California’s coastal waters may soon be free of two of the most destructive fishing methods ever deployed… set gillnets and drift gillnets, thanks to new laws that will finally phase out these outdated and indiscriminate gears!
The Slow Sunset of Set Gillnets
Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of Assembly Bill 1056 in October 2025 marks a crucial step toward ending California’s set gillnet fishery – an archaic and wasteful practice that has entangled and killed more than 125 species of marine life, including whales, leatherback turtles, dolphins, sharks and sea lions. Read the California Bycatch Report from April 2023 here.
Set gillnets, nearly invisible monofilament walls up to a mile long, are used to catch halibut, primarily around the Channel Islands, a United Nations–designated International Biosphere Reserve. While an earlier, stronger bill that would have banned set gillnets within three miles of shore stalled in committee, AB 1056 takes a longer-term approach. The law restricts permit transfers to a single family member, ensuring that as the remaining roughly 30 permit holders retire, the fishery will phase out entirely. This generational sunset doesn’t happen overnight, but it does ensure that the end of this indiscriminate fishery is finally in sight.
California Drift Gillnets Set to Disappear by 2027
The notorious California drift gillnet fishery, targeting swordfish and sharks, will be completely phased out by 2027, ending decades of deadly bycatch and failed management. This victory is the result of Turtle Island Restoration Network’s (TIRN) ten-year campaign, which began in 2016 and culminated in a successful phase-out law passed in 2022, after being vetoed by President Trump in 2020. As part of that campaign, TIRN published five reports documenting this devastation and exposing the economic absurdity of continuing this fishery. These massive almost invisible nets, stretching a mile long and 200 feet deep, have entangled thousands of untargeted animals over the years. Read TIRN’s overview report here.
Marine Mammals Caught and Killed
In just one decade, an estimated 885 whales, dolphins and other marine mammals were caught – accounting for 87% of all marine mammals killed in observed West Coast fisheries. Casualties included five species of whales, seven dolphin species, northern elephant seals and California sea lions. More on this in TIRN’s drift gillnet report here.
Sharks Killed and Mostly Discarded
Sharks fared no better: more than 26,000 were caught over a ten-year span, most discarded dead or injured. 60% of those were species listed as Threatened or Endangered by the IUCN, including shortfin makos and smooth hammerheads. More on this in TIRN’s drift gillnet report here.
The Driftnet Fishery Costs Taxpayers More to Manage than it Earns for Fishermen
The driftnet fishery has long been a bad deal for both taxpayers and marine life. It costs more to monitor and regulate than the value of the fish it catches. Because driftnets are inherently destructive, entangling everything in their path, strict oversight is essential to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and to protect public marine resources.
According to a 2018 economic report by TIRN (read here), the fishery’s annual catch was worth about $600,000 (based on 2013 data), while management and enforcement costs were more than double that amount. In total, the driftnet fishery operated at a net loss of $268,500 to $2 million per year – a costly and unsustainable burden on taxpayers and ocean ecosystems alike. The bottom line is clear: a mile-long, nearly invisible net cannot be used responsibly.
Celebrate—But Stay Vigilant
These victories mark an extraordinary step forward for California’s marine wildlife. Yet history shows that once a fishery closes, industry often seeks to reopen it -sometimes under the guise of “scientific research.” TIRN will remain vigilant to ensure these gains aren’t rolled back. For now, let’s celebrate this milestone toward, safer, and more sustainable oceans for marine wildlife.
