[env-trinity] Karuk Tribe and Fishing Groups Call on Schwarzenegger to Limit Gold Mining To Save Struggling Fisheries

[Dan Bacher]

Karuk Tribe · California Trout

P R E S S R E L E A S E

For Immediate Release: June 18, 2008

For more information:

Craig Tucker, Spokesperson Karuk Tribe cell 916-207-8294
Severn Williams, California Trout 510-336-7566

Karuk Tribe and Fishing Groups Call on Schwarzenegger to Limit Gold  
Mining To Save Struggling Fisheries

In Wake of Fisheries Closures, Tribe, Fishermen, and Conservationists  
Urge Governor to protect critical habitats from Suction Dredge Mining

Sacramento, CA – A Native Tribe along with commercial and  
recreational fishermen called on Governor Schwarzenegger today to  
restrict the controversial gold mining technique known as suction  
dredge mining. The groups’ call to limit the recreational mining  
technique comes as California faces the worst fisheries collapse in  
history.

“In April, the state and federal government took unprecedented  
emergency actions to completely close California’s coast to  
recreational and commercial salmon fishing, something that is causing  
severe economic harm to businesses and communities,” said Brian  
Stranko, CEO of California Trout. “This is why it is inappropriate  
and unacceptable for state government to allow recreational suction  
dredge mining operations to continue to harm fish, particularly  
endangered species like coho salmon.”

Suction dredges are powered by gas or diesel engines that are mounted  
on floating pontoons in the river. Attached to the engine is a  
powerful vacuum hose which the dredger uses to suction up the gravel  
and sand (sediment) from the bottom of the river. The stream bed  
passes through a sluice box where heavier gold particles can settle  
into a series of riffles. The rest of the gravel and potentially  
toxic sediment is simply dumped back into the river. Depending on  
size, location and density of these machines they can turn a clear  
running mountain stream or river segment into a murky watercourse  
unfit for swimming.

“Dredging disturbs spawning gravels and kills salmon eggs and  
immature lamprey that reside in the gravel for up to seven years  
before maturing. In a system like the Klamath where salmon can be  
stressed due to poor water quality, having a dredge running in the  
middle of the stream affects the fishes ability to reach their  
spawning grounds,” according to Toz Soto, lead fisheries biologist  
for the Karuk Tribe.

Soto adds, “there is a lot of mercury settled on the bottom of these  
rivers from gold smelting operations from the 1800’s. Dredging  
reintroduces mercury to the stream creating a toxic hazard for fish  
and people.”

Exposure to mercury can lead to mental retardation and birth defects.

The groups are hoping that the Governor will agree to a provision  
added by the Legislature to the 2008 Budget Bill that would establish  
a temporary moratorium on suction dredge mining in areas that  
represent the most important habitat for salmon and trout while the  
Department of Fish and Game revises (DFG) its regulations in  
compliance with a 2006 court order.

“The 2.2 million Californians that buy fishing licenses every year  
expect the Governor to protect both our natural resources as well as  
our rural economies,” said Stranko.

According to the American Sportfishing Association, licensed anglers  
in California contribute $4.9 billion annually to the state’s economy  
This includes 43,000 jobs amounting to $1.3 billion in wages and  
salaries annually. Commercial salmon fishing contributes $255 million  
and 2,263 jobs to the California economy.

By comparison, DFG only issues 3,000 permits for suction dredging  
each year.

For the Karuk Tribe the threat is even greater. “Suction dredge  
mining is nothing more than recreational genocide. The first gold  
rush killed more than half our people in 10 years.This modern gold  
rush continues to kill our fish and our culture,” says Leaf Hillman  
of the Karuk Tribe.

“While we cannot harvest enough salmon for our ceremonies or to meet  
our families’ food needs, miners are allowed to rip and tear our  
river bottoms to shreds. We need the Governor to take a stand with  
Native People and the 2.2 million anglers in California - not 3,000  
recreational gold miners,” added Hillman.

In coming weeks the Governor will have to consider the groups’  
proposal to limit mining as part of the 2008 Budget Bill to provide  
interim safeguards while DFG conducts a two-year effort to overhaul  
statewide regulations covering instream mining.



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Editor’s note: for a picture of a suction dredge in action, email  
request to ctucker at karuk.us




S. Craig Tucker, Ph.D.
Klamath Campaign Coordinator
Karuk Tribe of California
NEW NUMBER home office: 707-839-1982
Tribal office in Orleans: 530-627-3446 x3027
cell: 916-207-8294
ctucker at karuk.us

www.karuk.us
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