[env-trinity] DFG rulemaking for Klamath-Trinity salmon

[Byron]

PLEASE TAKE ACTION BEFORE MONDAY AT 5 PM TO PROTECT KLAMATH-TRINITY WILD
CHINOOK SALMON - Talking points, Background and DFG news release are below;
Klamath Riverkeepers letter to the Cal Fish & Game Commission is attached.
This alert is from Felice Pace for Klamath Riverkeeper.

Below is a news release I just found on the Department of Fish and Game web
site concerning DFG rulemaking for Klamath-Trinity salmon. The announcement
says that comments must be received by close of business on Monday April
24th. They can be submitted by e-mail to: sbarrow at dfg.ca.gov. 

Below are background and suggested talking points which you can use in your
message: 

Background:  

Because Spring and Fall Chinook are not treated as separate species, both
the State of California, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council and others
have ignored them. Meanwhile the numbers of wild Springer spawners has
fallen dramatically. Last year fewer than 100 were counted in the Salmon
River b their stronghold on the Klamath side. Because there is a hatchery
Springer run on the Trinity that is somewhat healthy, the F&G Commission has
allowed full sport fishing on the Klamath and Trinity during the time the
Springers are present. There is no overall quota, no requirement to release
wild fish, virtually nothing except the daily and weekly bag limits. 

 A few years back the Tribes (mostly Hoopa and Yurok) and the conservation
community pressured the Fish & Game Commission to close the Klamath to
salmon fishing when Springers are migrating. They did close it for a while
down as far as Coon Creek below Weitchpec but then at some point they
quietly opened it back up. Even the first action was not good enough because
sport anglers could still target the Springers at places like Blue Hole.
THIS TOOK PLACE EVEN ON DAYS WHEN TRIBAL FISHING WAS CLOSED.

 The wild Klamath Springers are needed as the brood stock to restore salmon
to the Upper Basin when the dams come down or the fish ladders go up. But
the way things are going there may not be enough wild Springers to
accomplish the restoration. Also, if the F&G Commission will not act to
protect Springers, the environmental community will likely petition to have
them listed under the state ESA. This is being discussed by various groups
now.

 TALKING POINTS: 

1.	The F&G Commission should take action now to protect wild Springers
before they go extinct in the Klamath and/or before they are petitioned to
be listed under the state ESA. 
2.	The Commission should close the entire Klamath River to take of
adult salmon during the period when Spring Chinook are migrating:  April,
May, June and July. 
3.	The Commission should close the Trinity during the Spring Chinook
migration period as far up as above Canyon Creek in order to protect wild,
naturally-spawning Trinity River Spring Chinook salmon. 
4.	The Commission should close the Klamath below Wietchpec to salmon
fishing during the Fall salmon season on the same days that the Yuroks have
closed their fisheries, i.e. three days per week.     
5.	Failure to take appropriate action to protect Spring and Fall salmon
in the Klamath and Trinity River will increase the potential for conflict
between tribal and sport fishers and between sport fishers and local folks
who want to see salmon restored throughout the Klamath River Basin. 
6.	The Fish & Game Commission should not sacrifice restoration of
Spring and Fall salmon because a small number of guides and sport fisherman
want to catch Spring salmon. Once the salmon fisheries are restored there
will be plenty of opportunities for fishing. It makes sense to forgo some
fishing opportunities now so that there will be more fishing opportunities
for everyone later. This is what tribal fishers have done and sport fishers
should do the same. 
7.	The Fish & Game Commission should also become active in a positive
way by adding their strong voice to the chorus calling for Klamath River
restoration.  Please consider a resolution calling for:  1. removal or fish
passage at the Klamath River dams and restoration of salmon and steelhead to
the Upper Klamath River Basin, and 2. the NCWQCB and SWRCB to adopt strong
clean-up plans for the Shasta, Scott and Klamath Rivers. Poor water quality
from and in these rivers is killing hundreds of thousands of baby salmon
each year. 

 Remember to send your message by 5 PM on Monday!



News Release:  For Immediate Release

Apil 14 , 2006


 


Commercial Salmon Regulations Conformance Public Hearing Scheduled


 



Contact:

Scott Barrow, DFG Fisheries Program Branch, (916) 651-7670


 


A public hearing on conformance with enforcement measures for state and
federal commercial salmon regulations will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, April
21. The teleconference will take place at the Department of Fish and Game
(DFG), 1416 9th St., Room 1206, Sacramento. Written comments must be
received by 8 a.m., Monday, April 24, 2006. Emails will be accepted at
sbarrow at dfg.ca.gov. 

DFG is proposing regulatory changes that are required to enforce the federal
landing and possession limits. The teleconference hearing (the phone number
is 916-274-2918) is for receiving public comment and is required under Fish
and Game Code Section 7652.1(b).  Recommendations for the federal
regulations were developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC),
on April 7, 2006, and forwarded to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce for
implementation by May 1, 2006.

DFG is proposing regulatory changes to enforce the federal landing and
possession limits stipulated in the PFMC's recommendations for the 2006
commercial salmon fishery. The PFMC recommendations await approval by the
National Marine Fisheries Service. The changes will stipulate that a total
and accurate number of commercial salmon will be recorded on the landing
receipt in the "Note Pad" field and a copy of the landing receipts will be
required to be maintained onboard the fishing vessel that landed salmon for
90 days after the date salmon were landed.

This regulatory action is taken under the authority of Section 7652 of the
Fish and Game Code, and is necessary for conformance of the commercial
salmon fishing regulations in state waters to the Salmon Fishery Management
Plan of the PFMC.

 

 

 

 

 

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