The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced that the Shasta Valley Wildlife Area in Siskiyou County will be closed to waterfowl hunting for the entirety of the 2021-22 season as a result of lost wetlands and waterfowl habitat due to drought conditions. The Northeastern Zone waterfowl season runs from Oct. 2, 2021, […]
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
CDFW Closes Lands Through Sept. 17 Due to Wildfires
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has closed 33 properties that lie within or immediately adjacent to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) boundaries due to extreme fire conditions. Effective immediately, these properties are closed to the public through Friday, Sept. 17. All closures are CDFW wildlife areas or ecological reserves, and they cover many parts […]
CDFW Launches New Funding Opportunity For Cannabis Cultivators
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Cannabis Restoration Grant Program (CRGP) today announced a call for concept proposals in preparation for the qualified cultivator funding opportunity. The Qualified Cultivator Funding Opportunity, Proposal Solicitation Notice is scheduled for release in fall of 2021 and will be open for applying until spring of 2023. Applications will be […]
CDFW Announces Fishing Closure at the Mouth of Klamath River
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced that the spit fishery at the mouth of the Klamath River will close to angling at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 27. Based on CDFW projections of the recreational fall Chinook salmon harvest, anglers will have met the “spit area” adult fall Chinook salmon quota […]
Disease Outbreak Strikes California Deer Herds – July 2021
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has confirmed outbreaks of adenovirus hemorrhagic disease in deer in several northern California counties and is asking California residents to help curb the spread by not feeding wild animals, and report potential cases to the department. “Providing attractants for deer – food, salt licks or even water […]
CDFW Awards $39 Million for Ecosystem and Watershed Restoration, Protection and Scientific Study Projects Statewide
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced the selection of 28 projects to receive funding for projects to restore and protect multi-benefit ecosystem restoration and protection projects under its Proposition 1 grant programs. The awards, totaling $39 million, were made under CDFW’s 2021 Proposition 1 Watershed Restoration Grant & Delta Water Quality […]
Owens Pupfish Given New Chance
A species of fish once declared extinct has not only survived but is expected to thrive thanks to a five-year effort to restore habitat and translocate more than 700 Owens pupfish. In early April biologists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno Office (USFWS) moved the […]
Shorter 2021 Recreational Ocean Salmon Seasons Opening in June
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announces ocean salmon season openers for additional management areas along the California coast. Although the Monterey management area opened in early April, the rest of the coast remained closed. Beginning in late June, recreational anglers will be able to drop their lines for salmon in the San […]
Excellent Water Skills Help Stop Marine Aquaria Poacher
April 14, 2021 – The California Fish and Game Commission recently revoked commercial marine aquaria fishing privileges for David W. Hornbaker due to unlawful take of marine aquaria species. Hornbaker was charged with using an unlawful anesthetic substance to collect in an area in which he was directly warned not to do so, then failed […]
If You Care, Leave Them There: CDFW Urges Public to Leave Deer Fawns Alone
April 12, 2021 – Late spring and early summer is the peak time for California’s deer herds to give birth to fawns, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is issuing a reminder to well-intentioned people to not interact with the baby deer – even if they find one that appears to be […]
The Recreational Red Abalone Fishery to Remain Closed Until 2026
March 19, 2021 – While the spring season typically signals the start of the recreational red abalone season, CDFW reminds anglers that the northern California recreational red abalone fishery will remain closed until April 1, 2026. Red abalone stocks continue to be impacted by large scale die offs in this area due to the collapse […]
Aquarium Moss Balls Threaten to Spread Invasive Mussels
March 10, 2021 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is asking retailers and consumers to help stop the spread of a dangerous invasive mussel that has been found in aquarium moss balls sold in California and nationwide. CDFW was notified last week that zebra mussels, highly invasive freshwater mussels which are illegal […]
Gray Wolf Travels from Oregon to the Central Sierra Nevada
February 26, 2021 – Another GPS-collared gray wolf has dispersed from Oregon into California. The wolf, known as OR-93, has traveled farther south in California than the collared wolves that have preceded him. OR-93 is a young male that dispersed from Oregon’s White River pack, southeast of Mt. Hood. He was fitted with a tracking […]
California Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers Receive Financial Support from the State
December 9, 2020 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is directing approximately $550,000 in grant funding to 45 nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organizations to immediately support care for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife. The funds are made available from taxpayer contributions to the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund. “California’s injured, […]
Agencies responding to Walnut Creek gasoline spill
Walnut Creek December 9, 2020 – Cleanup operations and an investigation are ongoing into an underground gasoline spill stemming from a cracked pipeline in Contra Costa County. Kinder Morgan, the pipeline operator, is responding with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention […]
CDFW Works with Crab Industry and Environmental Community to Implement New Regulations to Protect Whales from Entanglement
November 5, 2020 – The commercial Dungeness crab season in the central management area, which was scheduled to open Sunday, Nov. 15, will be delayed due to the presence of whales within fishing grounds and the potential for entanglement. In mid-November, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director will re-assess entanglement risk in […]
CDFW: New Video Series and Website Help Tell the Story of Vulnerable California Species
September 30, 2020 – According to a 2019 United Nations report on species extinction, an estimated one million animal and plant species worldwide are now threatened with extinction, many within decades, more than ever before in human history. Still, there is plenty we can do to address the challenges facing listed species. Several state and federal […]
Watch out for Wildlife Week Educates Drivers about Increased Animal-Vehicle Collision Risk
September 21, 2020 – Every autumn, as Daylight Saving Time concludes, the number of vehicle-wildlife collisions on California roadways increases. As drivers adjust to less daylight during the evening commute during the first week of November, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Caltrans issue a reminder to be alert and aware of […]
CDFW Extends Land Closures Through Monday, Sept. 21
September 15, 2020 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has extended closures on 49 properties that lie within or immediately adjacent to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) boundaries through Monday, Sept. 21. The closures were put into place on Saturday, Sept. 12 due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions. All closures are CDFW […]
California Fires Force Closure of CDFW Properties
August 20, 2020 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is temporarily closing some of its public lands in response to multiple active fires in Colusa, Lake, Lassen, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties. The closures will help ensure safety and accommodate the needs of fire […]