June 17, 2026
On June 17, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to approve an emergency regulation to strengthen 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 white sharks in Southern California. The gear changes — which are supported by several fishing groups, including Fish On — 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.
However, 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.
Learn about white shark science and how to coexist with white sharks at our event September 5 in Long Beach CA. Dr. Chris Lowe of CSULB Shark lab, Carlos Guana Malibu Artist, Shark Conservationists and biologists Carmen Koepfer and David McGuire, and white shark survivor Maria Korcmaros.