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http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11941726
Salmon collapse caused by natural, manmade causes
By Mike Taugher
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 03/18/2009 12:09:43 PM PDT
Staff Writer
The collapse of California's most valuable salmon run was caused by a down-cycle in ocean food conditions coming atop a myriad of manmade problems, according to report released this morning by a panel of scienists.
The findings come as regulators are certain to shut down California's commercial salmon fishing season again this year, although the prospects for a recovery in 2010 look good.
In addition to the onset of a warm cycle in ocean conditions that leaves less food available on the West Coast for birds and fish, the panel said over-reliance on hatchery-produced salmon, degraded habitat in California's rivers and Delta and other factors all played a role.
Regulators also overestimated the number of salmon they expected to return in the fall of 2007 and therefore allowed too much fishing that year, the panel said.
The dominance of salmon from hatcheries, as opposed to natural streams, has led to less genetic diversity in salmon stocks, leaving the population more vulnerable to booms and busts — much like the bottom line of an investor who relies too heavily on a handful of stocks.
"All of the evidence that we could find points to ocean conditions as being the proximate casue of the poor performance (of salmon that should have returned to spawn in 2007 and 2008). We recognize, however, that the rapid and likely temporary deterioration in ocean conditions is acting on top of a long-term, steady degradation of the freshwater and estuarine environment," the report found.
"They got it about half right," said Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations. "We've got to be able to get these fish down the rivers, through the Delta to the ocean. These are things they have avoided in the past because they're controversial."
Grader said an improvement in ocean conditions and new restrictions on water pumping out of the Delta could help fuel a recovery next year.
Mike Taugher covers the environment. Reach him at 925-943-8257 or mtaugher@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250
Salmon collapse caused by natural, manmade causes
By Mike Taugher
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 03/18/2009 12:09:43 PM PDT
Staff Writer
The collapse of California's most valuable salmon run was caused by a down-cycle in ocean food conditions coming atop a myriad of manmade problems, according to report released this morning by a panel of scienists.
The findings come as regulators are certain to shut down California's commercial salmon fishing season again this year, although the prospects for a recovery in 2010 look good.
In addition to the onset of a warm cycle in ocean conditions that leaves less food available on the West Coast for birds and fish, the panel said over-reliance on hatchery-produced salmon, degraded habitat in California's rivers and Delta and other factors all played a role.
Regulators also overestimated the number of salmon they expected to return in the fall of 2007 and therefore allowed too much fishing that year, the panel said.
The dominance of salmon from hatcheries, as opposed to natural streams, has led to less genetic diversity in salmon stocks, leaving the population more vulnerable to booms and busts — much like the bottom line of an investor who relies too heavily on a handful of stocks.
"All of the evidence that we could find points to ocean conditions as being the proximate casue of the poor performance (of salmon that should have returned to spawn in 2007 and 2008). We recognize, however, that the rapid and likely temporary deterioration in ocean conditions is acting on top of a long-term, steady degradation of the freshwater and estuarine environment," the report found.
"They got it about half right," said Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations. "We've got to be able to get these fish down the rivers, through the Delta to the ocean. These are things they have avoided in the past because they're controversial."
Grader said an improvement in ocean conditions and new restrictions on water pumping out of the Delta could help fuel a recovery next year.
Mike Taugher covers the environment. Reach him at 925-943-8257 or mtaugher@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250
