June 1, 2026
Make Permanent Emergency Shark Fishing Regulations California
Support our petition to the California Fish and Game Commission to make emergency white shark fishing and safety regulations permanent- and increase regulations on chumming and mechanical gaffs on California beaches and public piers.
On June 17, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to approve an emergency regulation to strengthening restrictions on fishing gear, in order to improve public safety and prevent fishers from illegally targeting white sharks near California beaches and piers. Shark Stewards has documented fishermen illegally targeting more than 30 large sharks in Southern California. The gear changes — which are supported by scientists and several fishing groups — will also help reduce the risk to the public at a time when warmer sea surface temperatures are raising concerns around increased shark-human encounters in California waters.
Responding to spurious complaints of transparency by the fishing lobby the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) reviewed the emergency regulations with a 5 day comment period ending July 1.
The emergency regulations were allowed to stand, and we are working to make these permanent.
The commission did not adopt our recommendations to ban the use of chum and live bait to attract sharks, or the use of drones to transport bait to deeper waters. While this will ease enforcement by the California Department of Fish and Game for fishers targeting sharks and will reduce white shark catch, it will not add the protection needed for sharks and people. Shark Stewards will be monitoring the interactions through the emergency period and urge the Fish and Game Commission to make the regulation amendments permanent and add the additional regulations recommended in our letter and at the Commission meeting.
We are submitting our petition with comments at the Fish and Game Commission meeting in November 2026. Direct comments on 2026-0626-01E Recreational Gear Restrictions for White Shark Title 14, Amending Sections: 28.06, 28.65 can be made to Jenn Bacon can be made Ph: (916) 902-9285 Email: jennifer.bacon@fgc.ca.gov.