House Resources Subcommittee hearing produces some hope for fisheries but disappointing results regarding fisheries collapse
By Dan Bacher
May 20, 2008. Washington D.C.
On May 15 the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans held an Oversight Hearing on the actions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This committee has jurisdiction over these agencies.
The purpose of the hearing was to examine what is wrong with the biological opinions that NMFS has been issuing on salmon. In three major jurisdictions, the Courts have rejected NMFS biological opinions because they allow conditions which violate the Endangered Species Act. These jurisdictions include the Columbia/Snake Rivers, the Klamath River and the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. The House Committee is upset with the lack of protections being given salmon through these faulty biological opinions.
There were two panels. Rodney McInnis, the NMFS Southwest Regional Director was the agency witness on the first panel. There were three other expert witnesses on that panel discussing why the fisheries were collapsing.
Roger Thomas and Dick Pool were part of the second panel along with a commercial fisherman from Seattle and a salmon fish processor from southern Oregon. Thomas spoke on behalf of his business and the Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association. Pool spoke on behalf of his business and the American Sportfishing Association.
The role of the second panel was to discuss the impact of the collapses on fishermen and fishing related businesses. Pool and Thomas hammered heavily on the reasons for the Central Valley collapse, the huge economic problems it is creating, and proposals to turn the situation around.
Hearing Summary
The hearing had some very positive aspects and some very disappointing results. The disappointing part came in Mr. McInnis’s remarks. We had hoped he would pin down causes of the Central Valley collapse and then shed light on what NMFS would do to bring about recovery.
In spite of the court’s recent decision and most independent biologists' opinions that the pumps were a primary cause of the collapse, Mr. McGinnis took the easy way out and said, “Therefore the cause of the decline is consistent with the poor ocean conditions hypothesis." A further disappointment was that Mr. McGinnis did not provide a timetable for a new delta biological opinion.
On the positive side, he indicated NMFS would propose their Central Valley salmon recovery plan by September.
The strong positives in the hearing came from the members of the House who attended. It was a very busy voting day in the House, but many California members made it a point to attend the hearing to ask questions and offer support for fishermen and a quick turn around of the crisis.
Others who could not personally attend sent their staff people. A number of suggestions were made on how congress can be of more help. Some of the California members with words of concern and encouragement were:
Lois Capps – Morro Bay
Jim Costa – Fresno
Anna Eshoo – Palo Alto
Sam Farr - Monterey
George Miller – Martinez
Grace Napolitano – Santa Fe Springs
Mike Thompson – Napa
Following are some of the highlights of the testimony by Dick Pool and Roger Thomas.
Roger painted the grim picture of the financial plight of the Charter fleets and the marinas. In a survey of 49 leading charter boats from Monterey to Fort Bragg, the income loss from no salmon fishing will total $5.4 million. It is unclear how many operators can weather this loss.
In a letter from Dan Temko, the Harbor Master at Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay, Roger pointed out that the harbor will lose $416,000 in 2008 without salmon. Roger also entered a study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into the record showing fish losses in the Sacramento River and delta system.
Two hundred salmon smolts were released in Battle Creek near Redding. They were radio tagged so that any losses could be recorded in receiver stations along the way. Only four smolts reached the Golden Gate.
Following the hearing, Roger said, “Blaming the primary cause of this catastrophe on ocean conditions stinks of rotten politics from top to bottom. We need straight talk and help from the fishery agencies, not weak excuses.”
He added, “We need immediate help from the agencies to ensure adequate through delta passage for 2008 and 2009 migrants.”
Dr. Peter Moyle of UC Davis is one of the foremost biological experts on the delta fisheries. In a recent talk he said, “Thus blaming “ocean conditions” for salmon declines is a lot like blaming the iceberg for sinking the Titanic, while ignoring the many human errors that put the ship on course for the fatal collision.”
Dick Pool highlighted the huge economic value of sport fishing and boating to the State of California. His figures showed 2.4 million fishermen in the state with annual equipment purchases of $2.7 billion.
The full economic impact is $4.8 billion. There are 894,000 registered boats in the state and 70% of them are used for fishing. In 2006, California Boat and Marine sales were $1.2 billion and when marinas, service, launch fees and all the other related costs are added, the boating economic impact is $16.5 billion. Pool pointed out that many businesses have already failed and the infrastructure is crumbling.
Pool talked about the work the sport and commercial industry is doing with the agencies to attempt to get a fishing season back by 2010. He also briefed the members on the Water4Fish grassroots advocacy program which has now sent over 56,000 letters and petitions to the governor and state and federal legislators.
Pool said, “Fishermen are mad as hell and they have every right to be. Through no fault of their own, one of the most important natural resources of the country has been taken away. Water4Fish has given us a way to collectively demand action.”
Gordon Robertson, Vice President of the American Sportfishing Association, summed up the hearing this way. “We made some progress in this hearing but it is obvious: Salmon fishermen and the fishing industries are in one of the biggest political battles we have ever taken on. We must stay resolute, focused and most of all organized together. We will need everyone’s continued support to win this one.”
Channel 7 of San Francisco did a report on the hearing and interviewed George Miller and Dick Pool. It can be viewed online.
Click on View From the Bay at the bottom left
At the top of the page, search for “Salmon Crisis Causes Political
Uproar”
Click on Play
