Readopt emergency amendment to Section 180.15 of Title 14, California Code of Regulations - Coonstripe Shrimp Fishery for 90 days

The California Fish and Game Commission is readopting an emergency amendment to Section 180.15 of Title 14, California Code of Regulations, for a period of 90 days. This regulatory action is designed to mitigate marine life entanglement risks associated with the coonstripe shrimp commercial trap fishery, which operates from the California/Oregon border to Monterey Bay. The need for these measures is driven by documented whale entanglements between 2017 and 2025 and the potential for increased gear usage as fishermen shift from other declining fisheries. To reduce these risks, the amendment implements several key regulatory measures, including the establishment of a north/south dividing line at the Sonoma/Mendocino County border and a new control date. Additionally, the regulations limit the number of vertical lines deployable per vessel and the number of traps per string, while imposing a maximum depth limit of 30 fathoms specifically for the northern fishery. This project is filed as a Notice of Exemption under CEQA categorical exemptions 15307 and 15308 and is overseen by Executive Director Melissa Miller-Henson.