Saving Seafood

Environmental groups claim California’s State Water Project will harm endangered fish and the environment

November 29, 2024 — Environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Water Resources Wednesday, claiming that the California State Water Project will harm endangered and threatened fish and the environment in the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River watersheds, as well as the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary.

The California State Water Project (SWP) is a system of reservoirs, aqueducts, power plants and pumping plants that delivers water to California. Its purpose is to provide water to California’s residents and farmland, and to control flooding. It also provides hydroelectric power for the state’s power grid. The SWP is the largest state-owned water and power system in the U.S., stretching over 705 miles from Northern to Southern California.

San Francisco Baykeeper, an environmental nonprofit, was joined by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe and six other plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

“The operation of the project significantly degrades environmental conditions in the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River watersheds and San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary, including reduced flows, harm to endangered and threatened fish species and adverse modification of their critical habitat, worsened water quality, increased salinity levels, reduced food supply, and increased harmful algal blooms,” the plaintiffs say in their 74-page complaint filed in Sacramento Superior Court.

The plaintiffs claim that despite extensive evidence of negative impacts, the California Department of Water Resources “implausibly concluded” that operation of the State Water Project wouldn’t have a significant impact on the environment.

They say the project will especially harm the natural resources of the Bay-Delta and fisheries that include seven endangered or threatened species: Delta Smelt, Longfin Smelt, spring-run Chinook Salmon, winter-run Chinook Salmon, Central Valley Steelhead, White Sturgeon, and Green Sturgeon.

Read the full article at the Courthouse News Service

CALIFORNIA: California’s 2023 salmon disaster relief funding to be released by end of year

November 29, 2024 — U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-California) said that NOAA Fisheries will finally release financial relief for the 2023 closure of the California’s salmon fishery, but it could still be a while before fishers receive that relief.

California’s fishing community has been devastated by back-to-back closures of the state’s Chinook salmon fisheries. California lawmakers urged the federal government to approve financial relief quickly, citing the severe impact the closures are having on coastal communities that depend on salmon. However, the federal government’s bureaucratic process for fishery disaster relief can take multiple years.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

California’s Squid Fishery: The Largest in the U.S. and an Economic Powerhouse

November 25, 2024 — California holds a unique distinction in the United States as home to the largest squid fishery by both volume and revenue. While most Americans might think of squid as a side dish or appetizer at seafood restaurants, in California, market squid fishing has a deep-rooted history and serves as a significant contributor to the state’s commercial fishing economy. California’s market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens), commonly known as opalescent squid, not only drives revenue and jobs in the fishing industry but also exemplifies how sustainable practices are becoming integral to modern fisheries. From humble beginnings to MSC-certified status, California’s squid fishery is a fascinating example of how one invertebrate species has created waves in the fishing world.

The market squid fishery in California traces back to the late 1800s when it was first established by Chinese immigrant communities. Squid were traditionally caught along the Monterey coast and processed in drying sheds before being shipped to markets in Asia. By the early 20th century, Italian and Portuguese fishers had also joined the fishery, contributing their own techniques and expanding the industry’s reach. Over the decades, demand for California squid has grown substantially, both domestically and internationally.

While the fishery has had its ups and downs due to natural fluctuations in squid populations, advancements in fishing technology and increased demand in global markets has helped transform the fishery from a small-scale industry into a commercial powerhouse by the late 20th century. By the 2000s, California’s market squid fishery had not only stabilized but had become one of the largest and most profitable fisheries in the state. The industry now generates millions in revenue annually, rivaling other prominent California fisheries such as Dungeness crab. 

As of 2022, California’s market squid fishery reported an astonishing catch volume of over 147 million pounds, which translates to approximately $88 million in revenue. These numbers alone highlight the economic power of the fishery, yet it’s even more impressive when compared to other notable fisheries.

Read the full article at The Log

CALIFORNIA: California’s Dungeness crab season delayed again

November 22, 2024 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has ordered another delay in the commercial Dungeness crab fishing season — the second so far this year.

The risk of whales becoming tangled in crab fishing gear remains high for most of the coastal waters from the Mendocino County line south to the Mexican border, director Charlton H. Bonham announced Thursday.

The postponement allows more time for the whales’ safe passage to their winter breeding grounds.

In the far north, where crabbing was supposed to be allowed starting Dec. 1, there’s a second issue: Tests on crab meat quality could not be conducted because of high levels of domoic acid found in the samples collected.

Domoic acid, a toxin that could sicken anyone who eats the tainted crab, destroyed Northern California’s 2015-2016 commercial season and created delays in other years.

Lisa Damrosch, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, said that while her members are eager to get out on the water — “it’s critical for local food production and the economic health of our coastal ports” — they understand the safeguards that have been put in place.

Read the full article at The Mercury News

CALIFORNIA: Delays, decisions, and impacts on Calif. Dungeness season

November 21, 2024 — For California’s Dungeness crab fleet, waiting has become a routine part of the season. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will decide on November 21 whether the commercial season can begin on December 1 or be postponed again to reduce risks of whale entanglement. According to Lookout Santa Cruz news, This precaution has been in place for the past six years due to increased numbers of humpback whales migrating along the coast during crab season.

In October, CDFW already delayed the traditional mid-November opening after initial assessments showed a high presence of humpbacks. The whales, which are protected under federal law, are at risk of becoming entangled in crab fishing gear, leading to stringent regulations. A second assessment will determine whether risks have diminished enough for the season to begin. If deemed too risky, another evaluation will occur between December 20 and 22 to consider a late-December start.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: California announces USD 17 million for restoration, salmon recovery

November 20, 2024 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced USD 17 million (EUR 16 million) in grant funding for habitat restoration across the state, at least USD 8.5 million (EUR 8 million) of which is dedicated to advancing salmon recovery efforts.

“Timing is critical to restore and protect California’s biodiversity, and we’re seizing this moment to support a diverse array of projects that will benefit fish, wildlife, lands, and watersheds across the state,” CDFW Director Charlton Bonham said in a statement. “By collaborating with these important conservation partners, advancing Tribally led restoration, and by staying focused on protecting ecosystems with the greatest need, we’ll ensure these funds will help support vulnerable species and communities across California.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Salmon return to lay eggs in historic habitat after largest dam removal project in US history

November 18, 2024 — A giant female Chinook salmon flips on her side in the shallow water and wriggles wildly, using her tail to carve out a nest in the riverbed as her body glistens in the sunlight. In another moment, males butt into each other as they jockey for a good position to fertilize eggs.

These are scenes local tribes have dreamed of seeing for decades as they fought to bring down four hydroelectric dams blocking passage for struggling salmon along more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) of the Klamath River and its tributaries along the Oregon-California border.

Now, less than a month after those dams came down in the largest dam removal project in U.S. history, salmon are once more returning to spawn in cool creeks that have been cut off to them for generations. Video shot by the Yurok Tribe show that hundreds of salmon have made it to tributaries between the former Iron Gate and Copco dams, a hopeful sign for the newly freed waterway.

“Seeing salmon spawning above the former dams fills my heart,” said Joseph L. James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “Our salmon are coming home. Klamath Basin tribes fought for decades to make this day a reality because our future generations deserve to inherit a healthier river from the headwaters to the sea.”

The Klamath River flows from its headwaters in southern Oregon and across the mountainous forests of northern California before it reaches the Pacific Ocean

Read the full article at The Associated Press

CALIFORNIA: Dungeness crab season delayed again for whale protection

November 5, 2024 — The start of the commercial Dungeness crab season in California has been delayed once again and local fishermen like Tom Capen are calling it the “new norm.”

Although the delay this time didn’t come as a surprise to Capen, he says it’s still a serious setback.

“The price of fuel is doubled, tripled and the price of bait is doubled, so it’s hard to make it now,” Capen says.

The delay affects Fishing Zones 3 and 4, which includes the Central Coast. California Fish and Wildlife made the call in an effort to protect humpback whales from potential trap entanglement.

Read the full article at KSBY

Researchers optimistic as salmon return to Klamath River

November 4, 2024 — Researchers are expressing optimism over the initial signs of salmon migration in the Lower Klamath River following the nation’s largest-ever dam removal, saying fish are moving upstream into previously blocked regions as the waterway shows signs of improving health.

A series of four dams were removed from the river in Northern California and southern Oregon, with demolition completed in early October, restoring more than 400 miles of free-flowing waterway that had been blocked for a century.

Federal, tribal and state fisheries managers predict it could take at least a decade for the region’s fisheries to recover to healthy population levels, but on Thursday they touted the first post-removal migration.

Read the full article at E&E News