new bill to kill the stripped bass in the DELTA

D

Dive1

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2009
RO Number
31856
Messages
78
FYI they are at it again!!
Legislation to Eradicate the Striped Bass Fishery Re-Introduced!

By John Beuttler, CSPA Conservation Director

Assembly member Fuller has introduced AB 2336 to terminate the management and protection of the public's striped bass fishery that inhabits the Bay-Delta estuary. The bill mandates the elimination of all regulations that govern the legal harvest of the fishery thereby eliminating its sport fishing protective status. Even though this would virtually destroy the fishery, the author alleges this is necessary to reduce striped bass predation on salmon and Delta smelt protected by the state and federal Endangered Species Acts.

This bill is similar to the one the Fuller introduced last year that was defeated by a coalition of anglers who care about the fishery and that acted in concert with sportfishing and environmental groups lead by CSPA. That bill was killed in its first committee hearing because the false arguments used by the author significantly overstated the impact of striped bass predation. Scientific testimony provided during the hearing made it clear that striped bass rarely, if ever, eat Delta smelt and that predation on listed salmon is so low that it does not impact the population level of the listed salmon.

This bill is different in that it calls for the elimination of “the program enhancement, expansion or improvement of the fishery". Ironically, such programs do not exist! It also requires that the Delta Stewardship Council to establish programs to discourage the promotion of the Bay-Delta striped bass as a sport fishery. It further requires the Stewardship Council to evaluate predator suppression options and make recommendations to remedy these problems.

CSPA finds it absolutely arrogant that Fuller and her bill's supporters would advocate the destruction of this valuable public resource again! Why should they be allowed to usurp the professional management and legal authority the government has given the Department of Fish & Game and the federal fishery agencies to protect listed species? The fishery agencies and their scientists know a great deal more about the striped bass fishery and the impacts it has on species of concern. They also understand and what it means for fisheries to co-exist in a dynamic estuarine ecosystem.

So, why are the bill's proponents focused on destroying the striped bass fishery instead of dealing with the huge problems caused to all the fisheries dependent on the estuary for survival? Why aren't they fixing the problems cause by the state and federal water projects that have destroyed the estuary's natural hydrology and the resiliency of its ecosystem? Why aren't they immediately reducing the significant over allocation of the public's water exported out of the Delta?

The bill's supporters all seem to be dependent on water exported from the Delta and this attack is simply another way to misdirect the government away from the real impacts associated with the development of the public's Delta water supplies.

CSPA is calling on anglers and the public to help us make another legislative stand by raising your voice in opposition to this bill. In addition to the sending a letter or FAX to the committee that will hear the bill, please remember CSPA needs your financial support to continue our efforts to protect and restore California 's fishery resources. Send what you can afford to support these efforts by using Pay Pal or send your contributions to:

CSPA

6597 Cane Lane

Valley Springs, CA 95252

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Send your letters to Jared Huffman, Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife (as addressed below), and be sure to copy your Assemblymember and specifically request they support your opposition to AB 2336 by letting this committee know of their opposition! The Committee Chairman is a strong supporter of the professional management of the public's fish and wildlife resources, but we need a majority of the committee to oppose the bill.

Sample letter – be sure to put this in your own words. The Committee's FAX number is 916-319-2126

Assemblymember Jared Huffman, Chair

Assembly Committee on Water, Parks & Wildlife

1020 N Street, Suite 160

Sacramento, CA 94249

Re: My Opposition to AB 2336 (Fuller) - Striped Bass Eradication

Chairman Huffman and Members of the Committee:

I am writing to express my complete opposition to AB 2336. I'm outraged over supporters of the bill who think they have a right to destroy the striped bass fishery owned by the public. This fishery has co-existed with all the fisheries in the Bay-Delta estuary for 130 years and it has collapsed right along with our salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and the other fish dependent on the estuary. Even in its degraded state it still manages to generate some $250 million annually to our state's trouble economy.

The issues of striped bass predation should be left to the state and federal fishery agencies that are charged with managing the public's fishery resources. These are the professionals and scientists who have the expertise know how best to manage our fishery resources.

It is time the Legislature sent a message that divisive bills such as this one will not be tolerated. Instead, the Legislature needs to focus on correcting the ecological crisis in the estuary that is destroying our fisheries, including the immense impacts of excessive water development and export out of the Delta.

I will greatly appreciate your efforts to help protect our priceless fishery heritage!

Sincerely,

Name

Address

Please help with the letters. Don't let this go on
Dive 1
Dave
 
Oh holy cow!!!

Then why did the salmon and strippers thrive together for over 50 years? That is until water started to be shipped south, robbing the Delta of the ecosystem which supports smelt, salmon and strippers!!!
 
I felt I needed to say something here.

I enjoy fishing as much as a lot of you and really like stripers! That being said Strippers are not native species. The initial introduction took place in 1879, when 132 small bass were brought successfully to California by rail from the Navesink River in New Jersey and released near Martinez.

Even though I have enjoyed catching them I believe they don't belong here along with other introduced species. Could it be that these fish upset the balance of the estuaries they have adopted? When they were introduced no one could have imagined what may be played out in the future. If these non-native species are so good why not allow many other non natives to be planted so we can fish for them also?

Non-native species especially predatory one like striped bass cannot help the salmon. Could it be that many salmon fry are food stocks for stripers and because of the low salmon returns the salmon fry are devoured in ever increasing numbers?

I think many of us have heard about the northern pike in Lake Davis. What would have happened if they got loose and reproduced? Could the Chinese Carp migrating up the Mississippi to the Great lakes be good for native species? If it is why not let them go?

I doubt we could ever eradicate the Stripers at this point, they are here. I will continue catching them and fewer salmon, however I would gladly banish the stripers for salmon any day and if I had to make a choice I would rather have our native king salmon than stripers.

Regardless of who is at fault for the ever dwindling salmon populations state and federal authorities need to take action and ensure consistent water flows for their migrations to spawning areas and ensure the fry can return to the seas for growth so they can return. If it means reducing striper populations by de-listing them as a game fish to reduce populations I am alright with that, they don't belong here and we can't get rid of them either.

When was the last time you saw striped bass on a menu?

We need the Salmon, not the stripers.
 
Gnarley,

The reason that you don't see striped bass on a menu is that there is no commercial fishery for them. The only ones that can be served in a menu are farm raised. I agree with Flutterby, in that the striped bass, a non-native species, has peacefully coexisted with our king salmon for many years. This may not be true for many other non-native species and introduction of such should be discourage, but you can't un-ring a bell. The stripers are here, they provide good fishing opportunities and are great on a plate too.

If we want to bring the great runs of the salmon back, we need to address water management issues to keep water flowing through the Delta, not on Southern California's golf courses and lawns. We also need to find ways for Agribusiness to utilize water more effectively so that they can continue to grow crops without taking such a large percentage of the water. There are more effective ways to irrigate, but they will require infrastructure changes that the farmers are hesitant to invest in. It's time we all give a little to reach a solution that works for the people and the environment.

Heck if we're going to try and eradicate non-native species, the native Americans might argue that there should be an open season on the white man, as I believe we are non-native as well. ;-)
 
Dave, I believe we agree on most of this subject, however that being said do we really know how peacefully stripers coexisted with any of the salmon after they became an established species? I don't believe anyone really knows how large the runs were in the 1800's and there really is no way to determine how well they co-existed.

The difference between native and non native species is non native's were introduced by others. Human kind introduced the stripers in the Delta while the white settlers migrated or found their way to North America on their own by boat. Those we call native North American's or indigenous peoples came across that land bridge many years ago on their own. Since neither those calling themselves indigenous or latter settlers were immigrants to North America can either really call themselves indigenous?

I would say if stripers had populated the Delta waters, Bay or ocean on the West Coast on their own through migration or expanding populations, so be it.

If you had to choose would it be Salmon or Stripers?
 
Charlie,

I'd have a tough time choosing between the two. I grew up fishing in the Delta for Stripers with my Father and really loved that time. They were a great quarry for kids and adults alike. I now fish the ocean more than the Delta and truly enjoying chasing the pink meat. I think salmon play a more important role economically to California, so if I were forced to choose, I guess I would choose salmon.

Thankfully, I don't feel there is any need to choose. This is just some senator's lame ploy to avoid changes in water management and it doesn't have any sound science behind it. When you look at the size of the salmon runs and the increased water exports of the last 6-7 years, you can see that the relationship is almost linear. Our salmon need water flowing down through the system to maintain the water temperature, avoid silting in the the egg laying areas and to provide a scent for them to follow back up towards their birthplace. In another misguided policy, F & G is reducing the presence of the hatcheries, claiming that "plants" are inferior fish and affecting the breeding stock. Studies have shown that genetically these fish are identical. Oregon has had much success restoring their salmon runs by utilizing a well managed hatchery. I believe that fishermen are only allowed to take hatchery fish, marked by a clipped fin, and must release native fish to return to the rivers for mating.

The majority of our salmon problems are caused by poor management of our water and wildlife resources, not the introduction of striped bass.
 
The bottom line... salmon problems are caused by poor management of our water and wildlife resources!

One other thing that doesn't get brought up is how the salmon get slaughtered by Indian netting practices on reservations. When those runs are returning I wonder how many get past the nets to spawn?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top