MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. – The Coast Guard, alongside fellow federal, state and local agency partners will be actively patrolling the Northern California waterways during the recreational salmon fishery open period scheduled for June 7 to 8, 2025.
The Coast Guard expects a large number of recreational boaters to take to the water offshore of Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties, so Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay personnel and our partners will be on patrol to ensure the safety of the boating public.
All boaters should monitor weather reports and forecasts, heed watches, warnings, or conditions that exceed capabilities of their vessel. Additionally, boaters should ensure proper operation of all vessel systems prior to getting underway and ensure carriage of all required equipment and safety gear in accordance with 33 and 46 Code of Federal Regulations.
The Coast Guard will not accept nor file float plans from recreational boaters, however boaters are encouraged to communicate their plans with a trusted family member or friend on land, including but not limited to: vessel name and description, number of persons onboard, planned fishing location, and planned time of departure and return.
The Coast Guard wishes to remind the boating public of the following safety considerations; due to the anticipated surge in boaters and potential requests for assistance, a Coast Guard response to a vessel casualty may be delayed.
- All boaters are encouraged to always wear a lifejacket while out on the water; by state and federal law, all boaters aged 13 and under are required to be wearing a life jacket when on an operating boat.
- All boaters should rely on a VHF-FM radio for communication purposes instead of a cell phone, which can be unreliable in remote areas off the Northern California Coast.
- Boating Under the Influence is against both federal and state law.
- Dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature; hypothermia can set in fast in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean.
For questions regarding carriage requirements or vessel safety regulations, boaters should view the California Division of Boating and Waterways Safety and Education “ABC’s of CA Boating” Handbook, located at https://dbw.parks.ca.gov. In case of emergency or for vessels in need of assistance, mariners may contact 911 or the Coast Guard via VHF Ch16, 707-839-6100 (emergency) or 707-839-6113 (non-emergency).
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