Salmon fishing season declining in Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)- Fishing for salmon in California isn't looking too good. For the second time, there are restrictions which is likely to impact fisherman and customers. 

Since 2003, H&H market say they pride themselves in providing freshness and quality products. Which include the most popular item, the local king salmon.

Yet, with salmon season being put on hold, co- owner from H&H in Santa Cruz points out that it's painful.

“It's literally the biggest thing that people want to buy," H&H Fresh Fish co-owner Hans Haveman said. "When we have the local king salmon, it’s literally one of the best products in the world and when we don’t have it that gets painful.”

As salmon season still remains closed, the businesses on the Santa Cruz Harbor are affected and aren't able to sell local salmon to their customers.

“I like to go there and get it and when it’s not available i’m not so happy about it," Bill Taylor who lives in Santa Cruz said. "I'm not really interested in you know supporting other industries, but I like to keep it local.” 

As for the regular customers who come out to the harbor for fresh local seafood, they weren't too happy about the decline this season.

“I am sad today," Rick Longinotti from Santa Cruz said. "I think it represents years of abuse on our landscape,"

In 2023, H&H noticed it doesn’t only impact the customers but the business on the harbor as well.

“I have no wholesale because there’s no salmon so i had to have to figure that out," Haveman said. It's definitely putting the squash on us, we are trying to keep a whole entire business going."

For now, H&H will sale Alaskan salmon until they are able to get their hands on locally sourced Santa Cruz salmon for their customers.