In today’s newscast,
Recreational salmon fishing opens
Monterey Bay opened to recreational salmon fishing on April 11th. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife set the regional harvest guideline at 21,000 King Salmon in total. The department has not yet announced a date for commercial salmon fishing.
Whalefest draws crowds to Monterey Bay
And in more ocean news, crowds gathered in downtown Monterey over the weekend for the annual Whalefest, which celebrates the marine life of Monterey Bay.
“My son Wesley's gonna be a scientist, and he wants to learn about whales and all other types of mammals,” said Kellanie White, who came down on Saturday from San Mateo with her son. ”I hope that he learns that he can do anything and save animals.”
The two-day festival also brought together advocates and experts to talk about threats and solutions to marine life conservation.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that whale entanglements have increased, with Monterey Bay being a hotspot.
The agency stated that most entanglements are caused by commercial fishing gear, which puts whales at risk.
Pop-up fishing gear, recently approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, can protect whales. Geoff Shester, the Fishery Innovation Director for conservation nonprofit Oceana, said this is a win for everyone.
“ The whales can safely swim by, and the fishermen have their opportunity back and can keep fishing crab, and the public can now have a sustainable seafood choice in the springtime.”
Other Whalefest events included abalone races and live music.
KAZU is a sponsor of Whalefest.
