and other countries). This significant change was due in large part to lower processing costs and the shift of many fishing operations to the western Pacific to avoid conflicts with dolphins and porpoises. Nonetheless, the region’s fishing communities have remained vital due to the continued productivity of the ocean ecosystem, the proximity to large urban centers and extensive port infrastructure, which connect them to domestic and global markets.

 

 

Fishing communities

This region encompasses three counties with eleven primary port-based fishing communities (listed north to south):

Los Angeles CountyOrange CountySan Diego County
Santa Monica Huntington HarborOceanside
San PedroNewport BeachMission Bay
Terminal IslandDana PointPoint Loma
Long Beach San Diego
Types of commercial fisheries

Although the commercial tuna fishery here is much less active than in the past, this region has continued to support a variety of fisheries, with coastal pelagic species (market squid and sardine in particular), spiny lobster and red sea urchin among the most active today. However, the mix of fisheries and level of activity in each port and overall varies as a function of changes in species distribution and availability, market demand, regulations, physical infrastructure, buyers and other factors.

In 2013, commercial fishermen landed more than 117.7 million pounds (53,500 metric tons) of seafood in this region with an ex-vessel value (amount paid to fishermen) of nearly $45.8 million. The top fisheries (species-gear combinations, in alphabetical order) in terms of pounds landed and/or ex-vessel value included:

See our regional seafood posters and the California commercial landings data (links below) to learn more about the fisheries of this region.

Ex-Vessel Value (≥ $1.5 million each)Pounds Landed (≥ 500,000 pounds each)
Coastal pelagic finfish (anchovy, mackerel, sardine) seineCoastal pelagic finfish seine
Market squid seineHighly migratory species (shark, swordfish, tuna) gillnet, harpoon
Red sea urchin diveMarket squid seine
Spiny lobster trapRed sea urchin dive
Spot prawn trap, trawlSpiny lobster trap
Fisheries Seasonality

The chart below shows the times of year when the major commercial fisheries of the South Coast region are most active. Other smaller fisheries, while also important, are not shown here. This chart combines all gear types that target the indicated species. Note that fishing activity does not necessarily start at the beginning or stop at the end of a month, and that the timing and types of fisheries may vary from year to year. (See state and federal commercial fishing regulations for current and specific dates.)

Seasonality of selected South Coast California fisheries FROM 2019-2023

seasonality of selected south coast california fisheries from 2019-2023
The Local Ocean Environment

The South Coast region encompasses the southern part of the Southern California Bight that extends from Point Conception in the Santa Barbara Channel region to Baja California in Mexico.

Los Angeles Basin, including Santa Monica Submarine Canyon and Catalina Island
Los Angeles Basin including Santa Monica Submarine Canyon and Catalina island

 

  • Southern Channel Islands
  • Submarine Canyons (e.g. La Jolla, Redondo, Point Dume)
  • Several bays (e.g. San Pedro, Santa Monica, San Diego)

The four Southern Channel Islands- Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, San Nicolas, and San Clemente- are located about 20-78 miles (32-126 km) offshore from Los Angeles to San Diego. These islands provide habitat for many species, as do the coastal bays in the region, enhancing the fisheries of the area.

While coastal geography and wind patterns limit upwelling in the region, several submarine canyons provide nutrient rich waters to the coast, supporting a diversity of ocean species. The region's close proximity to southern sub-tropical waters also adds to the diversity and productivity of its fisheries, as highly migratory species such as yellowtail and yellowfin tuna often migrate with the warmer water into offshore areas of the region. Temperate species such as albacore and bluefin tuna and swordfish also use these waters during their seasonal migrations.

 

Note: Management authority and/or measures may vary for a given fishery depending on species and/or gear type.

The Management Context

The region's commercial fisheries are managed by the state through the California Legislature, the Fish and Game Commission and the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW); by the federal government through the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); or by both (see Management Context  for more information). The following table shows which government entity (or entities) has management authority and the management measures used for some of the region’s most active fisheries. 

FisheryManagement AuthorityManagement Measures
 StateFederalLimited entryQuotasTime/area closuresSpecies size/sex rulesGear restrictions
Coastal pelagic finfish seine✓✓✓✓✓ ✓
Market squid seine✓ ✓✓✓ ✓
Red sea urchin dive✓ ✓ ✓✓✓
Spiny lobster trap✓ ✓ ✓✓✓
Spot prawn trap✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Swordfish gillnet, harpoon ✓✓ ✓ ✓

Note: Management authority and/or measures may vary for a given fishery depending on species and/or gear type

Information Sources

 
CDFW Commercial Landings Information
NMFS Commercial Fisheries Statistics
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN)
Southern California Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS)