Rockfish and lingcod protected in deep water

The Pacific Fishery Management Council has established new limits for lingcod and certain rockfish.

Following federal action taken Thursday by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, effective July 1, California's recreational fishery for shelf rockfish and lingcod will be closed in ocean waters 20 fathoms (120 feet) and deeper south of Cape Mendocino (Humboldt County).

The closure will be in effect for the remainder of the fishing season and resulted from in-season fishing adjustments adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council at its meeting in Foster City. The closure prohibits the take of rockfish, lingcod, ocean whitefish and California scorpionfish (sculpin) in waters 20 fathoms and greater in depth. In waters less than 20 fathoms, recreational anglers may continue to take ``nearshore'' species of rockfish and lingcod, and retain two ``shelf'' rockfish (not including bocaccio, cowcod, canary, and yelloweye), if they are taken incidentally while fishing in waters less than 20 fathoms in depth.