Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Has State Permit for Climate Research on Salmon and Steelhead Through 2029

MOSS LANDING, Monterey County — October 28, 2026. Moss Landing Marine Laboratories is associated with a continuing scientific study of how climate change affects fish along California’s central coast. In June 2026, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recorded a scientific collection permit that allows research sampling under specified conditions, including rules for protected salmon and trout species.

What does the state research permit cover?

The state’s environmental notice identifies a research program called Climate Change Research in Central Coast Fishes, under State Clearinghouse No. 2026060002. It explains that sampling may encounter coho salmon, Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, and that a Fish and Game Code section 2081(a) authorization governs the scientific collection activities involving those protected species.

Where will the research happen?

The notice identifies nearshore waters off five counties: Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo and Marin. This is a multi-county study undertaken by a research institution associated with Moss Landing, not a claim that all sampling takes place at Moss Landing Harbor or that researchers will enter private waterways.

How will scientists sample fish?

Approved methods described in the filing include hook-and-line sampling, bottom trawls, beach seines, fish traps and fence nets. The permit contemplates year-round work through December 31, 2029, subject to applicable terms and conditions. A permit that allows researchers to encounter certain fish species is not evidence that every species was caught in a specific survey.

What can the public learn from the project?

Long-term field sampling can help scientists examine fish distribution and changing coastal ecosystems. However, the June permit notice does not report specific research results or conclude that populations have increased or declined in response to a particular event. Those claims would require an actual peer-reviewed study or published findings, rather than the permit alone.

Does the permit change recreational fishing rules?

No. The authorization described by CDFW is for research undertaken by named personnel and the applicant under specific conditions. It does not create an exemption from ordinary fishing regulations for the public, authorize anyone to capture protected fish, or change rules for nearby boat launches.

The state’s filing lists Dylan Inskeep, California Department of Fish and Wildlife environmental scientist, as a contact at (707) 317-3924. The notice is dated June 1, 2026.

Official source: California State Clearinghouse — Climate Change Research in Central Coast Fishes. This is a distinct ongoing scientific-research report, not a repeat of earlier reporting on Moss Landing hazardous-waste handling or wildlife-area levee restoration.

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