Sports anglers south of Point Arena will face a partial closure from June 1 to July 9 in order to protect a struggling population of salmon under rules passed by regional officials this week.
The Pacific Fisheries Management Council voted Wednesday to close sport fishing on Mondays and Tuesdays during that period to reduce pressure on the salmon that spawn in the Sacramento River system in the winter, a population that has been in decline recently.
As an additional protection, the minimum size of fish in the area will be 24 inches through Aug. 1, when it drops to 20 inches.
Recreational fishing above Point Arena will not face any closures and the minimum limit will be 20 inches throughout the season.
The council said the season will run through Nov. 10 in Northern California, but it will close Oct. 6 south of Pigeon Point.
The commercial season opens May 1 and is subject to a more complex set of conditions.
Details of both commercial and recreational fishing rules are available at the council's website: www.pcouncil.org.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: