SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Chinook salmon fishing along California's coast will be banned this year in an effort to save the species, but a decision regarding inland waters will not come from the state until next month.

The California Department of Fish and Game Commission's unanimous vote on Tuesday is expected to affect commercial and sport fishing operations from Monterey north to Crescent City until April 2009.

Last week, the Pacific Fishery Management Council banned commercial and recreational salmon fishing in federal waters off the coast.

The state commission will meet on May 9 to consider the future of salmon fishing in the Sacramento, American and Feather rivers.

"I think the Sacramento River decision will probably be no fishing," said Jim Kellogg, a Fish and Game commissioner.

Salmon numbers have seen a steep decline in recent years.

"We have never been in this situation before with this stock of fish," Marija Vajkovich of Fish and Game said. "This stock of fish is the backbone of our salmon fisheries in both Oregon and California."

Experts don't know why the salmon are disappearing. Officials are investigating dozens of possible causes, including changing ocean currents and temperatures, diseases, hatchery practices, predators and water diversion.

John McCamman, acting Fish and Game director, said the fishery collapse is expected to result in the loss of 2,263 jobs and a $255 million hit to the economy.

Fishing for other fish species -- such as sturgeon and striped bass -- will not be affected.

The vote regarding coastal fishing affects many sport anglers and those who sell fishing equipment.

For two months during the fall, Chris Fulster's Broadway Bait, Rod and Gun in Sacramento usually thrives as anglers gather along local rivers in hope of hooking salmon. But things have changed.

"There's no salmon anymore," Fulster said. "I mean, it was bad last year, and this year it's going to really be a disaster."