Location
Key Information
| 4 km2 | MARINE AREA |
| 14 km2 | TOTAL AREA i |
- Commercial marine life removal is prohibited
- Both commercial and recreational marine life removal are heavily restricted
- Recreational marine life removal is prohibited, and commercial marine life removal is restricted
Boundary: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Unmodified)
2.0
October 2023
Feedback and Data Requests
Purpose
To conserve precious habitat for the great diversity of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, invertebrates, and plants that occur in the Humboldt Bay area. The refuge has several different units totaling almost 4,000 acres. These units consist of a mosaic of mudflats, estuarine eelgrass meadows, saltmarsh, brackish marsh, seasonally flooded freshwater wetlands, riparian wetlands, streams, coastal dunes, and forest supporting over 316 species of birds and 40 species of mammals.
Species of Concern: Harbor seal, harbor porpoise, California sea lion, steelhead, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon
Regulations Summary
Restrictions
1. No person shall take any animal or plant on any national wildlife refuge, except as indicated in the 'Allowed' section and according to state fishing laws.
2. Launching, landing or disturbing of wildlife by aircraft (drones) is prohibited.
3. Disturbing, injuring, spearing, poisoning, destroying, collecting or attempting to disturb, injure, spear, poison, destroy or collect any plant or animal on any national wildlife refuge is prohibited except by special permit
Allowed
1. Fishing is permitted in Humboldt Bay and tidal sloughs year round. The Hookton Slough trail and boat dock are open to fishing; access to other areas is by boat. A California fishing license is required to fish in Humboldt Bay, from the boat dock and from the Hookton Slough Trail.
2. Humboldt Bay tidal sloughs are open to boating. The refuge has one launch area for non-motorized boats only, located at the Hookton Slough Unit.