MONTEREY, Calif. -- Nearly all salmon sport fishing will be banned on rivers in the Central Valley this year, California's Fish and Game Commission decided Friday in a unanimous vote.

The partial ban applies to large stretches of the Sacramento, San Joaquin and American rivers.

The move follows similar decisions by the state and federal governments to ban commercial salmon fishing in ocean waters off of California and Oregon.

Near-record low numbers of salmon returned to spawn in the Sacramento River last fall. State regulators predict similar numbers of returning salmon this year.

Commissioners called Friday's decision "immensely painful," but said it is necessary to protect the future of the salmon species and the salmon fishing industry.

River fishing will still be allowed for other species such as trout, stripers and bass.

The only exception to the salmon ban will be along a stretch of the Sacramento River from Red Bluff to Knights Landing. During November and December of this year, anglers will be allowed to catch and keep one salmon a day from that zone.

Fish and Game estimates enforcing this partial ban will require patrols on the ground and in the air and that it will cost $1.7 million. The department plans to redirect that money from other other enforcement priorities.

The state estimates that the ocean and river salmon fishing bans will result in a $255 million hit to the economy and impact 2,263 industry jobs.