fish agencies. The majority of fish caught this season are likely to be these fish that were trucked in 2015.

Although predictions for the 2017 season are low, this should be the last NEWSLETTER OF THE GGSA APRIL 2017 of the really bad, drought-driven • returns. Rains in early 2016 and early 2017 are expected to lead to an increase in starting in 2018 and there are already lots of reports of 2017 SEASON small salmon in the ocean. ■

Early season salmon.

The Pacific Fisheries Management similar to last year out of concern Pigeon Point and Point Arena in Council has ordered a restricted fishing over low Sacramento winter run August and September, with a more season for most of this year. Those numbers. The best news is Sport constricted season in September, North above Horse Mountain in southern fishing from San Mateo County to Horse Mountain. Commercial Humboldt County (roughly Shelter (Pigeon Point) to Southern trolling will also be allowed during 10 Cove north to the Oregon border) Mendocino County (Point Arena) days in early October between Pt. won’t get to fish salmon at all this will remain open to April, shut Reyes and Pedro Point. year. Commercial fishing activity down the first 2 weeks in May, south of Horse Mountain will be and then reopen until the end of The better news is that 230,000 greatly constricted in large part due to the season, Oct 31. Sacramento salmon are believed to be an extremely poor return to the swimming off the coast. These are Klamath River last year and an even Commercial trolling will be likely those fish trucked in the spring lower return forecast for this year. allowed during May and June of 2015 as a result of cooperative work Off southern parts of the coast (Pigeon South of Pigeon Point. Trollers between GGSA and state and federal Pt south) fishing will be restricted will be allowed to fish between continued on page 2

MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO SUPPORT MORE SALMON! TO DONATE, PLEASE CALL (855) 251-GGSA OR VISIT GOLDENGATESALMON.ORG 2017 SEASON continued fish agencies. The majority of fish Salmon fishermen and women get sucked into diversion and caught this season are likely to be have a strong interest in seeing SB pumps. these fish that were trucked in 2015. 49 become law to protect from such attacks. If it doesn’t, we will Without SB 49, weaker salmon Although predictions for the 2017 for sure lose baby salmon before protections could spell the end to some season are low, this should be the last they can get to the ocean as more runs the next time there’s a drought ■ of the really bad, drought-driven returns. Rains in early 2016 and early HEAVY WINTER RAINS 2017 are expected to lead to an increase in salmon starting in 2018 and there are already lots of reports of The heavy winter rains got this year have probably been small salmon in the ocean. ■ a mixed, but mostly good, bag for salmon. We won’t know for sure until the 2019 season when the majority of this year’s crop of baby salmon come home as adults to spawn but there have already been reports of good size juvenile salmon spotted in the Yolo Bypass by researchers. The following updates all speak to different aspects of STATE SENATE what this years’ rains have meant for salmon. ■ INTRODUCES BILL TO SAVE CALIFORNIA SALMON QUICK THINKING AT They switched from Feather River THE FEATHER RIVER water to clean water from a fire A state Senate bill defending salmon hydrant powered by City of Oroville and California’s environment from HATCHERY SAVES water which is treated by chlorine, damaging federal water policies has SALMON making it not so good for the fragile been introduced in Sacramento. baby salmon. To address this problem, Senate Bill 49, will lock in important three big charcoal filter canisters were salmon protections, as they existed in GGSA applauds the fast action set up and the chlorinated water run January 2016, if passed and signed into and quick thinking of Feather through them to strip the chlorine law. The bill is needed to blunt a law River hatchery staff in dealing before delivery to the remaining fish passed last December aimed at moving with massive mud problems that and eggs at the hatchery. According to more water south in ways harmful to developed when the concrete reports, it worked with very few fish baby salmon. spillway at Oroville failed. lost. ■ Tons of mud washed into the hatchery at the base of the dam. Hatchery staff quickly trucked this The Pacific Fisheries Management similar to last year out of concern Pigeon Point and Point Arena in year’s crop of spring run salmon Council has ordered a restricted fishing over low Sacramento winter run August and September, with a more and some of the baby fall run season for most of this year. Those numbers. The best news is Sport constricted season in September, North salmon to a smaller facility ten above Horse Mountain in southern fishing from San Mateo County to Horse Mountain. Commercial miles away. This facility is fed by Humboldt County (roughly Shelter (Pigeon Point) to Southern trolling will also be allowed during 10 well water which took care of the Cove north to the Oregon border) Mendocino County (Point Arena) days in early October between Pt. mud problem but cut the fish off won’t get to fish salmon at all this will remain open to April, shut Reyes and Pedro Point. from continued imprinting on the year. Commercial fishing activity down the first 2 weeks in May, Salmon water diverted south to arid lands smell of the Feather River. Other south of Horse Mountain will be and then reopen until the end of The better news is that 230,000 fall run salmon and about a Charcoal filtration canisters greatly constricted in large part due to the season, Oct 31. Sacramento salmon are believed to be Even now, members of Congress from million incubating steelhead eggs an extremely poor return to the swimming off the coast. These are the are saying “not stayed behind at the hatchery Klamath River last year and an even Commercial trolling will be likely those fish trucked in the spring good enough, we want more water” where staff faced the mud lower return forecast for this year. allowed during May and June of 2015 as a result of cooperative work and are working to pass an even worse problem. Off southern parts of the coast (Pigeon South of Pigeon Point. Trollers between GGSA and state and federal federal law to grab more water. Pt south) fishing will be restricted will be allowed to fish between

2 GGSA couldn’t have put the pieces FLOODPLAINS KICK IN then eaten by the baby salmon in together to make this happen without TO HELP SALMON AND the slower moving, shallow generous assistance from a number of waters causing them to grow at SAVE PROPERTY groups and individuals including the higher rates than fish forced to Commercial Salmon Stamp rear only in the rivers. An Committee, the California Department additional benefit comes from the GSA is pushing hard to increase the of Fish and Wildlife, and the Bodega G recharge of underground aquifers floodplains that saved much of the Bay Fishermen’s Festival. Spud Pt. by the water in the floodplains Central Valley from flooding because Marina harbor and Sonoma Country that slowly percolates back they also provided good nurseries for Regional Parks generously offered use underground. ■ baby salmon. Lowering flood control of their dock and crane to unload the barriers to allow floodplain inundation fish. ■ at lower river levels is one way to get the job done. EXPERIMENTAL SALMON RELEASE When the rains came, water spread out all over the Central Valley, flooding all SCHEDULED FOR the usual places and some that hadn’t BODEGA BAY been flooded in years. Among the usual places, the low lying Sutter Bypass in the central Sacramento IIn a first for Bodega Bay, Valley and the Yolo Bypass near Davis 250,000 baby salmon are both conveyed vast flood waters away scheduled to be released in late GGSA efforts lead to first-ever release of baby from cities, towns and human May as part of an experiment salmon in Bodega Bay in May development, as they’re designed to designed by GGSA and the do. Nearby levees built to channel California Department of Fish and FOUNDING MEMBERS floodwaters downstream to the Delta Wildlife. Scientists hope to learn and Bay were bursting at the seams how well the fish survive, where Chris Arcoleo • John Atkinson, and more would have failed but for the they go in the ocean, where they Raymond Bonneau • Dennis Burkell relief the bypasses provided. In return to as adults, and how big a Hugh Chatham • Coastside Fishing addition to saving developed areas contribution they ultimately make Club • Joesph Conte • Crab Boat from flooding, the floodplains became to the ocean and inland salmon Owners Association • Tom Creedon home to untold numbers of baby fishery. GGSA started working Ron Davis • Jim DeMartini • Joe salmon flushed down the river. over 12 months ago with the state Donatini • Jacky Douglas • Chris and the Commercial Salmon Duba • Kerry Egan • Ken Elie, Stamp Committee to launch the Patrick Elie • Tim Eli • Yancy project. Forest-Knowles • Douglas R. Gaebe Vic Giacalone • Victor Gonella • Zeke Grader • Ren Harris • Humbolt After being reared for several Fisherman’s Marketing Association months at a hatchery, the fish will Paul Johnson • Perry Kerson • Jonah be transported via tanker trucks Li, Todd Magaline • John McManus and then offloaded into a floating Joseph Meiswinkel • Mark Mlcoch net pen at Spud Point Marina. Galen Onizuka • Rick Powers • Bob They’ll be held for a short time to Praszker • Queen of Hearts Water pouring into the Yolo Bypass from reorient from the truck ride and Sportfishing • Randy Repass • Frank then released to the ocean on the Rescino • Jeff Robles • Patty Floodplains are special food producers outgoing tide. Survival of these Schifferle • Frank Seghesio • Richard since they’re dry part of the year when fish is expected to be much higher Shears • Ken Stagnaro • Roger they typically develop dry land plant than for similar fish released at Thomas • Edwin A. Tognetti • Aaron and insect growth. When flooded, Central Valley hatcheries. Weinzinger • Jay Yokomizo swarms of tiny insects hatch which are David Zeff • Thomas Zizzo

3 LONG TERM FEATHER WINTER RUN AFTERMATH RIVER FIX IN SIGHT? In the wake of the near total losses of winter run eggs in 2014 and 2015 from elevated river temperatures, the National Marine Fisheries Service GGSA is asking state officials to (NMFS) is proposing new rules calling for slightly colder water to be include long-needed fixes to the released during spawning and incubation periods. The US Bureau of Thermalito complex in the coming Reclamation, which controls the water temperature through its operation of repairs to the damaged . Shasta Dam upstream of the spawning areas, is pushing back against the The Thermalito Afterbay, which is part proposal as is the Association of California Water Agencies. Both groups of the dam operations, has been have sent notices to NMFS stating a long list of objections and concerns dumping hot water into the Feather they have with having to provide cooler water. continued below River during the spawning season for 50 years, making parts of the river inhospitable for salmon spawning. SCIENTIFIC VERDICT ON TWIN TUNNELS IN: The state Dept. of Water Resources has BAD FOR SALMON: been given ten years to fix this problem. GGSA is calling for making GGSA OPPOSES TUNNEL PLAN that fix now with all the attention, In late December the National Marine Fisheries Service published draft funds and heavy equipment being documents looking at the damage the proposed twin tunnels project would devoted to fixing the nearby Oroville do to salmon. The fishery agency found Dam. the tunnels would be bad all around which came as no surprise to salmon advocates. In addition to its hatchery production, Baby salmon trying to pass the three giant the Feather River still has the capacity intake screens in the Sacramento River to contribute large numbers of south of the city of Sacramento would be naturally produced salmon to the pulled into, and bounce off them, losing fishery. In years with both good energy and strength with every hit. Large hatchery and natural salmon, predator fish, able to navigate around the Good luck making it past the intake screens commercial salmon fishermen are able intakes, would likely park there for easy to have profitable seasons. ■ meals. After the intakes sucked a big portion into the tunnels, the river downstream would be much smaller with a lot less power, water, flow and velocity. With less river water pushing seaward, the tidal ebb and flow would increase in the north Delta.

Any surviving baby salmon would be sucked into the interior Delta through Georgiana Slough and the in greater numbers. In addition, increased releases upstream at Shasta dam and on the , to feed the tunnels, would further reduce salmon by damaging their spawning and rearing habitat. For all of these Thermalito hot water flowing into Feather River reasons, GGSA has chosen to oppose the tunnels. As the administration of Governor Jerry Brown heads into its final years, it’s not clear what the future holds for the tunnel ideas. Lots of loose ends persist including how the financing among the ag and southern California urban water districts WINTER RUN AFTERMATH continued will be split up and whether the threat posed to federally protected species The Bureau of Reclamation repeatedly is enough to stop the project. ■ questions the feasibility of complying, based on its determination to supply water to agriculture, even though something the Bureau of they’re required to comply under the Reclamation and ACWA is trying federal Endangered Species Act. The hard to avoid. Current truth is cold water can be supplied but anti-Endangered Species Act in drought years, it could come at a sentiment in Congress doesn’t cost to some current water users, help. ■ Winter run eggs got too hot 4 in 2014 and 2015 and died