Liquid gold of San Francisco Bay has turned to silver, but the fleets come back for more. December to March, the stiff limits for the fleet keep carefully managed herring schools healthy in San Francisco Bay. There are 388 permits given out on a limited schedule for weekday fishing only, in designated areas. However, not all 388 permits are actively fished. Fleets add self- regulated buoys to stay clear of the ferry routes, particularly in Sausalito. Only ten permits are given out for eggs on kelp or eggs on nets and ten for fresh herring catches. The fresh herring catch occurs prior to the commercial roe herring season each year.

Herring visit the Bay to spawn between November and March and sometimes into April. The exact quota for the amount of fish, live fish, and herring eggs on kelp that can be taken out of the Bay are based on recommendations from the Department of Fish and Game. The Department estimates the amount fish entering the bay and uses that estimate to set quotas for the following season.
This timely way of defining the limits each year ensures the limits are matched to the numbers and size of the arriving fish. Herring is considered the best managed fishery in California. There are also strict regulations on use and management of the nets with an associated point system with hefty fines for any infraction, starting at $200 a point. Fish and Game provides a hotline with reports of their surveys to help fishermen fill their quotas. This helps the fishermen get out of the Bay quickly and leave the fish alone to spawn in peace sooner. This action ensures long-term survival of herring in our Bay.

The minimum net mesh size for the 2004-05 San Francisco Bay fishing season is 2-1/8 inches; the mesh size regulations did not change this year but they can. Each year, most of the herring fishermen purchase new nets. If a strained net, or one with a small tear, were to release a catch, it may end fishing for the day or longer until a replacement net is put on. In the not too distant past when Japanese buyers for herring were paying top dollar, one day’s catch could mean $10,000 lost if the fleet got lucky that day. Boat and engine repairmen dropped everything when a herring boat broke down. The price of the fish is way down in today’s market but it still can mean a notable percentage of the catch and annual income, causing quite a scramble if a boat is not ready when the season starts or breaks during the short periods of time when they can fish. Fishermen have to follow the 3 P’s rule: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare.