AP PHOTOS: Boat tours and ash scatterings help beleaguered California salmon fleet stay afloat

Audio By Carbonatix

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — Editor's note: This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

With salmon fishing barred off the California coast for two years, fishermen have been running historic boat tours, party cruises and scattering the ashes of the deceased to try to stay afloat. Now, sport and commercial fishing fleets are gearing up for what could be a third consecutive year of salmon closures in the Golden State because of dwindling stocks.

The closures have taken a toll on people’s livelihoods in coastal communities. That has prompted many fisherman to look for other ways of making money. Charter operators have branched out to host boat tours and party cruises. One fisherman has side businesses scattering people's ashes and hosting whale-watching tours.