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Commercial Salmon Fishing Season Opens With Talk Of California Rebound

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS/AP) - Commercial salmon fishermen are heading to sea from San Francisco and other area ports in what is expected to be a strong fishing season.

The season officially started Wednesday in ports south of Pt. Arena in Mendocino County.

Fishermen are optimistic after hearing positive reports from sport fishermen, who started fishing on April 6.

Federal forecasters called for strong returns to the Sacramento River in California, which accounts for most of the salmon swimming offshore.

That was good news for commercial salmon fishermen, who suffered through fishery closures in 2008 and 2009 after the salmon returns to the Sacramento plummeted.

Larry Collins, manager of the San Francisco Community Fishing Association, said plentiful krill, or tiny shrimp, being consumed by the salmon offshore should make for very flavorful fish.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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