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
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This region encompasses three counties with eleven primary port-based fishing communities (listed north to south):
Los Angeles County Orange County San Diego County Santa Monica Huntington Harbor Oceanside San Pedro Newport Beach Mission Bay Terminal Island Dana Point Point Loma Long Beach San Diego - Types of commercial fisheries
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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) seine Coastal pelagic finfish seine Market squid seine Highly migratory species (shark, swordfish, tuna) gillnet, harpoon Red sea urchin dive Market squid seine Spiny lobster trap Red sea urchin dive Spot prawn trap, trawl Spiny lobster trap - Fisheries Seasonality
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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 in 2013
- The Local Ocean Environment
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The North Central Coast region is characterized by several unique geographical features that affect ocean conditions and weather and include:
- Bodega Head
- Point Arena and Point Reyes
- Farallon Islands
- San Francisco Bay
Several of these features are part of the region’s upwelling system, in which cold, nutrient-rich waters stream from Point Arena south to Point Reyes, Cordell Bank and the Farallon Islands. While much of the region’s seafloor habitat is soft (sand or mud) bottom, there also are rocky reefs, pinnacles, and outcrops. All of these features contribute to prime habitat (including rich feeding grounds) that support the region’s many and diverse fisheries.
Point Reyes, California. Credit: Common Murre Restoration Project, USFWS. Note: Management authority and/or measures may vary for a given fishery depending on species and/or gear type.
- The Management Context
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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.
Fishery Management Authority Management Measures State Federal Limited entry Quotas Time/area closures Species size/sex rules Gear 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
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- California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (CA MLPAI). 2009. CA MLPAI Regional Profile of the South Coast Study Region (Point Conception to the California-Mexico Border), June 25, 193 pp.
- Hackett, S. 2002. An Economic Overview of the California Wetfish Industry Complex. In California's "Wetfish" Industry: It's Importance Past, Present and Future, edited by D. Pleschner-Steele, Santa Barbara, CA: California Seafood Council, 65 pp.
- Leet, W.S., Dewees, C.M., Klingbeil, R. and E.J. Larson. 2001. California's Living Marine Resources: A Status Report. 4th ed. Sacramento, CA: CDFG, 562 pp.
- Pomeroy, C., M. Hunter and M. Los Huertos. 2002. Socio-Economic Profile of the California Wetfish Industry. In California's "Wetfish" Industry: It's Importance Past, Present and Future, edited by D. Pleschner-Steele, Santa Barbara, CA: California Seafood Council, 42 pp.
- San Diego History Center. 2012. TUNA! Celebrating San Diego's Famous Fishing Industry. Museum exhibit, April 21-December 31.
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)