The California Fish and Game Commission is holding critical regional meetings that will directly impact where you can fish for years to come.
The Commission is currently evaluating several Marine Protected Area (MPA) Petitions. These petitions seek to create new or expanded “no-take” zones that could permanently lock anglers out of some of our most productive coastal waters.
Meeting Schedule
Meetings will be held in person with options for Zoom and phone participation:
- May 5–6, 2026 (8:00 a.m.): Focusing on alongshore petitions from San Luis Obispo through Santa Barbara counties, plus the northern Channel Islands.
- Location: Hilton Garden Inn, 6878 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA 93117
- Audio Participation: 408-638-0968 or 669-900-6833; conference code: 890 4610 8064
- May 19, 2026 (8:00 a.m.): Focusing on petitions for Los Angeles through San Diego counties, including Santa Catalina Island.
- Location: Holiday Inn Express, 35 Via Pico Plaza, San Clemente, CA 92672
Agenda Highlights for Anglers
These meetings are not just administrative formalities; they are the frontline of the fight for recreational access:
- MPA Petition Evaluations: The Commission will review Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) evaluations of petitions, many of which are driven by well-funded preservationist groups, proposing new or expanded closures. Without our presence, the Commission only hears one side of the story; we must ensure they understand that recreational angling is a sustainable activity that supports California’s coastal communities.
- Inland & Marine Sport Fishing (May 6): The May 6 session will also include adoption hearings for annual sport fishing rulemakings for the Klamath River Basin and Central Valley.
- Public Comment: This is your opportunity to provide testimony directly to the Commissioners on how these proposed closures would impact your heritage and local economy.
Why Attendance is Critical
Decisions made at these regional meetings will form the basis for recommendations to the full Commission later this year. It is vital for the angling community to be present to ensure that the interests of recreational fishers are represented when discussing potential closures or changes to access.
Demonstrating that the community is engaged and informed helps ensure that the Commission hears from those who utilize and rely on these marine resources.
How to Take Action:
- Attend in person if possible. Physical presence at the meetings highlights the level of community interest in these issues.
- Submit written comments if attendance is not possible. Deadlines and submission details are available on the California Fish and Game Commission website.
- Join via Zoom to provide remote testimony if travel is not an option.
While advocacy continues in Sacramento, the Commission benefits from hearing directly from those who are active in the field.
There has never been a more crucial time in sportsmen’s history than now to be involved and engaged in protecting our way of life. We cannot afford to stay silent while our traditions are on the chopping block. Share this email with your family and friends. Urge them to join the fight with you and the Sportsmen’s Alliance. The legacy of hunting, fishing, and trapping depends on our actions today.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
