This past week I attended the
Klamath River Basin Fisheries Restoration Task Force (KRBFRTF) meeting in Yreka. After 20
years, monetary allocations by Congress for the Task Force will sunset in September of
2006, so the group is wrapping up its efforts. The KRBFRTF is comprised of state and
federal agency representatives, tribal fisheries programs, commercial and sports fishermen
and county government. As I pointed out to the group last week, none of their habitat
restoration “partners” (ranching, farming, timber, mining,) were ever invited or
welcome to the table where decisions were made. Costly, comprehensive long range plans
were developed detailing changes in land and resource management practices without direct
representation by affected landowners and diverters.
The KRBFRTF was allocated a budget of $1 million per year. In the
past several years, a little less than $450,000 annually of this has gone to the US Fish
and Wildlife Service regional and Yreka offices. Of the remaining $550,000, about $150,000
has gone to Chinook population studies, (carcass counts, spawning escapement, juvenile
emigration studies.) These figures are plugged into a computer program called the “Mega
table” that projects Chinook fish runs. The Klamath Fisheries Management Council
(KFMC) and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council use these projections to set fishing
quotas for commercial, recreational and tribal ocean
and instream fishing quotas.
Of the remaining $400,000, about $150,000 has gone toward core
funding for the various watershed councils. That leaves about $250,000. Some of this goes
to education and awareness. Most of it goes to various fish studies. In the past several
years, total funding for actual restoration projects has dwindled to an allocation of
about $50,000.
There was some discussion as to what will replace the KRBFRTF. The
Upper Basin Working Group (Hatfield Group) is attempting to expand over the system through
the Chadwick consensus process. Although the Chadwick process is extremely effective in
creating a great listening environment among stakeholders, it is now pushing a “basinwide
Congress” agenda. As a recent e-mail explained, a goal of the process is that “democracy
itself reorganizes around watershed health.” I have gotten the impression that the
Chadwick agenda has no respect of our existing system (republic) of elected local
representatives: (1) Making planning decisions concerning land and resource use; and (2)
having limited authority to regulate uses that are substantially injurious to general
public health and safety. I am alarmed at the
apparent movement to break down local control in favor of regional “democratic”
processes where the majority of those who show up and lobby the hardest rule.
The newest draft of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Conservation
Implementation Program (CIP) should be out to the public shortly. According to Christine
Karas, County government will have the opportunity to participate in planning on the same
level as other interest groups. When I asked how they would recognize and respect the
jurisdiction and authority of County government. Karas stated that they may give the
Counties a “veto” power over any projects proposed in their area. This is a far
cry from the County’s government to government role as outlined in local ordinance: http://ordlink.com/codes/siskiyou/index.htm
At the Task Force meeting, Curt Melcher reported on the fishing regulations established
by the KFMC. The Magnusson-Stevens Act states that there must be a sustained
yield of fish. The current fishery management plan has established a “floor” or
minimum escapement target of 35,000 natural chinook spawners in the Klamath system after
fishery. These are the populations that come back to the Scott, Shasta, Salmon and Trinity
rivers to spawn.
Projections indicate that only 42,000 Klamath natural spawners are expected. This is
way below normal and is due in part to the effects of fish disease on juveniles. As a
recent letter from the Shasta RCD stated, last year, 2,490,000 healthy juvenile Chinook
left the Shasta. Within 31 miles of hitting the Klamath River, the screw trap counters
determined that 85% were already lethally infected by the parasite c. Shasta.
Fishing regulations have strictly regulated the area and time that ocean and instream
fishing may take place in order to meet that target for the Klamath. Unfortunately, the
Klamath fish mingle with other stocks, such as the Sacramento, which are expected to have
good runs. There is much pressure to lower the minimum target. Fishermen are calling for
studies on the ratio of spawners to juveniles and trying to relate that to flows. Pacific Legal Foundation is also representing a
group of fishermen in challenging the “natural spawner” floor. Personally, I am
hoping that the combination of fishing pressures and disease does not lead to a fall
Chinook endangered species listing in our rivers.
Don’t forget to order your tickets for the Annual Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival
on July 16-17 at the Etna City Park on Howell Street. Just call (530) 467-4144.
This is a fun event with great bands organized by the Scott Valley Chamber of Commerce.
http://www.scottvalley.org Proceeds help to provide money for local college scholarships. |
