August was once again a busy month for the Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association (GGFA) board. President Michael Rescino, Vice President James Smith, Secretary Brian Magaline, and board members Tim Klassen and Andy Guiliano attended the August Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting.

At this meeting, GGFA members played a key role in persuading the state to open all state waters for rockfish. They also presented recommendations for sport crab gear and hoop nets, including important gear changes such as allowing the use of trailer buoys.

Golden Gate Fisherman’s Association board member Johnny Atkinson also hosted a NOAA Fisheries salmon tagging study during the month. GGFA leadership joined forces with the Nor Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association to catch Chinook salmon for scientists to tag with acoustic transmitters, enabling tracking of migration patterns and monitoring of returns. Over the course of the study, 100 mature Chinook salmon were successfully tagged and released back into the ocean—and excitingly, 23 of those tagged salmon have already begun their journey back upriver, passing through Benicia.

Meanwhile, GGFA has been hard at work planning our March 2026 Crab Feed Fundraiser and is excited to announce that tickets are now on sale at https://www.ggfa.net. Seats will sell out quickly, so reserve yours today!

The event will feature an incredible array of raffle and auction prizes, including fishing trips, hunting trips, boat supplies, fishing tackle, vacation packages, guns, and much more. Don’t miss your chance to join us for a memorable evening in support of our fisheries and community!