Grunion here soon, but no catching

Fish expected next week, but the season opens July 1

Southern California's special on-thebeach mating ritual — grunion runs — will be back in action next week, from Monday to June 2, but because of changes from the state, people still won't be allowed to capture the fish.

Earlier this year, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife made two changes in grunion regulations designed to protect the fish population. The big change was closing June to fishing, making it the third no-take month. Now people can only legally catch the fish in March, July and August.

“First, the month of June has been added to the seasonal closure, so April through June is no-take for grunion,” Armand Barilotti, an environmental scientist with the state, said in an email. “The new season opener is July 1. Second, there is now a bag and possession limit of 30 grunion per person during the open season.”

Grunion come out of the water and onto the beach during the spring and summer nights surrounding new and full moons, about twice a month, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. The female fish use the high tide to get far up the beach to lay eggs. The males follow to fertilize the eggs, which develop in the sand before hatching and being swept back into the ocean by the next high tide.

Runs take place from San Diego to Santa Barbara, with Orange and Los Angeles counties seeing the most frequent activity. Long Beach's gently sloping beaches are popular with the fish, and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro hosts a grunion program, including grunion watching events. For information on that program, go to cabrillomarineaquarium.org.

For a schedule of runs, go to wildlife. ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Grunion.

PHOTO BY GARY FLORIN VIA AP Every spring, silvery, smeltlike fish called grunion can be found late at night during high tides on the beaches of Southern California, mating in what experts say is one of the most unusual phenomena in the natural world.