It is time for Californians to publicly define our water issues.  And it is time for us to put forth a credible and effective solution to our water issues.  Failure to do so will mean that people representing special interests like the Westlands Water District will continue to frame the issue and its resolution to their favor.

But we will not fail.  Not this time.

Thanks to everyone for all the hard work!

“Click Here” To See What You Can Do Now to Save Delta Fish!!!

A Summary of What Took Place At the Hearing:

This was a huge win for the SF Bay-Delta advocacy community.  That means millions of people!!!  Below is a press release written by Dan Bacher, Editor for the Fish Sniffer that describes the hearing in complete details.  But here is my perspective on what took place:

1.  In late March several of us were alerted that this bill could actually pass if the fishing and delta communities failed to mount a very serious opposition effort.

2. The SaveDeltaFish video, SaveOurStripers (and SDF) petitions, flood of traffic on Dan Blanton.com’s bulletin board, and constant news alerts from CSPA starting late March-early April were in response to this alert.  CSPA (and the Federation of Fly Fishers, among a few other groups) went into overtime mode to mount a response through the legislature.  Robert Johnson of SDF did same working channels in the legislature.  And Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla of Restore the Delta also went into overtime mode.

3.  SDF, along with CSPA, Dan Bacher at the Fish Sniffer, and others, recruited other leaders from the Pacific fleet, including Zeke Grader of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Association (commercial salmon fishers and other commercial fishing interests), and Roger Thomas of  Golden Gate Fisherman’s (who represent the party boat operators), huge clubs including the Fish Sniffer, Coastside Fishing Club, and Western Bass and a few key people like the Delta’s Bobby Barrack and Randy Pringle.  The California Striped Bass Association (CSBA) unleashed its army of striper fisherman to the fight, with its former president Gary Adams leading that charge.  In short – we came together as never before to fight for the California Striped Bass!!

4.  SDF and SOS compiled huge petitions , including over 1,500 individuals, 100+ businesses, and 50+ fishing organizations, and these were submitted to the Water, Parks & Recreation Committee Chairman’s office.  CSPA organized a letter writing campaign that litterally flooded the offices of key Committee Members.

5.  We showed up in force at the hearing!!  Over 150 individuals attended or waited outside the hearing on April 28th.  We arrived 2 hours early – FISHERMEN ARE NOT LATE!  We packed the hearing room so the Competition had to sit outside – SDF founder Robert Johnson got the hearing room opened early without permission.  (leave it to the “brown” people to commit such acts!)

6.  The Hearing:  several of us leading this fight knew 36 hours or so before the hearing that we would likely prevail in opposing AB 1253.  We also knew it was no guarantee, and that showing a small army at the hearing would send a strong signal either way, that the SF Bay-Delta community is not going to tolerate outside influence with its fisheries!  About 15 hours before the hearing we learned that the bill sponsor, Jean Fuller (R) from Bakersfield, was “gutting and amending” the bill to remove all references to Striped Bass, and that this was the result of “negotiations” with Committee Chairman Jared Huffman (D) from Marin, among others.  Committee member Fuller knew the bill would have been completely defeated, and so she pursued a face-saving path in amending the bill.  At the hearing, Chairman Huffman announced that he informed the author that the original bill was “divisive” in nature and served to drive a “wedge” between parties and communities, and that he would have moved to defeat the bill.  Chairman Huffman then said he supported the “amendment” and called on witness for an against the bill and amendment.  See below for a discussion of how this went down, but I must say, Chairman Huffman, and Mariko Yamada, the committee member from Rio Vista (Fairfield, Dixon, etc.) were our hero’s!!  Assemblywoman Yamada practically lectured the bill’s author that AB 1253 did not rise to a level of legislation that should even be brought before the assembly commitee!!

7.  SDF’s opinion on the amendment:  this is clearly a win for us in opposition to AB 1253.  The Amendment calls for further study of ALL predation in the SF Bay and Delta watershed, including from both non-native and native fish.  There is already sound science that has been peer reviewed that suggests predation is not a significant factor affecting delta smelt or salmon populations.  As Dr David Ostrach, our esteemed scientist pointed out: “The major impacts upon listed species are the Delta pumps, the lack of timed river flows, toxic chemicals, invasive clams and other invasive species, habitat deterioration and climate change, not predation by striped bass. In fact, if the striped bass population was healthy, it would be an indication of a healthy ecosystem.”  Though CSPA, SDF and the allied coalition of fishing groups will keep an eye on this amendment, there is really nothing that can be done to deal with predation in the SF Bay Delta watershed.  We cannot exterminate all species!  Consider AB 1253 to be fading off into the sunset.  BUT – the California water war has just begun, so STANDBY!!

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Post Hearing Press releases:  See Below for Dan Bacher’s press release, and click here to see the “official” Appose AB 1253 Coalition Press Release!

By Dan Bacher

A gutted version of AB 1253, a dangerous bill sponsored by corporate agribusiness that would have removed Fish and Game protections for imperiled striped bass, passed through the Water, Parks & Recreation Committee of the California State Assembly today. The only no vote was by Assembly Woman Mariko Yamada (D-Davis).

The original bill, introduced by Assembly Member Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield), removed existing restrictions on the commercial sale of striped bass and on the taking of striped bass with nets. It prohibited the possession, transport or planting of striped bass and prohibited funds from being used to benefit a striped bass fishery.

All of these highly controversial provisions were stricken from the amended version of the bill. Instead, the amended bill will mandate a review of the literature on the impact of predation, by both non-native and native species, upon Central Valley Chinook salmon and delta smelt in the Bay-Delta Estuary. The CalFed Independent Science Panel will report back to the Committee on its findings and recommendations on whether additional studies are needed. The last minute amendments were just released this morning.

“We have to take this as a victory,” said Robert Johnson of SaveDeltaFish. “I hope that the amendment will be sunseted – there is plenty of science already available about the impact of introduced species. The impact of water exports is a much larger factor in the decline of Chinook salmon and smelt than introduced species are.”

All of the fishing groups that showed up at the meeting opposed both the original bill and the amended bill, but Fuller’s gutting of the bill and replacement with the amended version amounts to a huge victory by all of the anglers that have written letters against Fuller’s bill over the past few weeks.

The room was completely packed with anglers from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), Coastside Fishing Club, Federation of Fly Fishers, Golden Gate Fisherman’s Association, Recreational Fishing Alliance, Restore the Delta, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and numerous other organizations.

Fuller explained her rationale for the amendments. “The new language seeks to put attention on the role of predators in salmon and smelt declines,” she said. “More clarity needs to be brought upon the issue. I hope that the CalFed independent science panel will address the issue of predation.”

The opponents to the bill included two prominent scientists, Tina Swanson, fishery biologist and executive director of the Bay Delta Institute, and David Ostrach, a UCD researcher and expert on predator-prey relationships in the Delta, who provided data from peer reviewed studies that concluded that striped bass have only a minimal impact upon delta smelt and salmon. The only exception, Swanson noted, was in the case of artificial structures where salmon and smelt become trapped and are subject to predation.

“There is absolutely no credible evidence that the striped bass is responsible for the decline of salmon, smelt or any listed species,” said Ostrach. “The major impacts upon listed species are the Delta pumps, the lack of timed river flows, toxic chemicals, invasive clams and other invasive species, habitat deterioration and climate change, not predation by striped bass. In fact, if the striped bass population was healthy, it would be an indication of a healthy ecosystem.”

Although Ostrach said he had no objection to a CalFed review of the science regarding predation upon ESA-listed species, he said he believed it was “a complete waste of time.”

Assemblyman Jared Huffman commented that “a review of the science might be good, since it would also study the screening of the pumps and other intakes.”

However, Ostrach emphasized that “if a review must be done, all predators, both native and non-native, should be looked at.” The amended bill only looked at non-native predators, but was amended by Fuller to include both non-native and native predators. Ostrach is a member of the POD team that is doing studies on the decline of delta smelt, longfin smelt, juvenile striped bass, threadfin shad and zooplankton on the Delta.

Also testifying in opposition to the “Striped Bass Eradication Bill” were John Beuttler, conservation director of CSPA, and Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta.

Beuttler said the problem with the amended bill is that it doesn’t address the big factors behind the decline of salmon and smelt, including the operation of the Delta pumps.

“The state and federal water projects killed 20,800,000 salmon over a 20 year period from 1986 to 2006 in their pumping facilities,” he stated. “That’s 1,040,000 salmon per year. We need to focus on the big picture impacts if we want to have viable salmon popualtions for future generations.”

Beuttler recommended “immediate priority programs” to restore the spawning, rearing and fishery migration habitat while we still have enough fish to make restoration possible in our lifetime. “The estuary needs large increases in Delta outflow to help restore its natural flow regime, a significant decrease in pollution and a massive injection of in-Delta habitat restoration if it is to recover from the crisis it is currently experiencing,” said Beuttler.

Over 80 people briefly testified against the bill in the public comment period after the bill opponents’ witness panel finished, while only a half dozen of water agency lawyers and lobbyists spoke in support of the bill.

After the hearing, Robert Johnson, Dan Blanton, author and prominent fly fisherman, and Bobby Barrack, professional bass angler, briefly addressed the crowd in an impromptu rally on the west steps of the State Capitol.

In contrast with the “fish versus jobs” rhetoric of corporate agribusiness during the recent “March for Water” in the San Joaquin Valley, AB 1253 opponents emphasized the need to manage the state’s water supplies for both healthy fisheries and farms, since both provide badly-needed jobs.

“Fishermen are in solidarity with farm workers,” said Doug Lovell of the Federation of Fly Fishers. “We both need reliable, sustainable water supplies for farms, fish, food, families and fun. None of us need the boom and bust of poor water management.”

“Solving the economic challenges of farm worker communities in the Central Valley and the Delta must be done in a compassionate and moral way so as to recognize the dignity of the work that farm workers perform in the present, while providing them with new opportunities to become productive members of a diverse middle class California economy,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla. “In addition, numerous workers in the fishing and recreation industries are workers of color who must also be protected by environmental justice.” advocacy.”

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That is it for a little while – Please see pages:  “What You Can Do Now“, and our Official Press Release, and THANKS FOR HELPING DEFEAT AB 1253!!!!

We need to defeat Assembly Bill 1253 on April 28th at the committee hearing – Period.  So Watch the SaveDeltaFish Video below and Take Action – it takes just a few minutes and we need NO MONEY.