Fishy Business:
Salmon Closure Calls for Careful Analysis

Closing California and Oregon salmon season causing economic catastrophe

By James A. Swan, Ph.D.
ESPNOutdoors.com
May 11, 2008. On April 10, the Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted the most restrictive restrictions on salmon fishing in history off the coasts of California and Oregon: a ban on fishing for king salmon in U.S. waters extending from 3 to 200 miles off the coasts of California and most of Oregon. Then on April 18, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to prohibit commercial and recreational salmon fishing in state ocean waters, which extend from the shoreline to 3 miles off the coast.

Coho (or "silvers") harvesting is already banned in California; in Oregon, there will only be a limited 9,000 harvest of hatchery coho allowed this year.

Acoustic Tagging in San Joaquin River Seeks to Solve Salmon Mystery

DFG Press Release
May 12, 2008. A new study is under way in the South Delta portion of the San Joaquin River system to figure out how to increase young salmon survival as they travel down stream to the ocean. Scientists are tracking tiny salmon called smolts in real time from sounds emitted by acoustic tags implanted inside them. The goal is to figure out what is killing the young salmon during their journey and solve those problems.

Some years up to 90 out of 100 of the young salmon called smolts died while migrating through the South Delta scientists estimate. Up to now, figuring out specifically where the main losses occur has been exceedingly difficult. This long term study will help solve these mysteries.

Tim Heyne Department of Fish and Game biologist said, "The results of this study and other evaluations being conducted in the San Joaquin River basin will determine the streamflows that are needed to overcome all the impediments to adequate salmon and steelhead production in this river system."

Brian Stranko, the organization's chief executive officer, gave Wolk the Golden Trout plaque at a ceremony in Sacramento after the annual Fisheries Legislative Forum before a group of legislators, commercial fishermen... (read the full story)
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Bonnie and Clyde's young frolicking in Alameda Creek after 50 years without steelhead

by Jeff Miller 
May 8, 2008. For the first time in almost half a century, through the efforts of the Alameda Creek Alliance, steelhead trout have successfully spawned and steelhead fry have successfully hatched in the Alameda Creek watershed. We are almost certain now that these fry are offspring of Bonnie and Clyde, the steelhead trout pair that was moved upstream in late February and that was observed exhibiting spawning behavior in early March. Based on the location, numbers, and timing of emergence, we think these fry are steelhead. Bonnie and Clyde are doing fine and we will continue to monitor them and the fry throughout the year. (View the video)
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California sport salmon fishing almost totally closed

By James A. Swan, Ph.D.
Special to ESPNOutdoors.com

May 11, 2008. The ocean waters off the coast of Oregon and California have already been closed to all sport and commercial fishing up to three miles offshore for this season due to the dramatic decline in fall-run Chinook salmon last year.

In previous years, the fall Sacramento Chinook run reached as high as 800,000 fish but last fall the run was less than 60,000.

In a conference call with the press, on May 9 the California Fish and Game Commission announced that all stream fishing for salmon in the state would also be closed with two exceptions:

• The Klamath River — which had a normal run of fall Chinook salmon last year.

• The Sacramento River from Knights Landing to...(Read the full story at ESPN On-line)
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F&G Commission Closes Salmon Fishing On Central Valley Rivers  

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