AB 1253 Hearing Report - I am SO PROUD!

[Martinez_Mitch]

Good news!

Boy, what an impressive turn out. We packed the modest size hearing room, seating maybe 80 or so. Anyone that didn't get a seat was asked to leave. AB 1253 was put on special and heard first.

Looks like we were successful. But I'll let others that can explain much better what the disposition is. But it's good news.

What was SO impressive, were the folks that testified against AB 1253. I was in awe. Dr. Tina Swanson, PhD, Executive Director of The Bay Institute (who I finally got to thank personally for their awesome work after belonging the org for over 15 years[th] ), the leading PhD scientists from UC Davis who knocked our socks off [and also received a LOUD round of applause, objected to by the committee chair, LOL], CSPA spokesperson, and Barbara from restorethedelta.org. It was absolutely moving (to me) and so impressive to listen to these people speak. What an awesome and very impressive group...

Then they allowed everyone to voice an extremely short statement on the bill, basically for or against. The line was long, and the committee chair was patient enough to listen to everyone - when all that was allowed were 2 people at 2 minutes each. A young girl that was maybe 10 y/o spoke, and you could have heard a pin drop. She was concerned HER children might not be able to fish. She was a cutie..

I met several folks I have an online friendship with, and finally met in person.

(MORE INFO BELOW)

 

[Martinez_Mitch]

Gutted AB 1253 Passes Through Water Committee

by Dan Bacher

An amended version of AB 1253, one that removed the provisions stripping gamefish protections for stripers, passed through the Water, Parks & Recreation Committee of the California State Assembly today.

The bill now will mandate a survey of the existing CalFed studies of the impact of predation of non-native species upon salmon and delta smelt. The last minute amendments were just released this morning.

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, California Striped Bass Association, Coastside Fishing Club, Federation of Fly Fishers and numerous other organizations.

On our side, two prominent scientists, Tina Swanson, executive director of the Bay Delta Institute, and David Ostrach, the UCD expert on predator prey relationships in the Delta, provided data from peer reviewed studies that have concluded that striped bass have 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 heavy predation. 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.

Over 80 people briefly testified against the bill in the public commentary after our 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, one of the organizers of the turnout, Dan Blanton, author and prominent fly fly fishermen, and Bobby Barrack, spoke before the crowd about our victory today.

For more information, go to: http://www.saveourstripers.org/ or http://savedeltafish.wordpress.com.

Here is the report on the hearing I just received from Jerry Neuburger of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance:

"Today’s assembly hearing and the amending of AB 1253, while removing the threat of unrestricted take of striped bass has only moved us back to status quo. If you’ve been following Marty Gingras’s reports, you know that the gill net and fyke trap counts for stripers are dismal. Even as we met for AB 1253, CSPA was also participating in a hearing that, if we lose, will allow almost unrestricted pumping of the delta and the allowance of both sets of pumps to operate at full speed, fulfilling contracts, whether they are state or federal. The number of stressors on the delta system are overwhelming and affect all of the fisheries, salmon, steelhead, stripers, LMB, and native species is catastrophic. Now that we have this marvelous coalition we need to hang together and we need to work to restore ALL of the valley’s fisheries.

Those of you that were at the hearing today saw David Ostrach speak. For those of you that were not there, you missed a superstar performance. When he finished speaking, the audience burst out in thunderous applause, even though they knew they were supposed to remain restrained. David’s research into maternal toxicity in striped bass is ground breaking and if left to continue will be one of the most revealing studies ever done on estuary toxicity. It could change the management of the delta for the better, have a monumental impact on toxic discharges and even have bold effects on other estuary systems such as Puget Sound and the Chesapeake.

Unfortunately, the boldness of his research is a threat to commercial, agricultural, industrial and municipal discharge. His findings could forever alter what we decide to release back into the ecosystem for habitat for aquatic creatures to live in and for humans to drink and bathe in. Many of these well funded groups want to kill his research since it affects their bottom line. They want to do so even knowing they are risking the health of all aquatic estuarial life and possibly the lives of all those humans that use delta water.

David needs five years of research to finish his studies. Unfortunately, his funding will run out in FIVE WEEKS, June 1st. The agencies previously funding his research have backed away, since the outcomes and consequences of his studies to not favor their current water practices. However there is an answer. The Bay/Delta Enhancement Stamp fund and the old Striper Stamp fund have more than enough money to fund the research, about $1,500.000, out a total combined available funds of $8,000,000. To that end the Bay/Delta Enhancement Stamp Advisory Committee and the DFG unit assigned to work with that committee have recommended that the funds be released by DFG to continue the study.

However, it appears that, while the project has been approved at DFG’s lower levels and by the advisory committee, that those at the administrative/political levels of DFG are stalling and may not release the funds, even though those charged with the administration of those funds have approved the project.

If there was any one issue that I believe this wonderful coalition should focus on in the next five weeks, it should be to pressure DFG to FUND David’s continued research. It HAS to be done in the nest five weeks. If UC Davis does not receive a solid avenue of funding, the specimen and control fish will be killed. It took YEARS to develop control fish without toxins. All of these research tools will be lost. David’s research, incomplete, will be shuttled to a corner and it will be business as usual.

We need EVERY group that supported the defeat of AB 1253 to work towards David’s continued funding. Commercial Salmon fishermen, this toxicity could be a reason for the 100 year decline in salmon stocks. Striper fishermen, this could be a significant reason in the decline of striper stocks, LMB fishermen, when I spoke to you today, you spoke of class years missing in the delta, David’s studies may point the way.

I do NOT know the next step to take, a conference call? A face to face meeting, a public campaign, calls to legislators and bureaucratic officials. I do believe that we can serve our interests best by unifying around this effort.

Is there any support for my plea? Where do we go from here?

REMEMBER WE HAVE ONLY FIVE WEEKS!"

Jerry Neuburger, Webmaster
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
5 North California Street
Lodi, CA 95240
Phone: 209-369-5752
Cell: 209-327-5993
www.calsport.org
gneuburger at yahoo dot com

 

[AbsoLoot]

Mitch,

Glad a good showing was made. Unfortunately, after being off work, I couldn't take another day. Thanks for being there to represent our interests!

 

[Flutterby]

Thanks for this excellent update and for taking the time to help represent all of us who sent emails, etc. Good job!

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Thank YOU - that's great news! Always good to hear positive feedback on the battle, although it is a long was from over.
Jim