CONSERVATION
By Ron Forbes
August 2008

In early July the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken steps to put the Delta smelt on the “endangered” species list. Many people in the general public say they see no reason to be concerned about a fish that is only 2 to 3 inches in length. At its largest it can reach the length of 5 inches and will only live for 1 or 2 years. Its life is spent in brackish water and feeds on zooplankton. So what’s the big deal? For those who understand the Delta, it has been long realized that the smelt is a good index to judge the health of the water quality in our delta. It is our “canary in the coal mine”. If the canary dies, the air isn’t fit for humans to breath. If the Delta Smelt dies, the water in the Delta is in serious trouble in supporting life. This includes life from the zooplankton to the top of the food chain ... like salmon, steelhead and stripers.

At one time the smelt were the most common fish in the Delta. They are now rare. A year ago I was at a Congressional hearing and listened to a Dr. BJ miller give a talk to the members present claiming that the smelt’s food source was the cause of its demise not the fact that Southern California’s water constant pumping from the Delta has anything to do with the problem. Rep. George Miller pointed out that BJ Miller works for a water district that pumps our water south. His degree is not in water management but physics. His report was a gross piece of self-serving garbage. We find that water districts, the Dept. of Water Resources and Dept of Fish and Game have changed science for the benefit of S. California water needs and really don’t care what happens to the Delta.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service is asking scientists to submit facts about the smelt in 60 days that the smelt may become extinct in the Delta.

The San Joaquin River Recovery
After 18 years of constant fighting the San Joaquin River is to be restored. It’s to be a historic first in river recovery in the US. The San Joaquin will be restored from Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River.

Many of us are pleased at the plan to restore the salmon run. This is proving to be a long process with constant political problems tossed in. At first I contacted Rep. Jerry McNery’s office to get information on how the recovery program is going. Rep. McNery is being poorly served by his Stockton staff. They are of no help as a source of information.

After talking with people in DWR and DFG, I was invited to join the San Joaquin River Recovery Program and the Fisheries Management Work Group. At this point things are not moving ahead. For the project to go forward, Congress must vote on water funding issues.

Part of the restoration plan depends on federal money. At this point the bill is stalled and will probably not come to a vote until after the election. When ? No one has any idea. We are looking at another long delay.

However, there is a schedule for flow releases.

2009: Oct 1 - Nov 20
2010: Feb 1 - Dec1
2011 & 2012: May 1 assuming in-channel construction has begun. May 1-Sept 1: release flows to the Chowchilla Bifurcation structure to get information on water loss.

2013: Jan 1-Jan 31: Full restoration to start no later than Jan 1, 2014.

Will the schedule be accurate, probably not. However the restoration does offer NCCFFF and DFF a chance to make an impact of the restoration of the fisheries management on the San Joaquin. More about that later.

FFF Staff Activities and Program Updates
Gregg Whitley of Ripon, CA successfully completed the requirement of the Cuttcatch program. Project Cuttcatch encourages fly fishers to document memories of the cutthroat
trout subspecies they have caught and released, like a bird enthusiast recording sightings of a rare bird. Members of FFF who successfully catch four subspecies of cutthroat trout are eligible for the Cuttcatch Award. Some of the subspecies occupy a very small range and they can only be found in small remote drainages – so tracking down these amazing fish is an adventure unto itself. The award is part of the Project Cuttcatch, a Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) program that promotes appreciation of our native fish species. Many of North America’s subspecies of cutthroat trout are facing pressures that may lead to their disappearance. Learning to value these fish in their native ranges is a critical first step towards conservation and recovery. Information about the program requirements can be found on the FFF website.

Boat Blue Update
Did you know that a recent court ruling about pollution being dumped from commercial ship ballast water will also require all recreational boats to get permits by September, 2008 - despite the fact that 99% of recreational boats do not have ballast tanks? Fortunately, there is simple, commonsense legislation in Congress that would solve this problem for recreational boaters. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-California) and Bill Nelson (D-Florida) and Representatives
Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio) and Candice Miller (R-Michigan) have introduced the “Clean Boating Act of 2008.” The Clean Boating Act permanently and fully restores the regulation that has existed for 35 years distinguishing between recreational boats and land-based industrial facilities and ocean-going commercial ships, cruise ships and supertankers, preventing EPA’s new regulation on boaters while also protecting the environment.
The FFF has been part of a coalition working to pass the Clean Boating Act. If you would like to learn more about this important issue visit www.boatblue.org