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The Catch

Depending on the time of year, fish found in and around Santa Barbara may include:

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  • Rockfish

  • Halibut

  • Calico and Sand Bass

  • White Seabass

  • Lingcod

  • Salmon

  • Ocean Whitefish

  • Sheephead

  • Cabezon

  • Yellowtail

  • Bonito

  • Barracuda

  • Thresher Sharks

  • Mako Sharks

  • Albacore

  • Tuna

The Santa Barbara Channel (SBC) region is the northern portion of the Southern California Bight, an area that extends from Point Conception to Baja California in Mexico. A great diversity of fisheries occur in the SBC region due to several key features:

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  • Oceanographic transition zone

  • Strong upwelling zone

  • Northern Channel Islands

  • Port Hueneme Submarine Canyon

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The SBC is a transition zone where the cold waters north of Point Conception mix with the warm waters of Southern California, resulting in a complex system of oceanographic currents and a great diversity of northern and southern ocean species. Upwelling occurs off Point Conception (usually from March through September), providing cold, nutrient-rich waters that move eastward throughout the channel. The region also includes the four Northern Channel Islands – San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa – and associated rocky reefs and kelp forests that are located 12-28 statute miles (19-45 km) off the coast. These islands provide additional habitat for marine life and some protection from southerly storms.

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