FISHERMEN'S CORNER

    Here we meet the fishermen!  How do they feel?  How are they impacted? To what do they attribute the Klamath River fish concerns?  We share with you their input and related articles.
    Also here we find fish reports.

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HERE for Fishermen/Farmer Page

Fish stories elsewhere

Salmon trollers, others sue federal agency over catch cutbacks, Newport News 6/8/95. Sign holders  l-r Rayburn Guerin, President Oregon Trollers Association, Cheri Moore and AD Evanow, vp OTA

PLF Files Lawsuit to Block Federal Regulation Slashing Fishing Season by More than Half Despite Record Numbers of Salmon, posted 6/5/05.

* The effect of ocean Conditions on salmon survival and returns  POWER POINT presented by Joseph C Greene, Research Biologist of Greene Environmental Services 6/11/06

Klamath Courier series: Klamath Irrigators and Coastal Fishermen:       They did not restore the Klamath salmon in 20 years; And now they want more money to manage fish and farms, Klamath Courier 2/8/06        "They misspent $20 million dollars", Coos County Commissioner weighs in on fisheries management and agriculture,  Klamath Courier, posted to KBC 2/6/06.        Coastal Fishermen meet with Klamath Water Users What happened to Klamath River salmon?, Klamath Courier 1/25/06. "Coastal Fishermen told Klamath farmers that the government is breaking the law, destroying the fisheries, and blaming Klamath Project irrigators for results of the government's mismanagement."

Fishy definitions, compiled by Julie Smithson, 11/15/06. For anyone hoping to make sense of scientific reports or fishery data, this information is essential. Smithson defines terms like 'Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Habitat Effectiveness Index (HEI), etc to help us understand technical reports. Thank you Julie.

FULL NAS report: Delayed upwelling alters nearshore coastal ocean ecosystems in the northern California currents, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science March 2007. HERE for summary, "We devote a large amount of our resources for salmon recovery to in-stream habitat restoration ... but should also be focusing some resources on learning more about the oceanic conditions that effect salmon population health as well."

Emails about the book The Great Salmon Hoax by James Buchal have been circulating in the midst of Klamath dam destruction schemes. Dams, mismanagement, Endangered Species Act, ..."This book is written to begin debunking these myths and provide a comprehensive summary of the best available scientific evidence on the prospects for salmon recovery. It also tells the many stories of how these myths arose, who is promoting them, and how the promoters have overcome both science and law. Myth #1: Columbia Basin Salmon Are in Danger of Extinction."

McKinney fire kills scores of fish in Klamath River, LA Times 8/10/22. “...the dissolved oxygen in the river plummeted to zero...It looks like probably everything in the river died.   KBC NOTE: In 2002, during the Biscuit Fire, there was a fish kill on the Klamath River. At a science forum in 2004 in Klamath Falls, "Tamara Wood, USGS, studied water quality--the dissolved oxygen dynamics in UKL. She studied wind speed, temperature and oxygen. They found that in 2002 the oxygen into the lake was turned off by the weeks of heavy smoke from the forest fires." However, in 2002, the Tribes, environmental groups and government agencies have blamed Klamath farmers for the fish dieoff. That lie has been used to downsize agriculture, shut off our irrigation water, help convince FERC to allow hydroelectric dam destruction, put more than historical amounts of our stored water into Klamath River, force irrigators into making compromises of our water rights.

 

 

BOR News Release - Reclamation initiating Klamath River flushing flow to promote salmon health, 4/14/22. "Beginning April 15, flows below Iron Gate Dam will increase from approximately 1,325 cubic feet per second up to 4,500 cfs. Increased releases out of Upper Klamath Lake through the Link River Dam will occur simultaneously. The highest releases, of up to approximately 4,500 cfs, will be reduced to about 3,200 cfs on Saturday, April 16. A high peak of 4,200 cfs will occur on Sunday April 17. Flows will start ramping down the morning of Monday, April 18..."

 

Fishermen, Tribes brace for another abysmal salmon season, H&N 4/17/21. Glen Spain, the Northwest regional director for the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, has sued the Klamath Basin irrigators against our water quality, against us keeping our affordable power rate, and against us in the takings case saying we should not be compensated for the government taking our deeded water appurtenant to our land.
HERE is a letter...2005, from Spain to Oregon trollers and Oregon fishing industry leader blasting Klamath irrigators for fishery closures: "...the leadership of the Klamath Water User's Association (KWUA) do not care about fish -- they care about making sure they have all the irrigation water they want, and the fish be damned..." This was written as the coastal fishermen and Klamath Basin irrigators were meeting regularly to find solutions. All the fish leaders we met had nothing but contempt for Glen Spain and said he did not represent them. Here is our Fishermen and Farmer page, including letters and articles.
Frankie Meyers, Vice Chairman of the Yurok Tribe, is quoted in this Herald and News article above. In this 10-minute video he explains why the Klamath Irrigators should give all their land to the tribes: https://www.facebook.com/frankie.myers.14/videos/4455720501123904

 

Saving salmon to feed orcas? Capital Press editorial 10/9/2020. "...Among the reasons they give for wanting the dams removed is to increase the number of native-run salmon — so orcas can eat them."

 

Klamath salmon not a distinct population, H&N by Jerry Jones, Chiloquin 9/9/2020. "Dam removal is not about salmon restoration. Any salmon species that existed in the Upper Klamath river basin have been extinct soon after the first Copco dam was built in 1920."

 

Salmon parasites not a problem caused by Project irrigators, by KWUA Deputy Director Mark Johnson, 10/7/2020.

CA Department Of Fish And Wildlife Commissioner Wants To Close Sportfishing Season Due To COVID-19 4/7/20.
 

After Klamath River flushes, C. shasta spores spike, surprising scientists, H&N online 5/14/19. "the number of spores actually spiked three or four weeks after the river flushing was completed earlier this spring." "The JC Boyle Dam in Klamath County, Ore., is one of four slated to be removed from the Klamath River under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Klamath County Commission and the Klamath River Renewal Corp."

Salmon-eating sea lions targeted at Columbia River dam, H&N 5/5/19.

< This March 2019 photo was taken a few miles from the mouth of the Klamath River by KBC News. From Google: "Another estimate, based on California sea lions' metabolic needs, suggests that 100 animals feeding in that area consume at least 13,000 salmon each spring."

 

Congress OKs bill to allow killing sea lions to help salmon, H&N 12/12/18. "...sea lions...dramatically increased from about 30,000 in the 1960s to about 300,000 following enactment of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act."

 

Environmental, fishing groups sue Oregon over coho salmon, Statesman Journal 6/13/18. "...Poor logging practices by the Oregon Department of Forestry is causing real harm to the Oregon coast coho and commercial fishing families who depend on these magnificent fish for their livelihoods," Glen Spain (PCFFA/IFR attorney) said, the northwest regional director for the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and the Institute of Fisheries Resources, both plaintiffs in the case..."

"Rather than seek out yet another unrelated non-profit to funnel the money through, PCFFA created a new organization..." IFR / Institute for Fisheries Resources. KBC NOTE: That link directs you to PCFFA/IFR page detailing their many Earthjustice (partially funded by George Soros) lawsuits against Klamath Irrigators in the takings case, power rate case, shutting down suction dredge mining, Klamath River water quality TMDL's, essentially against timber harvest, farming, mining and river dams.

 

Republican lawmakers are upset with a federal judge's order to spill water that could be saved for other uses from four Snake River dams to help speed migrating salmon to the Pacific Ocean, US News 4/15/18. "The four dams, built in the 1960s and 1970s, provide hydropower, flood control, navigation, irrigation and recreation benefits, supporters say. But the giant dams are also blamed for killing wild salmon, an iconic species in the Northwest."
 

Species battle pits protected sea lions against fragile fish, H&N 3/23/18. " the mammals’ numbers dropped dramatically but have rebounded from 30,000 in the late 1960s to about 300,000 today due to the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act...Last winter, a record-low 512 wild winter steelhead completed the journey, said Shaun Clements, the state wildlife agency’s senior policy adviser. Less than 30 years ago, that number was more than 15,000...Of all the adults that are returning to the falls here, a quarter of them are getting eaten.”

 

Klamath water users to attend pivotal court hearing, Capital Press 4/6/18. "The Yurok Tribe, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Klamath Riverkeeper and the Hoopa Valley Tribe sought the injunction to protect juvenile coho after several years of deadly C. shasta outbreak.

 

Worst Klamath chinook run on record forecast, management option could close vast swath of fishery, Oregonian 3/15/17

 

Federal agencies work to create water shortages Commentary by Dennis Wyatt, CFBF Ag Alert, 3/8/17. "...As the Army Corps of Engineers was busy trying to juggle releases from Don Pedro not to have a repeat of the 1997 flooding south of Manteca, and 200,000 people were fleeing for their lives when it looked like Oroville Dam might be overwhelmed, the fine bureaucrats at the National Marine Fisheries Service were busy working on the next water shortage..."

Siskiyou County Water Users Association comments regarding Long Term Plan to Protect Adult Salmon in the Lower Klamath River 12/5/16

Klamath River Salmon Draft EIS comments by Werner Hoyt, PE 11/8/16

BOR draft EIS Klamath Salmon Hearing 110916, *** Comments Due EXTENDED TO 12/12/16  since their website was not working for a few days. https://cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-II/public/action/eis/details?eisId=219169 OR http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=22021
 

Reclamation Announces Increased Numbers of Lost River and Shortnose Sucker Fish in the Klamath Project, BOR 12/17/15. "Bureau of Reclamation biologists found the largest number of juvenile Lost River and shortnose sucker fish since fish salvage operations began on the Klamath Project...the late 1990s"

NEWS RELEASE: Reclamation Releases Draft Environmental Document to Supplement Flows in the Lower Klamath River with Trinity Reservoir Water
* COMMENTS DUE Aug 7, 2015

 Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Long-Term Plan To Protect Adult Salmon in the Lower Klamath River, Humboldt County, California.
*Klamath Falls meeting Aug 11
*COMMENTS DUE Aug 20  (KBC received this link that works on Aug 20th from the Bureau..the one in their press release did not work) http://www.usbr.gov/mp/kbao/docs/long-term_plan_protect_lower_klamath_04-2015.pdf

 

Oregon hatcheries releasing fish early due to drought, H&N, 6/27/15. (KBC Note: The controversial proposed KBRA would eliminate hatcheries from the Klamath River which produce millions of salmon. Klamath and Siskiyou Counties, home of the dams, oppose the KBRA agreements along with opponents within the regional tribes.

 

$700M spent on habitat restoration - Efforts focus on projects in the Columbia River Basin, H&N 6/21/15.  " ...I’m not going to say it’s a qualified success, because not every project has a qualified benefit,” said Chris Jordan, a NOAA research scientist who oversees the largest research and monitoring project under the plan...So even if you put a lot of money into restoring an aspect of habitat, you sometimes don’t see any fish response"

 

Ocean salmon look plentiful off the Southern Oregon coast this year, but next year's a different story, Medford Mail Tribune, 3/27/15. "Preseason estimates of chinook and fin-clipped coho salmon in the ocean are high enough that salmon anglers are on the cusp of seeing a summer saltwater salmon season nearly identical to 2014, when Brookings regained its spot as the top chinook port after a one-year hiatus...'The season, of course, depends upon how the ocean sets up," says Richard Heap, a Brookings angler who represents Oregon anglers in federal salmon-season discussions...' "

 

Fish die-off averted; Salmon run going strong. About 2,300 chinook have entered the Trinity River Hatchery, H&N, 11/5/14. "The Shasta River chinook salmon run is already the second largest since 2001...current estimate for the entire run exceeds all but three years since 1978."
 

Going for launch with the salmon cannon, H&N 9/25/14. "Salmon may soon have a faster way to make it around dams. There’s a new technology that’s helping to transport hatchery fish in Washington. It’s called the salmon cannon.."

 

Klamath salmon in danger; additional flows intended to prevent fish die-off, H&N, posted to KBC 9/21/14. "The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) began releasing additional flows from Trinity Reservoir via the Lewiston Dam Tuesday....We must, however, take all reasonable measures to prevent a recurrence of the fish losses experienced in 2002"  KBC NOTE: Water was shut off to Klamath Basin family farms the summer of 2001. After irrigation was restored to irrigators in later, tribes, U.S. Dept of Fish and Game, and environmental groups focused on obliterating farming in the Klamath Basin, blamed Klamath Farmers for fish dying in 2002, 170 miles downstream. Fish Scientist David Vogel (see #'s 19, 22, 23 and 29) explained why sending high flows of warm water from Iron Gate dam was lethal for salmon in the already warm river. According to a Scientist conference in Klamath Falls in 2004, effects of the 2002, 500,000-acre Biscuit Fire smoke were never studied in relation to fish dying that fall. Neither were considered effects of drainoff from drug labs on the Klamath River.

 

Calif. drought has migrating salmon hitching truck rides, H&N 3/26/14. "California began hauling 30 million young Chinook salmon hundreds of miles toward the Pacific Ocean in tanker trucks to save the fishing industry after a record drought left rivers too low for migration... The hatchery fish that typically migrate through the Sacramento River Delta to the sea are key to the state’s $1.5 billion commercial and recreational fishing industry, according to the Nature Conservancy" KBC NOTE: In Klamath, the Dept of Interior wants the Klamath hydroelectric dams destroyed which provide water for 70,000 homes, water storage, and fish hatcheries. They refuse to haul the fish. Here for their KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. The DOI fired the Bureau of Reclamation's top ethics scientist Dr. Houser because he was a whistleblower, stating that the science does not support dam and hatchery destruction
 

Hatchery Salmon - Progress seen in Hood River's spring chinook run; Starting to build a self-sustaining program, H&N, posted to KBC 11/23/13. "Beginning in the early 1990s, the tribes and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife started stocking the river with hatchery bred spring chinook, taken from Deschutes River stocks, to try to resurrect the wild run. Under the “supplementation” approach, when the hatchery fish return to the river, they’re allowed onto wild spawning grounds. When their offspring return, they’re counted as wild....We’re looking for a middle ground, where we can have both fish and farmers.”

Slow start to salmon spawn; Trinity runoff stabilized river, fish kill averted, H&N, posted to KBC 11/17/13. "The average Klamath River salmon run is 122,000...Scientists predict the 2013 run could be as large as 272,000...Winter storms this year filled the mouth of the Klamath River with silt and kept fish from entering the river, she said. The added sediment also created sandbars along the mouth, which allowed more sport fishing and increased ocean harvests. 'Around Labor Day weekend there were probably about 1,000 people fishing down there,' "

A new method against genetically modified salmon: Get retailers to refuse to sell it, Washington Post 10/18/13. KBC NOTE: Obama bailed this GM salmon company, made Monsanto attorney his FDA food czar, created Monsanto Protection Act, and his administration stated they want the Klamath Hydroelectric dams to be destroyed, which destroys the Klamath fish hatcheries producing millions of salmon, claiming to want only "wild salmon" in the rivers for health reasons....? HERE for Frankenfish table of contents.

 

Columbia and Klamath River Dam Facts, Senator Doug Whitsett 9/27/13. "...Advocates have long stated that the dams must come out in order to reestablish previous salmon numbers. Yet 2012 saw one of the largest, if not the largest Chinook salmon run ever recorded on the Klamath River. This year, salmon numbers are shaping up to surpass that record. The dams are still in the River and the water quality in the River has not changed. .."

"Our abundant and varied (Klamath) fisheries appear to contradict the need for massive aquatic restoration projects" by Senator Doug Whitsett 8/8/13.

Quality water: Waterways, anglers in Klamath among best in nation, H&N, posted to KBC 8/9/13.
 

Scientist testifies against GE fish ban, label bill, Capital Press, posted to KBC 3/22/13. "They grow fast. They grow large. And they are aggressive, and they can outcompete for habitat," Holvey said of the GE fish. "This is too big a risk for us to take to watch the native species of Pacific salmon potentially get decimated."
Here for Frankenfish Page

 

The official Klamath River Pacific Fisheries Management Council's (PFMC) Chinook Salmon count is in! by Steve Rapalyea 3/17/13. "With a 2012 return almost double the highest documented pre dam return, it is obvious we must hurry and get the dams removed on the Klamath to "restore" the runs to their much smaller pre dam size!"

 

Prospects Are Solid For Strong Season Of Chinook Fishing, Mail Tribune 3/9/13.

 

Another sad story: Explosive Fed. Mandate Killing Thousands of Red Snapper, local15tv, posted to KBC 3/4/13. " 'They tell us not to fish [red snapper] but they’re blowing them up,' charter boat Captain Jason Domange told Local 15, 'It’s a cryin’ shame.' "

Genetically modified ‘frankenfish’ to appear in US stores, RT.com, posted to KBC 1/12/13.
See KBC News FRANKENFISH PAGE

 

Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO),  or  http://jisao.washington.edu/pdo/ 11/2012: Study of ocean conditions and climate as related to fisheries.

 

Record numbers of salmon are returning to the Klamath River, Mt. Shasta News, by James Finses, Copco Lake 10/19/12. "...California Fish and Game estimates 380,000 fish will return this year. An estimated 140,000 salmon go to the tribes. Guided fishing trips are scoring heavily. Bank fishermen are doing extremely well. Life on the Klamath River is the best it has ever been. But wait.The dams that were decimating all salmon runs are still here. The tribes haven't yet gotten 92,000 acres of prime forest land in the deal. The salmon hatchery is still here. Turning off water for farmers was wrong, too. The release of fish parts by the hatchery hurt nothing."

 

Klamath Tribes get share of record salmon run, H&N, posted to KBC 10/18/12.
Klamath and lots of chinook make national news, Pie N Politics, posted to KBC 10/10/12. MSNBC video says the projected salmon run this year is 380,000 Chinook. Pie N Politics Q&A's: "Question: If the salmon numbers are so high and the dams are still in the Klamath River, why do they need to be destroyed?"

 

Coho de-listing petition rejection, Siskiyou County Water Users Association coho de-listing petition rejection response, Ridgecrest Daily Independent by Leo Bergeron, President SCWUA, Montague, posted to KBC October 10. 2012

 

Klamath and lots of chinook make national news, Pie N Politics, posted to KBC 10/10/12. MSNBC video says the projected salmon run this year is 380,000 Chinook. Pie N Politics Q&A's: "Question: If the salmon numbers are so high and the dams are still in the Klamath River, why do they need to be destroyed?"

 

Fishing the North Coast: Kings continue to run up the Klamath, My Outdoor Buddy 9/20/12.

 

Wild coho season on coastal rivers opens Sept. 15, DFG, posted to KBC 9/17/12. "...almost 300,000 wild coho are expected to return to coastal rivers and lakes, and that means anglers will be able to harvest even more fish than last year...coastal coho continue to be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act...On some rivers, like the Umpqua and Siuslaw, the quotas are almost double what they were a year ago."

 

Reeling them in; record Klamath salmon returns mean a good season for local fishermen, Times-Standard, posted to KBC 8/25/12. ”The salmon runs have been phenomenal this year,” Sherry Klassen said. “We have never witnessed a season like this before. Everyone is talking about it. It is huge.”

 

A fisherman sues the feds for acting like crooks, Washington Examiner, posted to KBC 8/22/12. "The Commerce Department's inspector general reviewed the NOAA's Asset Forfeiture Fund -- where Yacubian's $430,000 fine went -- and found that "these funds were used to purchase 'luxurious' undercover vessels, buy 202 vehicles for a staff of 172 enforcement personnel, and take trips around the world....A special investigative judge concluded there is 'credible evidence that money was NOAA's motivating objective in this case.' There's also knowledgeable belief that the NOAA's purpose is to eradicate the fishing industry."

** Letter and documentation to Irma Largomarcino, Supervisor National Marine Fishery Service Arcata Area Office, and California Biodiversity Council, from Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong regarding coho genetics in the Klamath, 8/14/12.

(House Natural Resources Committee) Chairman Hastings Calls on Obama Admin. to Provide Transparent Answers to Outstanding Questions, Disclose Documents on National Ocean Policy Prior to Imposing Final Implementation Plan 8/15/12
 

The Bite is On! Fishing for Salmon off California Coast is Best in Years, CDFG / Department of Fish and Game, posted to KBC 8/9/12. “Thanks to the favorable ocean conditions and plentiful food, all the reports we are receiving from the coast are very positive,” said DFG Northern Regional Manager Neil Manji....Early forecasts predicted 819,000 adult Sacramento River fall-run Chinook and 1.7 million Klamath River fall-run Chinook adults off the coast...."“In my 26 years of working with salmon on the North Coast, I have never seen such a remarkable beginning to a salmon season." KBC EDITOR: 6 years ago government agencies and groups like PCFFA shut down salmon fisheries and blamed Klamath dams and Klamath farmers for low count of Klamath salmon in the ocean, NOT ocean conditions. HERE is the Farmer-Fisherman Page from 2006-7. The Oregon Trollers claimed PCFFA / Glen Spain did not represent them. Here is another letter about Spain by Don Stevens, advisor to the Oregon Salmon Commission.They bribed and sued and blackmailed farm leaders into agreeing to destroying the hydro dams and downsizing ag, in an alliance with PCFFA and DFG. Summer 2012: dams are still in, farmers still farming, and DFG proclaims good salmon run because of ocean conditions. Here for Glen Spain/PCFFA Page.

Humboldt: Plan for more water from Trinity dam to avoid massive Klamath fish kill, Times-Standard 7/18/12
Here are scientific and other reports on the 2002 fish die off, and how the extra lethally warm water sent down the Klamath was lethal to salmon:
Klamath Water Users updates written before the 2002 Klamath River fish die-off warning that more warm water may harm fish, along with National Research Council comments.
KBC Fish Die-Off page

Smashing salmon season expected, starting today, Sacramento Bee, posted to KBC 7/18/12. "Is there any debate still about what caused the population decline? Among federal and state fishery managers, there's a consensus that it was ocean conditions – very poor ocean conditions – that did not produce enough food for adult salmon."
* Following is how the federal government regulated many commercial fishermen out of business by blaming them for low salmon runs, even in the Sacramento.
Farmers and fishermen have Klamath solutions; Feds continue to regulate and decimate both industries, KBC News 10/29/06. "A fisherman said there are more fish in the ocean now yet the government is regulating one run of salmon on the Klamath. Sacramento had the largest run in history but the feds would not allow the fishermen to fish it because they might catch a Klamath Chinook that was not spawned in a hatchery because of a low estimated run."
The Klamath Farmers / Fishermen Coalition existed before PCFFA/Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, ecoterrorists and the tribes, hijacked the fisherman/farmer coalition demanding dam removal, downsizing agriculture, and expanding tribal land and tribal fishing in the KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.

 

Commission sets 2012 coastal coho, fall chinook salmon seasons, ODFW, posted to KBC 6/9/12. "...coastal coho were listed as threatened in 1998...Today we’re seeing the results of record returns in recent years..."
 

North Coast Marine Protected Areas Adopted in Final Coastal Ocean Region, CDFG 6/6/12. "The north coast regulations include a provision for federally recognized tribal members to continue harvesting and gathering fish, kelp and shellfish as they have for countless generations."

 

Salmon decreases explained, by Dr. Richard Gierak 5/31/12. "In the California Division of Fish and Game 1930 report, Bulletin #34, it states that in 1916 there were 35,000 salmon counted and in 1922, after the dam was built, they counted 90,000 salmon returning to the Klamath. This could be explained in that the reservoir allowed sediments to settle out, supplying cleaner water for spawning salmon."

 

Coho Hoax, by John Martinez, posted to KBC 4/14/12. Original article 2003. "

Ocean anglers get long salmon season; In Brookings, Gold Beach area it runs May 1 through Sept. 9, Mail Tribune 4/7/12. "The liberal seasons are possible because more than 1.6 million chinook are estimated to be headed toward Northern California's Klamath River, the highest number in more than 30 years."
 

National Marine Fisheries Service: ‘Chinook not endangered, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 4/7/12. "The agency says several studies have “found that spring-run and fall-run populations in the Salmon River were nearly indistinguishable genetically and that spring and fall-run populations in the South Fork Trinity were extremely similar to each other and to the Trinity River hatchery stocks.”
 

Obama's National Ocean's Policy: Unilateral Action by the Obama Administration; Imposes Ocean/Coastal Zoning; Creates federally-dominated Regional Planning Bodies with no representation from the people being regulated.) Sent by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong.

 

Bill introduced to ensure fisheries get more funds, FIS 3/15/12. "US Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) this week joined Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) in introducing the Fisheries Investment and Regulatory Relief Act (FIRRA). ...A companion bill is expected in the House by Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA) and Frank Guinta (R-NH)..." Zeke Grader, executive director of Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations. "This bill finally provides a dedicated funding source...." KBC NOTE: Zeke Grader was instrumental in shutting down water to farms in Central California to thousands of farmers in the guise of saving a little fish. PCFFA in Klamath Basin is a voting member on the KBRA/Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement to destroy the Klamath hydroelectric dams, petitioned against Klamath farmers getting an affordable power rate, sued to have water quality mandates imposed on Klamath irrigators, and are presently suing Klamath irrigators alleging the farmers have no property right to their water, even though that right is specified on their property deed. SEE PCFFA Page

 

Plenty of Chinook and Coho This Year, KBND, posted to KBC 3/11/12. "Fishery managers project 1.6 million adult Chinook in the Klamath River this fall, four times more than last year and 15 times than in 2006."
 

Some salmon policy very interesting, but stupid, Times-Standard, letter to editor by Charles L. Ciancio, Eureka, posted to KBC 3/11/12

 

Plentiful Salmon Drive Pacific Fishery Management Council Options for 2012 Season, Pacific Fishery Management Council 3/8/12. "In the Klamath River, biologists are forecasting four times more salmon than last year and an astounding 15 times more than in 2006. The ocean salmon population is estimated to be 1.6 million adult Klamath River fall Chinook, compared to last year's forecast of 371,100. This estimate is based largely on the 85,840 two-year-old salmon (jacks) that returned to the Klamath in 2011. This is the highest number of jacks to return since at least 1978, when record keeping began."

 

Rex Cozzalio responds to newest program to impregnate Shasta River with fertilized coho eggs — preposterous, it is, PienPolitics 2/10/12

 

Oregon Wild sues to secure Rogue water for coho; group also suing BOR for failing to adopt BO on how agency will protect wild coho, Mail Tribune, posted to KBC 2/10/12.
Oregon Wild Sues Bureau of Reclamation, KDRV, posted 2/10/12. "...Talent Irrigation District ... relies heavily on water from those reservoirs."

 

* Groups Petition FDA To Classify Genetically Engineered Salmon As Food Additive For More Rigorous Review (Obama administration 'bailed out' GM salmon firm, Campaigners say $500,000 grant was made to AquaBounty despite evidence that the firm could soon run out of cash, Guardian, UK, posted to KBC 11/14/11.)

 

* 2011 Fall Chinook Redd Survey In Lower Snake, Tributaries Produces Second Highest Count On Record

Government Delay, Drought Prompts Renewed Push for Protection of Klamath River Chinook Salmon, Center for Biological Diversity 2/1/12, The Center for Biological Diversity, Oregon Wild, Environmental Protection Information Center and The Larch Company filed the notice of intent. CBD, Oregon Wild, and EPIC are all litigated or in coalition with Earth Justice, which is funded in part by billionaire George Soros. Soros is blamed for the financial collapses of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Russian and the Bank of England. He said he will take down the United States of America next. Soros contributes greatly to Monsanto, who is involved in genetically modified salmon, convenient for when millions of tons of silt are released into Klamath River by dam and hatchery destruction. Andy Kerr is the Larch Company, and involved with dozens of other Soros-sponsored environmental groups including Earthjustice.  "A professional conservationist for over three decades, he has been involved in the enactment of over 25 pieces of state and federal legislation, scores of lawsuits, dozens of endangered species listing petitions and countless administrative appeals of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management timber sales and other decisions."

Genetically-engineered salmon caught in tangled regulatory net, Farm Press, posted to KBC 1/23/12.

Fishing Report Lower Klamath - "The mouth of the Klamath has been sanding in and opening two to three times per week according to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman's Guide Service. "There's still fresh fish entering the river and I would expect more to show with the big tides. With the mouth opening and closing, we should see some good surges of fish this weekend. I was on the river last Saturday and the fishing was still good. We had 10 solid hookups, landing fish to 35-pounds," Coopman said." The Times-Standard 10/27/11

San Diego Superior Court Upholds California Fish and Game Commission Regulations Pertaining to Marine Protected Areas, Rejects Arguments of Coastside Fishing Club, Somach Simmons and Dunn 10/25/11

Klamath River fishing report, Redding Record Searchlight, posted to KBC 10/12/11. "KLAMATH RIVER, Iron Gate Dam — "The river in the upper Klamath is stuffed with salmon..." 10/10/11. KBC NOTE: According to the Klamath River Tribes, government agencies, and environmental groups, the dams and algae and farmers and miners made the salmon almost extinct so we need to demolish 4 hydropower dams and downsize agriculture and they already ended gold mining because of that lie.

Columbia Basin Bulletin 9/16/11: Sea Lion removal, record salmon runs on Snake, strong Chinook and Coho, etc

 

Fishing for wild coho opens Sept. 15 on coast, Statesman Journal, posted to KBC 9/15/11. (KBC Note: $Millions have been spent on "endangered" coho habitat, land and water acquisitions, ...)
 

Klamath River, Understanding  Fall Chinook Salmon Allocations, by Ronnie M. Pierce 1998.

 

Columbia Basin Bulletin 3/4/11.  ESA-Listed Steller Sea Lions Munching Away On Non-Listed White Sturgeon, States Seek Delisting Of Steller Sea Lions, "In 2002 the total EDPS population was estimated to number from 46,000 to 58,000. Much of the turnaround resulted from the near elimination of predator control kills and commercial harvest. A 2007 study concludes that the “population is now probably as high as it has been in the past century...”

 

Supes seek salmon solution – in Yakima, by Ric Costales, Siskiyou Daily News 3/2/11

 

Costly Regulations Threaten Jobs and Access to Fishing, PR Newswire, posted to KBC 3/2/11
 

Historical salmon fisheries in the Pacific Northwest, by Dr. Gierak 2/16/11, VIDEO. "...it is clear that with the introduction of dams on the Klamath river, commercial salmon production has increased significantly based on the historical numbers."

 

Is Obama Swimming Upstream With Campaign Against Salmon Bureaucracy? Fox News, posted to KBC 2/5/11. "Joseph Bogaard, of Save Our Wild Salmon, admits there is overlap and wasted funding. Efforts to save salmon runs have cost the country $10 billion over the last 20 years. And yet, salmon runs still fluctuate wildly from year to year. 'We are making decisions that are ineffective," Bogaard said "We're spending billions of dollars on programs that aren't working, we're not restoring our salmon, and as a result we don't have healthy, fishable populations.' " " Obama's long-range plan is still to spend nearly $10 billion on salmon protection over the next decade." Save Our Wild Salmon is the group advocating removing dams on the Snake and Columbia...board member Glen Spain (and voting member in the KBRA)

Columbia Basin Fish and  Wildlife Bulletin, posted to KBC 2/6/11 (wild vs hatchery, steelhead, sea lions eating sturgeon, water rights changes, ...)

Study predicts which salmon will spawn, Genetics play role in deciding which fish will live to reproduce, H&N 1/14/11

 

Columbia Basin Bulletin, including:
* Alaska Salmon Harvest 11th Largest Since Statehood; Best Value In 18 Years
* BPA Proposes 8.5 Percent Wholesale Power Rate Hike Beginning Oct.1 2011; Final Decision In July,
CBB, posted to KBC 11/26/10

 

Salmon facing new threat, "the number of salmon in the North Pacific having doubled in the past 50 years, scientists are increasingly concerned there may not be enough food to support them, and changing ocean conditions could make it even worse," H&N, 11/26/10

 

Proposed marine reserve sites now posted online, ODFW, posted to KBC 11/23/10

 

* Appeals Court Rejects Lethal Removal Of Salmon-Eating Sea Lions; Remands Issue Back To NMFS, Columbia Basin Bulletin 11/23/10
 

Latest Forecast Predicts Spring Chinook Return At 340,000 Fish; Second Best On Record, Columbia Basin Bulletin 5/21/10

 

Suckers being moved from (Tulelake) refuge to (Klamath) lake, H&N 5/13/10. "...We think most, if not all, of these (fish) originated in Upper Klamath Lake, so we’re just putting them back where they came from...”

 

Columbia Basin Bulletin 2/26/10, "Sea Lions Snacking On Sturgeon, Last Year's Huge Fall Chinook Jack Return Brings Predictions Of Big Run This Year,  Higher Return Of Sacramento River Fall Chinook, Revise Critical Habitat For Bull Trout, Northwest Tribes Receive $1.3 Million..."

 

Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Bulletin, posted to KBC 1/10/10
* 'Early Bird' Basin Water Supply Forecast For Spring, Summer Shows Below Average
* Mid-Columbia Coho Restoration Program Showing Fish Returns 'Beyond Expectation'
* Refined Forecasts Show 2010 Could See Record Return Of Wild Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook
* Increased Efforts To Reduce Bird Predation At Mid-Columbia Dams Help Achieve Fish Survival Standards

 

Columbia Basin Bulletin, 12/11/09, including:
* Harvest Managers For 2010 Predict Largest Spring Chinook Return On Record
* 2009 Fall Chinook Redd Counts In Snake River's Hells Canyon Marks Another Record

 

Rebuilding the North Coast salmon run, Napa Valley Register, posted 11/30/09. "Prosecute illegal gill-netters and gill-netting techniques through the enforcement of applicable federal and state laws. Currently, Hoopa gill-netters are dropping nets that extend bank to bank, which makes it virtually impossible for salmon to make it past the nets. Also, I believe this tribe is fishing with gill nets during the day and have continued to fish with gill nets after their fish quota has been achieved. These practices are illegal according to federal and state law and the Hoopa Tribal Fishing Code."

 

Are gill nets decimating Klamath and Trinity salmon runs?, Redding Record Searchlight 11/8/09. "Ferris, now 57, says he catches as many as 700 salmon a year using gill nets.... the Yurok and the Hoopa Valley tribes - report that they've hauled in almost 28,000 fish, close to this year's allotment, Huber and other guides said very few salmon are making it past the tribal waters and into areas where they can catch them...20,000 pounds of salmon - about 2,000 fish worth $60,000 - from the Trinity caught by members of the Hoopa Valley Tribe ended up for sale at the San Francisco fish market..." "That is our river," Fletcher (Yurok) said. "Those are our fish..."

 

Columbia Basin Bulletin posted to KBC 11/1/09

 

My Opinion: Coho in the Klamath River. This report has been made by history research writer and former and half-century resident of the Klamath River, Karuk tribal member James A. Waddell, in 2009

 

Coho returning to Columbia in big numbers, Capital Press 10/26/09. "About 700,000 coho were projected to return to the river system this year -- at least 200,000 more than last year...They say ocean conditions are mostly responsible."
Huge coho run will help feed Oregon’s hungry, ODFG, posted to KBC 10/28/09

 

Fishermen contest plans for Calif. ocean reserves, Capital Press, posted to KBC 10/28/09

 

No surprise: Salmon most expensive endangered species, Oregonian, posted to KBC 10/18/09. "...the total spent on the 13 salmon and steelhead species in the Columbia Basin since 1978 exceeds $12 billion."

 

NW Fishletter #267, October 12, 2009
Analysis: Dam Breaching Made Simple
BiOp Plaintiffs File Same Old Complaints
Plaintiffs Want Docs From NOAA's 'Secret' Science Panel
Juvenile Steelhead Survival Soars In Hydro System
Huge Jack Count For Fall Run In The Snake
700 Sockeye Make It All The Way To Redfish Lake
New Klamath Settlement Targets BuRec As Likely Removal Entity

 

Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Bulletin, 10/16/09 including:
* Snake River Wild Steelhead Return Breaks Record; Fall Chinook Jacks Four Times Previous Record
* Fall Fish Returns Strong, Catch Rates High; Sport Coho Catch Second Highest On Record

 

California panel adds new marine sanctuary zone, Sacramento Bee 8/7/09. "The new preserves cover 153 square miles of ocean between Half Moon Bay and Mendocino. Starting Jan. 1, fishing will be permanently banned or restricted in the zones...The Department of Fish and Game estimates "adequate" law enforcement in the statewide preserve network would cost $27 million in the first year and $17 million annually thereafter. It has nowhere near that level of funding." A Comment: "We are adding sanctuary zones to protect fish, but we are releasing 40K prisoners on the general population of California to prey on them."

 

Klamath’s fall run of chinook promising; Numbers slightly up from recent years, Triplicate, posted to KBC 8/6/09. "...a report...estimated the number of 2-year-old Klamath-spawned chinook in the ocean at about 500,000. “We are predicting 131,000 to 139,000 3-year-olds in the Klamath,” "... this is a slightly higher run than normal.” “We have a record level allocation for this season on the Klamath. The in-river sport fishery has been allocated 30,800 fish and the tribes have been allocated 30,900.”

 

Forecast: Record 700,000 Coho Headed For Columbia, Strong Summer Steelhead, Fall Chinook Run, CBB July 24, 2009

 

Recreation Report: Make plans for ocean coho fishing trip, East Oregonian 6/25/09. "SALEM - The 2009 season managers have set the largest ocean coho quota since 1992."

Commission approves coastal coho, fall chinook seasons, ODFW 6/5/09
 

Sea Lions Avoid Traps In Favor Of Dam's Concrete Pad; Stellers Taking More Salmon, CBB May 8, 2009

 

Fall-run Chinook lags; coho run will be huge, Statesman Journal, posted to KBC 4/12/09

 

PFMC Again Recommends Closing Most Salmon Fishing Off California, Southern Oregon Coast, CBB 4/10/09

 

Ocean salmon seasons on brink of big changes, Oregonian, posted to KBC 3/30/09. "Anglers are looking forward to one of the best (predicted, anyway) offshore salmon seasons in the memories of many; certainly the best of this century...wait a minute...this millenium! At a minimum, there appear to be enough coho salmon available to fish through much, maybe most, of the summer."

 

Humane Society Arguments Open Briefing In Appeals Court Sea Lion Removal Case, CBB 3/27/09

 

Siskiyou Supervisors Trash Fishing and Cal Trout, by Felice Pace, response by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor 3/21/09

 

Appeals Court Upholds NOAA's Hatchery vs. Wild ESA Salmon Listing Policies, CBB, posted to KBC 3/21/09.

 

Ocean 'Indicators' Help Develop Forecasts For Columbia River Salmon Returns, CBB, posted to KBC 3/21/09. "The June 2008 trawls for chinook were 'the best that we've seen,' "

Ocean Conditions, Lack Of Biodiversity Likely Caused Sacramento River Chinook Collapse, CBB posted to KBC 3/21/09 3/20/09

 

Council invites comment on options for 2009 ocean salmon seasons, Ore. Dept of Fish and Wildlife 3/20/09. "In meetings last week, the PFMC announced the strongest hatchery coho abundance forecast since 2001, raising prospects of a banner year for sport fishermen along the coast."

 

Pacific Fishery Management Council releases salmon abundance forecasts for 2009 fishing season, posted to KBC 3/13/09

(States Begin Trapping Salmon-Eating Sea Lions, CB Bulletin 3/13/09

Oregon) coho fishing holds promise; Chinook fishing likely to be nil, Umpqua Post 3/10/09
 

Judge Denies Stay Request To Halt Lethal Sea Lion Removal Below Bonneville Dam, CB Bulletin 1/30/09

 

Proposed Salmon-Tagging Study Seeks Better Info On Lower River Sea Lion Predation, CBBulletin, posted 1/25/09. "The preliminary cost estimate for the pilot study is $225,000." (KBC note: Sea lions kill thousands of endangered salmon per year,  yet they are still studying whether to controll the predators)

Salmon Go Acoustic At Research Confab, NW Fish Letter, posted 1/9/09"...the benefits from modifying dam passage for fish was small potatoes compared to the huge vagaries they encounter in the ocean."
 

Radanovich Urges U.S. FWS, DOJ to issue Correction of Information of Delta Smelt BO, Congressman Radanovich 1/7/09.

 

Deadline for 2008 Salmon Disaster Relief Program is Dec. 31.

Near-Shore Survey Suggests 2008 Ocean Conditions For Fish One Of The Best On Record, posted 12/20/08 CBB.

Ocean conditions in Oregon among best for fish in 50 years, LA Times, posted to KBC 12/20/08, FOLLOWED BY ocean condition articles in OPB and the Oregonian.

New Study Details How Ocean Fish Farming Harms Wild Salmon, CBB 12/19/08

Healthy salmon runs on other rivers raise questions about the Sacramento, Redding Record Searchlight 12/15/08. "But while the Sacramento has continued to see declining returns this year, fall Chinook runs on the Klamath and Columbia rivers - the next two major river systems north - appear to be healthy." (KBC NOTE: according to the Karuk, Yurok and Hoopa Tribes, Klamath River dams must come out because they are making salmon extinct. Science has been replaced with politics.)
 

Humane Society Files Notice To Appeal To Ninth Circuit On Sea Lion Removal, CB Bulletin, posted 12/15/08.

 

Biologists use X-ray machines to study endangered Klamath fish, KDRV, posted to KBC 12/10/08

 

Is salmon survival research emotionally or scientifically motivated, KMVT, posted to KBC 12/6/08

 

Salmon advocates seek more water over dams, Legal motion deals with Columbia and Snake rivers, H&N, posted to KBC 12/1/08

 

Judge: No reprieve for sea lions, H&N, posted 12/1/08

 

Salmon funds released, H&N, posted to KBC 12/1/08

 

A promising share-the-catch plan for California fisheries, SF Chronicle 11/12/08

 

Fish returning to hatcheries; Chinook salmon numbers are average at Iron Gate Hatchery, H&N, posted to KBC 10/28/08

 

Studies find changes in (Klamath)area sucker populations, followed by: Plan sets course for fish, by  H&N 10/22/08. (KBC note includes quotes by fisheries scientist Dave Vogel regarding the 10's of thousands of fish in Klamath Lake, and Dr William Lewis Jr., University of Colorado, from the National Academy of Science, explaining the water quality was historically bad in Klamath Lake and downsizing agriculture and making more swamps will not help the suckers or effect the water quality.)
 

Coho Returns Boosted From 68,600 To 200,000, Many Fish Larger Than Usual, CB Bulletin 10/17/08

 

Upriver Coho Surge Allows More Tribal Commercial Fishing Days Above Bonneville, CBBulletin 10/17/08. "...tribal fishers will again spread their nets next week in Columbia River reservoirs above Bonneville Dam...Fish continue to be available for sale to the public "over the bank" at numerous locations upstream of Bonneville...Tribal coho harvest through this week totals an estimated 18,620 to date...The treaty harvest is projected to total 42,572 "upriver brights"...The fall fisheries will have netted a total of 107,546 chinook in total this year, according to tribal estimates. The total steelhead catch is expected to be 24,645."

 

Yurok Tribe netting salmon - To KBC from Sherrie: "Recently my husband and I were at the coast visiting. We decided to go check out the Klamath River where is meets the ocean. We were shocked when we arrived. Hundreds of people from the Yurok tribe fishing with nets. The nets spanned pretty much across the whole width of the river as far as I could see up the river. How are the Salmon supposed to get passed the Yurok tribe to get to Klamath in the first place?" Sherrie. HERE for photos

 

Fishermen back-bounce for salmon from drift boats Sunday in the Klamath River near Hornbrook, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 10/8/08

 

What do they have against us (fishermen)? Times-Standard, posted to KBC 9/30/08

 

Fish die-off a common occurrence on Klamath, Siskiyou Daily News 9/29/08

 

Klamath River fishing is fit for a king, Press Banner, posted to KBC 9/26/08. "Inside the river’s lagoon, the Yurok Tribe sets gill nets to capture salmon for the commercial market and subsistence use. If salmon make their way through the maze of gill nets, they begin the journey upriver...the majority of adult salmon being caught in the nets brought on low scores."

 

April - August 2007 Klamath Juvenile Salmonid Health Monitoring Report, Fish and Wildlife, posted to KBC 9/26/08

 

Indian nets hamper Salmon, Pioneer Press, posted September 25, 2008. "...Indian nets near the mouth of the Klamath River and upstream were still hampering the ability of larger adult salmon to travel upstream..."

 

Feds release millions in salmon disaster aid for West Coast fishermen, Oregonian, posted to KBC 9/19/08. "A task force of scientists is assessing the cause of the collapse, but most experts think the key factor was unusually warm ocean conditions that knocked the bottom out of the marine food chain when young salmon first went to sea. That left them little to eat."

 

Conditions improve ocean salmon rebound, The Daily Triplicate, posted to KBC 9/17/08. "Recent research in Oregon suggests the cycle of warm ocean conditions that contributed to poor salmon survival off the West Coast the last few years has ended, setting the stage for a rebound of Sacramento River fall Chinook....After three weeks of good jack numbers but scarce adult salmon, fall Chinook fishing has picked up in the lower Klamath. Many guides limited out by mid-morning the past several days..."
 

 

Administration: Salmon disaster money on its way, Capital Press 9/17/08

 

This Year's Colder Ocean Conditions Off NW Coast Good News For Salmon Growth, September 12, 2008 Columbia Basin Bulletin. "Trawl surveys conducted in June off the coasts of Oregon and Washington netted the highest number of juvenile spring chinook salmon in those 11 years – 2 ½ time more than the next highest total." (KBC NOTE: 2008 had good ocean conditions, record salmon runs, yet THIS YEAR the feds shut down ocean commercial fisheries blaming a low run on the Sacramento. 2 years ago they blamed a weak Klamath run, yet this year Klamath has a bumper crop. The moral of the story - Klamath farmers didn't make the fish go extinct, neither did the Central Valley farmers, nor did the Klamath dams. Ocean conditions effect the salmon. In '07, the Columbia had a weak run and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen blamed the dams. Decimating the ocean commercial fishermen with 'weak stock management' allows the feds to base ocean fishing on any river that happens to have a low run, regardless of the other bumper runs like this year. In 2007, when ocean fishing was curtailed because of low Klamath runs, only 5% of the fish that summer were Klamath stock, meaning that destroying the fishermen's economies was not justified. The enviros, like Glen Spain with PCFFA, have been determined to pit farmers against fishermen with letters like he sent the Oregon trollers).

 

Ocean Protection Council hears from fishermen, posted to KBC Sept 12, 2008, Half Moon Bay Review, "First, we have to get the dams down," says PCFFA Zeke Grader. (KBC NOTE: Yet 2 or 3 yrs ago, Sacramento had a record run of salmon, like the Klamath and Columbia this year.)

 

PFMC Hears Progress Report On Analysis Of West Coast Salmon Stock Decline, CB Bulletin 9/12/08. "The anticipated return was so small that the PFMC in April set the most restrictive salmon fisheries in the history of the West Coast. They cited the Sacramento collapse and Sacramento River fall chinook and the exceptionally poor status of coho salmon from Oregon and Washington and adopted a complete closure of commercial and sport chinook fisheries off California and most of Oregon..."Studies, studies, studies, $, $, $, bumper fish in Columbia and Klamath, yet, "We're still very aware that ocean conditions were very poor in 2005, and little better in 2006,"

 

Analysis says more salmon coming into Klamath River, Eureka Reporter, posted to KBC 9/8/08

 

Judge's 'Tentative Thoughts' Lean Toward Approving Lethal Removal Of Sea Lions Followed by: More Fish, More Sea Lions Lead To Record Sea Lion 'Catch' In 2008. Columbia Basin Bulletin, posted to KBC 9/11/08

Fall Chinook Catch Rates Highest Since the 1980s; Record 14, 913 Fish Pass Dam In One Day, August 28, 2008 Columbia Basin Bulletin

 

Primetime nears for Klamath River salmon, The Daily Triplicate, posted to KBC 8/22/08. "As expected, this year's fall Chinook season on the lower Klamath River is shaping up to be a good one."

 

Where have all the fish gone? Fishing line, Sacramento Bee 8/21/08. "Trinity/Klamath rivers KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen--According to Rivers West Outfitters, there are so many Indian gill nets killing salmon and blocking the river that a boat can't negotiate down to the mouth. There weren't so many on Sunday near the shop, good news, but the Indians had only moved them farther upriver, bad news. Even so, excellent halfpounder steelhead action on the smaller fish that wiggle through the nets, and also big numbers of jack salmon with the occasional escapee adult."
The Great Lie, Pioneer Press, letter by Rick Crocker, Happy Camp. "I have been to the mouth of the Klamath and have seen many dead salmon, white and rotten, floating in some of the nets. There are hundreds of nets and then travel up river to the so-called reservoir and they have 100 yard long nets, of all size mesh, nets four inches, six inches, eight inches, who really knows. they monitor themselves on how many fish they count. A few Yuroks have told me and bragged about the fact that if they are allowed 40,000 salmon, they will take 60,000 or 80,000, however many they want..."

 

State closes ocean sport salmon season, Coos Bay World Link, posted 8/14/08

 

Fishing in a crowd can be fun, Times-Standard, posted 8/11/08. "The Klamath River is predicted to be full of salmon this fall." (KBC NOTE: wait, the Klamath River Tribes and environmentalists said the dams are causing the salmon to go "extinct", the dams are "genocide" for the tribes, thus the dams must be destroyed.)

 

Salmon catch eased on two rivers (Klamath and Trinity), SacBee, posted 7/28/08. "The action is possible because fish runs on those rivers are strong this year."

Klamath allocation of chinook looks good, Triplicate 7/11/08. "Larry Hanson, a senior biologist with California Department of Fish and Game, speaking from his office in Redding. 'This is the second-largest (fishing) allocation on the Klamath in the last 30 years....The commission has approved a catch allotment of 22,500 fall chinook salmon, and 11,250 of those would go to sport anglers in the Klamath below Weitchipec. The Klamath above Weitchipec is allowed about 3,800 salmon, and the upper and lower segments of the Trinity River will each get about 3,700 fish. The tribal allocation will be 27,000 salmon.' " KBC NOTE: Huh? According to 26 groups supporting downsizing ag and dam removal, including tribal leaders, enviros, and gov't agencies, the dams and algae and farmers and commercial fishermen have killed most all the fish on the Klamath, driving them to extinction. What's this "2nd largest fishing allocation" all about?????

 

Oregon approves $1 million allocation to help fishermen, Daily Astorian, posted 6/30/08

 

Governors of California, Oregon and Washington Urge President Bush to Provide Critical Funding to Fishing Families and Businesses, posted 6/27/08, Letter by Governors to President Bush.

 

Feedback: BiOp Challenge And Best Available Science, CB Bulletin 6/27/08. "So the radical environmental groups are suing once again to prevent the Federal dam operators from using the best available science to protect the Columbia River salmon. Between them and Judge Redden, they are the second most deadly force to the salmon in the region. Only the predacious birds, fish, seals, and sea lions kill more juvenile salmon each year."

 

Tribes Start Commercial Chinook, Steelhead Fishery And Direct Sales To Public, Columbia Basin Bulletin 6/20/08. "Sales are cash only."

 

Salmon Fishing Opens On Upper Salmon River First Time In 30 Years, CB Bulletin 6/20/08

 

Klamath allocation of chinook looks good, Triplicate 7/11/08. "Larry Hanson, a senior biologist with California Department of Fish and Game, speaking from his office in Redding. 'This is the second-largest (fishing) allocation on the Klamath in the last 30 years....The commission has approved a catch allotment of 22,500 fall chinook salmon, and 11,250 of those would go to sport anglers in the Klamath below Weitchipec. The Klamath above Weitchipec is allowed about 3,800 salmon, and the upper and lower segments of the Trinity River will each get about 3,700 fish. The tribal allocation will be 27,000 salmon.' " KBC NOTE: Huh? According to 26 groups supporting downsizing ag and dam removal, including tribal leaders, enviros, and gov't agencies, the dams and algae and farmers and commercial fishermen have killed most all the fish on the Klamath, driving them to extinction. What's this "2nd largest fishing allocation" all about?????

 

Lawmakers from Western states protest proposed $70 million cut, H&N, 6/12/08.(Farm Bill $ for fishermen)

NOAA plans to implement annual catch limits to stem overfishing, Eureka Reporter, posted to KBC 6/9/08

 

County decides to postpone ramp repair, May 31, 2008 by Nicholas Grube, Daily Triplicate: "They are actually looking forward to this season to get out of debt," Crandall said of some Klamath area business owners. "They've been handed a tremendous opportunity that nobody else in California has—fish, they got fish."

 

ODFW to blame for salmon decline, Myrtle Point , posted to KBC 5/31/08, Coos Bay World. "Now they are ... starting at 1 million in 1996 trickling down to 640,00 this past year. You could have at least 1 million smolt every year. Now ODFW wants 200,000 of these smolts ventral fin clipped. This is proven to equate a 20-percent morality rate. These people do not seem to care how many of the fish are killed."

 

New BiOp Based On Best Science And Better Collaboration, Say Feds, NW Fishletter, posted to KBC 5/30/08

Low West Coast salmon returns; why the variations, CB Bulletin, posted to KBC 5/20/08. "In 2005 a southward shift in the jet stream, delayed favorable winds and upwelling for the California Current, which normally begins in spring. The winds instead arrived in mid-July, causing high surface water temperatures and very low nutrient production within the nearshore marine ecosystem."

Salmon Population Declines In California, West Coast, Science Daily, posted to KBC 5/20/08. "Both hatchery and naturally produced fish have been negatively affected, and returns of coastal stocks in Oregon, in the Columbia River, and in British Columbia were all low in 2007. The decline seems to be a coastwide phenomenon, probably related to ocean conditions."

Salmon closure hits Winchester Bay hard, Oregonian, posted to KBC 5/13/08

 

Out-of-court agreement reached in sea lion case, posted 5/7/08. "The Humane Society of the United States has reached agreement with state and federal governments that blocks killing or permanent removal of sea lions in the Columbia River until early 2009."

Pinniped numbers below Bonneville hit new record; reported sightings above dam, CB Bulletin, posted 5/7/08. "From Jan. 11 through April 20 researchers have seen sea lions consume 1,791 chinook and 258 steelhead, with the peaks of the upriver run likely yet to arrive. Another 541 unidentified fish have been taken below the dam."

Oregon, Washington get nod to kill sea lions at Bonneville Dam, Oregonian, posted to KBC 3/20/08. "Federal fisheries managers are giving the go-ahead today for Oregon and Washington officials to trap and, if necessary, kill sea lions that wolf down thousands of salmon at Bonneville Dam every year."

 

Feds' fish aid plans pending; Headlight-Herald Staff 5/6/08. "If the $500,000 in aid to be distributed by Gov. Ted Kulongoski's office didn't sound like much to Oregon salmon fishers who have been left without a season, the figure $45 million may be more appealing."

 

Commerce Secretary Declares West Coast Fishery Failure; Opens Door for Disaster Relief. May 02, 2008, Columbia Basin FWS Bulletin

 

Salmon closure worst in history, H&N 5/2/08. "Spain, who helped negotiate the proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, said the West Coast closure is not related to ongoing fisheries problems in the Klamath River Basin." (KBC NOTE: This article quotes Glen Spain, PCFFA spokesman and Eugene attorney. Spain has initiated numerous lawsuits against Klamath irrigators...)

 

Council OKs salmon fishing on Klamath; DFG vote next, The Record-Stockton, 4/30/08. "But Chinook salmon fishing on the Klamath River will be open as usual, with a larger than normal quota (22,500 fish) allocated for the 2008 season. The Klamath Tribal allocation is 27,000 fish." (KBC NOTE: Fishing in the Pacific Ocean is shut down this season decimating the fishing industry and economies, Tribes want the Klamath dams out because they say it is causing the fish to go extinct, and the fish run on the Klamath is exceptional...?)
Foes of dams to confront Buffet again, Times-Standard posted 4/30/08
Salmon ban takes toll in Fort Bragg, Modesto Bee, posted 4/30/08

 

Looters Limit Out on BPA Salmon Dollars, James Buchal, posted to KBC 4/30/08
 

ODFW to Study Reintroduction of Salmon into Upper Klamath Basin, Columbia Basin Bulletin 4/18/08

 

Judge: harm to salmon justifies Columbia River sea lion removal, 4/18/07, Columbia Basin Bulletin.

 

Schwarzenegger commended for quick response to fisheries closure, Eureka Reporter, posted to KBC 4/13/08. (KBC Question for anyone who knows: Is any money going to the PEOPLE and communities being devastated by the closure, or is it only going to "restoration projects?")

 

ODFW announces limited ocean coho salmon season, ODFW, posted to KBC 4/13/08

 

Toxins found in Klamath fish, Study commissioned by (Karuk) tribe on river finds risk to public health, H&N, posted to KBC 4/13/08. Craig Tucker, Karuk spokesman, was previously activist with 'Friends of the River', an international dam removal group, and presently 'Riverkeeper.' Karuks along with Bobby Kennedy, President of Waterkeepers, filed a lawsuit against PacifiCorp to get the dams removed because of algae. A quote from Tucker 7/4/07: "It would be worth better understanding what they could to address the algae problem. But note that our push for dam removal comes with or without the algae as the dams remain a barrier to the recovery of salmon even if the human health threat of the toxic algae blooms were addressed." S. Craig Tucker, Ph.D., Klamath Campaign Coordinator, Karuk Tribe of California

Chinook season closed, The World Link, posted 4/13/08

KBC NOTE: Sea lions each kill several salmon per day. Sea lions have an unlimited salmon season.

Sea lion removals postponed to await looming court decisions, CBB, posted 4/13/08. "Last year an estimated 80 California sea lions made the 145-mile quest to the dam. Observers documented a sea lion "take" of 4.2 percent of the salmonid run in the waters immediately below the dam. Those fish include five salmon and steelhead stocks that are listed under the Endangered Species Act."
Followed by, Hazing not reducing sea lions' salmon catch."California sea lions were the primary predator of adult salmonids in the Bonneville Dam tailrace, accounting for 99.0 percent of the 8,946 observed adult salmonid catches over the recent three-year period, and 99.8 percent of the 4,957 observed chinook salmon catches...White sturgeon was the most commonly observed prey item for Steller sea lions, which made 97.8 percent of the 626 observed sturgeon catches since 2002."

Salmon fishing closure prompts Schwarzenegger to declare emergency, Sacramento Bee, posted 4/13/08

Alaska Cuts Chinook Quota Nearly 50 Percent, NW Fishletter #245, posted April 13, 2008. " it is widely recognized that unfavorable ocean conditions in 2005 and 2006 likely were a significant cause of the poor survival of chinook in the early part of their four- to five-year life-cycle, Some of these ocean conditions have moderated substantially and appear to be returning to a status more favorable to salmon populations."

Dr. Moyle, cited in Dan Bacher's article, "Peter Moyle's Commentary on Central Valley Chinook Salmon Decline" would like us all to believe that ocean conditions play a small role in today's salmon decline, note and links by Joseph Greene, EPA retired scientist, posted 4/13/08
Peter Moyle's Commentary on Central Valley Chinook Salmon Decline, Indy Bay, posted to KBC 4/13/08
2008 salmon forecast predicts 18th largest harvest since 1960, Alaska Journal of Commerce, posted 4/13/08."The total harvest is expected to include 672,000 Chinook salmon, 47.1 million sockeye salmon, 4.4 million coho salmon, 66 million pink salmon and 18.7 million chum."
Climate, Uncertainty and the Pacific Salmon Treaty: Insights on the Harvest Management Game, Miller et al, posted 4/13/08

 

Kruse: Salmon Run failures in 1997-1998, A link to Anamalous Ocean Conditions, posted to KBC 4/13/08

 

Agreements propose $980.5 million for projects; support for feds' salmon strategy, CBB, posted 4/13/08

 

Ocean conditions: do Columbia and Alaska chinook go to the same place? posted April 13, 2008, Columbia Basin Bulletin. "Blame for declining runs of Pacific Northwest salmon has been cast broadly: habitat loss from logging and development, an abundance of predatory sea lions, power-generating dams, terns and other coastal birds that prey on juvenile fish, and over-fishing by commercial and sport fishermen. But no factor is more critical to salmon prosperity than ocean conditions, experts say..."

 

Researchers hope to continue "River of Origin" salmon study, CBB, posted 4/13/08

Off the hook: Salmon fishing ban OK’d, Central Valley Business Times 4/10/08

Salmon fleets seek political help, The World, Coos Bay 4/10/08

Don’t take away my fishing hole, H&N 4/1/08. "If algae in the Klamath River is a problem caused by the PacifiCorp dam system, then please explain the source of the algae blooms in Lake of the Woods, Fish Lake, Hyatt Lake, and all the other fishing sources in the area."

$48 million requested for Basin, Rep. Greg Walden asks for money to research salmon disease in the Klamath River, projects at OIT, H&N 4/1/07
 

Klamath could be bright spot in a dark salmon fishing year, Times-Standard, 3/30/08.

 

The formula for allotting salmon, The Daily Triplicate 3/29/08

 

Oregon, Washington get nod to kill sea lions at Bonneville Dam, Oregonian, posted to KBC 3/20/08

 

Proposal calls for no Chinook season in OR/CAL, Coos Bay World Link, posted 3/16/08, followed by: Options set for salmon season

Low California salmon runs prompt coastal fishing closures, CB Bulletin, posted to KBC 3/16/08

Critical salmon situation calls for creativity, The World Link 3/16/08

What's happening in the ocean affects salmon the most, Modesto Bee, posted to KBC 3/11/08

 

NOAA research linking sea temperature swings to salmon return numbers, posted to KBC 3/9/08

 

Avoiding a salmon calamity, Contra Costa Times, 3/9/08. "So far, most of the blame for the salmon's collapse has been placed on ocean conditions. Specifically, the Pacific Ocean in 2002 entered a warm phase that delays the onset of current "upwelling" off the West Coast and starves the marine ecosystem of nutrients and food." (KBC NOTE: In 2002 there was a fish die-off of a bumper crop of Trinity River fish blamed entirely on Klamath Project irrigators hundreds of miles away. That spin is partly what "science" the tribes and enviros and PCFFA are using to rip out four Klamath hydro dams and confiscate thousands of acres of farmland in the 'Klamath Settlement'.)

 

Salmon fishermen: Outlook seems grim, but let's talk, The World News 3/5/08

 

Ocean blamed for salmon decline, The World News, posted 3/5/08

What is behind the salmon decline?, San Francisco Chronicle, posted 3/1/08

Managers float warning of "disaster" for 2008 Pacific salmon season, Eureka Reporter, posted 3/1/08

 

Records: No precedent to coastal dead zones, Area first showed in 2002 and has returned every year, H&N, posted to KBC 2/17/08.

 

Cold Ocean Means More Salmon, NW Fishletter 2/8/08. "But these days the Klamath seems to be doing just fine. About 50,000 wild fall chinook returned to spawn there last fall, twice the number from the previous year, and better than any of the three years before that."

 

Klamath deal could mean bigger sports fishing limits, Eureka Reporter, posted to KBC 2/7/08

 

Coho are once again listed as threatened, Oregonian 2/5/08

 

Briefs filed in appeals court on wild vs hatchery listing policies, cbbulletin 1/25/08

 

Klamath River salmon run hits another boom with more than 17,000 kings, Record, posted 1/23/08

 

In the midwest, there are tribal hatchery programs. In California/Oregon, tribes, fishermen, environmentalists and Klamath Water Users support removing hydro dams and eliminating hatchery fisheries:
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/ashland/mtan/mtanhome.html
http://www.fws.gov/arsnew/regmap.cfm?arskey=23127

 

Klamath Fish Disease Funding Meeting 1/15/07 Medford

 

Groups seek review of coho ruling; Lawsuit asks for endangered species designation decision, Capital Press, posted to KBC 1/12/08

 

Klamath salmon returns exceed goal, Oregonian, posted to KBC 1/12/08

 

1855: scarcity of fish in the undammed Klamath, by James Foley 1/3/08

 

12/29/07: Klamath Common Ground Mission: This group was originally begun with farmers and fishermen. Presently it consists of farmers, fishermen and tribes. One of the goals: "Advocate for a Long Lake conservation water storage project. The water to be dedicated to supply cold, clean water for down-stream main stem Klamath flows." (KBC NOTE: for the past several years, farmers have been advocating Long Lake storage to give them certainty in irrigation water. What's this?)
KCGA description 12/29/07
Klamath Fish Disease Funding Meeting 1/15/08
Improving Ecosystem Health to Reduce Disease in Klamath River Salmon, posted to KBC 12/29/07
Nichols K and K True. 2007. FY 2006 Investigational Report: Monitoring incidence and severity of Ceratomyxa shasta and Parvicapsula minibicornis infections in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Klamath River, 2006. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service California-Nevada Fish Health Center, Anderson, CA.

 

PRESS RELEASE: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Releases Final Report on Federal Fish Hatcheries in the Columbia Gorge, 11/19/07, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 

Salmon: slow start, strong finish, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 11/15/07

 

Trollers want disaster declared, The World Link, Coos Bay Oregon November 10, 2007

At peak of salmon spawning season, numbers of fish dwindling, Mercury News 11/5/07 (KBC NOTE: when fish decline in California it's blamed on the weather. When fish occasionally decline on the Klamath, it's blamed on farmers, miners, dams, and fishermen, and never ocean conditions or weather.)

Mismanagement and Lack of Oversight Threatening Future Salmon Fisheries, by fisherman Mike Aughney, posted to KBC 11/6/07. "There is one group that is getting far more than their allotted share and this is dooming other user groups to possible future closures. Yurok tribal gill-netters on the lower Klamath have likely far exceeded their annual quota... there is literally zero oversight from state or federal fishery management agencies..."

Task Force recommends lethal removal of California sea lions, CB Bulletin, posted to KBC 11/4/07

Preliminary 2007 coho hatchery escapements and dam counts, 11/1/07.

 

NOAA Fisheries Service Announces Actions to Mitigate Effects of Hydropower System, Recover Salmon Stocks; product of two-year collaboration with states and tribes, 10/31/07

Fishermen to meet with governor, ocean use debate, by Susan Chambers, The World Link, posted to KBC 10/28/07. "Verger said at a packed Aug. 22 OPAC meeting in Charleston that Coastal Caucus constituents have made it clear they’re unhappy with the marine reserves process and that OPAC and the governor’s office must work to gain back the trust of the public."..."Kulongoski forged ahead with his plans for protecting Oregon’s ocean in British Columbia on Tuesday."

 

"Klamath — Upper end below Iron Gate is plugged with king salmon, 8 to 20 pounds, the standard size for this river..." Record Net 10/24/07

 

"The (following) worksheets contain the latest Chinook salmon run update for the Bogus Creek and Shasta River Fish Counting Facilities.  The run estimate for this year is preliminary at this time.  On October 19th we experienced abnormally high flows for this day.   As a result the run size estimates for October 19 are incomplete because of turbid water and periodic power shortages..." Mark Hampton, CDFG Yreka, biologist Klamath River Project.
Cal. Dept Fish and Game adult Chinook video count Shasta River, Sept-Oct 2007.
CDFG adult Chinook video count Bogus Creek, Sept-Oct 2007

 

Shasta River Fish Counting, by California Fish and Game, 10/18/07
Bogus Creek fish count 10/18/07
Shasta River fish count summary, 10/18/07

 

10/18/07: We received this message from a coastal commercial fisherman: "Now is the time! It's estimated that more than 400,000 king salmon have invaded the Klamath-Trinity River system since heavy rains blew open the mouth of the river last week. Indian gill netters already have filled their quota of 21,000 fish, so there are no impediments to the spawning run. Driftboats are claiming limits of salmon, 8 to 14 pounds, with top fish going to 20 pounds. Fresh roe is the ticket. Good stretch is from Iron Gate Dam down to Interstate 5. Wild trout and steelhead to 16 inches are in the mix, as well. Stockton guide Dave Mierkey will be fishing daily through the end of October. Information:(209)475-0403 (Stockton); (530)842-2229 (Yreka)." (KBC Note: does this mean we can keep the dams in and let the farmers have irrigation water? Klamath Lake is at a 10-yr low.)

 

A salmon run for the ages, Record Net 10/17/07. "This year's spawning salmon run is one for the ages. Forecasters believe at least 400,000 adult kings - 8 to 20 pounds - will return to the Klamath....The great salmon run harkens to years ago when the Klamath River was a prime destination in the West for sport fishers. This year's steelhead migration will follow the spawning kings to snap up errant eggs, and likely place the Klamath back at the top of the state's anadromous streams. (KBC Note: evidently the glowing green algae is luring the salmon this season)

 

Panel studies options for lethal take of California sea lions 10/13/07 CB Bulletin

 

Fisheries must take new look at coho, Oregonian, posted to KBC 10/13/07

 

Secret lives of fish, Eureka Reporter, posted to KBC 10/1/07.  "A federal fisheries biologist has recently wrapped up a study hunting juvenile salmon fitted with sophisticated electronic tracking devices that promises to significantly boost scientists’ knowledge of an important, federally protected fish."

 

Groups take hatchery/wild listing issue to appeals court, 9/28/07 CB Bulletin.

 

Water tour brings stakeholders together; Klamath River Basin issues span cultures, states, livelihoods, Capital Press 9/28/07

 

Salmon Farming Controversy Goes to Ninth Circuit, Environment News, posted 9/18/07

 

Opposing Marine Reserves, Port of Garibaldi Resolution 2007-4, posted 9/16/07
RERUN: Oregon governor increases pressure to harm the coast, letter from Coos County Commissioner John Griffith,

 

The Endangered Species Act Out of Control, by John R. Lott Jr. and Sonya D. Jones September 04, 2007. "...does it really matter if a fish’s ancestors are from a hatchery or are naturally spawned? As it is, many so-called "wild" or naturally spawned salmon were all but gone and brought back through the use of hatcheries. Given that hatcheries have been around for over a hundred years, it's likely that all naturally spawned salmon have at least some hatchery-spawned ancestors."

 

Battle over hatchery listing policy goes to 9th Circuit Court, CB Bulletin 9/14/07

 

Iron Gate fish hatchery, Mail Tribune, posted 9/4/07

 

Rerun, lest we forget: Nature, Not Man, is Responsible for West Coast Salmon Decline, John Carlisle study, posted to KBC 2/2/06, A Publication of the National Center for Public Policy Research. "The immense influence of the oceanic cycle on salmon should give politicians and bureaucrats considerable pause before implementing costly policies that penalize people. Even if this natural cycle was not the culprit, the failure of past attempts to maintain or increase salmon populations suggest that a regulatory approach is not advisable."

Coalition appeals discounting of hatchery fish, 8/24/07
 

Ocean productivity, marine 'upwelling' driven by jet stream, CBBulletin, 8/17/07.

 

PLF Vows Appeal of Salmon Ruling So That All Fish Get Counted, Pacific Legal Foundation, posted 8/16/07

 

Fishermen discuss no-take zones, The Daily Triplicate, posted to KBC 8/7/07

 

Appeal takes hatchery/wild listing debate to ninth circuit, posted 8/4/07 Columbia Basin Bulletin

 

Hearing explores proposed bill to expedite sea lion removal, posted 8/4/07, Columbia Basin Bulletin

 

Guest Opinion: Are salmon really endangered? Sonya D. Jones, Pacific Legal Foundation, and John R. Lott Jr., author of Freedomnomics and senior research scholar at the University of Maryland, Statesman Journal 8/2/07

 

Scientists say coastal low-oxygen zones forming again, August 03, 2007, Columbia Basin Bulletin

 

Suckers show sign of recovery, H&N, posted to KBC 8/1/07. "(Tribal Chairman Joe Kirk) was disappointed the decision came while the Tribes and other Klamath Basin stakeholders are working to resolve Klamath River issues, including the future of four hydroelectric dams, coastal fisheries and irrigation and tribal needs. 'To have something of this importance dropped on us without consultation while we are trying to settle Basin resource issues is a disservice to everyone,' Kirk said." (KBC Question?? Since irrigators have done numerous conservation and habitat projects to make more suckers for the Tribes who want to restore their sucker fisheries and sucker diet, why aren't they rejoicing? Are there things in the secret settlement that would be affected by thriving suckers?)

 

FWS completes status review for Klamath sucker populations, 7/27/07

Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) Statement on Klamath Sucker Status Review, posted 7/27/07

 

NOAA indicators show improving ocean conditions for salmon, CBBulletin, posted to KBC 7/24/07.
This year's early zooplankton arrival bodes well for salmon, CBBulletin, posted to KBC 7/24/07

 

‘Science’ again trumps sense, Albany Democrat-Herald, posted to KBC 7/23/07. "In the case of Oregon coastal coho salmon, we’ve had another case of judicial interference with good sense and the political process on the grounds of, supposedly, “science” as required by the Endangered Species Act. FISHERMAN COMMENT: "In my experience, I've seen a steady upswing in Coho numbers for the past few years, and it's been the direct result of coordinated (not pure scientific) Oregon efforts. (volunteer stream enhancement projects, hatchboxes, etc.) Last week off Charleston, I caught and released over 50 fat ones."
(KBC COMMENT: Is it a surprise that Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, environmental group representing some California fishermen, sued against delisting coho, thus harming the fishermen. They've sued the Klamath Project so our power rate would increase 2400%. They sued to shut down coastal fishing seasons in the summer of 2006, decimating their livelihoods.)

 

Judge: Flawed science used in coho no-list decision, Capital Press, posted to KBC 7/20/07

 

Counts predict big year for little salmon, Oregonian 7/20/07

 

NOAA: Pacific Coast – Recovery Plan for Klamath River Coho Salmon Available Online, posted to KBC 7/20/07

 

Judge: Federal agency used flawed data in Ore. coho decision, The Oregonian, posted to KBC 7/18/07

 

Fish and Wildlife in Arcata website: Klamath River Pathogen monitoring, and   CERATOMYXA SHASTA:PRELIMINARY STUDY RESULTS, posted to KBC 7/15/07

 

Preliminary Oregon ocean commercial troll salmon catch and effort estimates for statistical week  25  (June 18  - June 24, 2007), and the Oregon ocean recreational salmon catch and effort estimates for stastistical week 26 (June 25-July 1, 2007 
You can view these and other ocean salmon reports on our website http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/salmon/catchindex.html

 

Klamath, Trinity rivers angling regulations have begun for 2007, Redding Searchlight, 7/8/07.

 

Scott Boley celebration of life 7/3/07

Oregon governor increases pressure to harm the coast, letter from Coos County Commissioner John Griffith, followed by Kulongoski's latest proposal outline, posted 6/15/07. "Gov. Ted Kulongoski has decided to increase pressure to evict us from our traditional marine fishing areas. He has changed the nature of a condemned 2002 Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) fishing closure proposal to relieve anti-coast activists from having to justify at all the closing of fishing areas, or of having to ever show that closing them caused any change to ocean and fisheries’ health whatsoever."

Salmon campaign by chefs skirts facts, Capital Press 6/15/07. "It may be easy to blame the four dams as the sole culprits for the endangered status of the fish but it isn't accurate."
 

A Man Would Lose His Land While Another Would Benefit, PRISTINE COHO SALMON HABITAT sacrificed for millionaire's golf course  NY Times June 15, 2007. "The family refuses to sell, so the town plans to use its power of eminent domain to acquire the land...'Its morally offensive for government to take one man’s land to benefit another,' Mr. Cook said."      Mr. Cook worked as a salmon fisherman, logger and log truck driver, scrambling in a variety of ways to earn enough to support his family. But after 18 years without an accident, the state took his truck license away because he has only one arm after a childhood accident."      Here for story by Cook and Moore to Klamath Water Users in '06 > Coastal Fishermen meet with Klamath Water Users What happened to Klamath River salmon?    HERE for NY Times VIDEO of the millionaire vs/Scott with our tax dollars.

Coastal Fishing advocate Scott Cook will lose land to wealthy developer, river will lose salmon.       Last year Cook came to Klamath Basin to find solutions with farmers: KBC Note & photo

Judge discounts hatchery fish in salmon recovery efforts, Capital Press 6/15/07

Senators hook help for salmon fishers; President signs Iraq War funding measure with fish aid add-on, The Daily Astorian, posted to KBC 6/2/07
 

Scott Boley with fishermen and farmers at October Potato Festival  in Merrill.

Fisherman Scott Boley, right KBC photos

Oregon coastal fisherman Scott Boley from Gold Beach passed away May 28. He and Klamath Basin farmer Dick Carleton brought their communities together in guiding tours, and bringing facts and science into finding Klamath Basin solutions and dispelling myths. Farmers and fishermen alike have lost a true friend. Local fishing leader, 58, dies, The World Link, posted 5/31/07 Annual fisheries research award in Scott Boley's memory, posted 6/9/07 Fishermen and farmers lose a friend, advocate, Scott Boley helped form an alliance in the Klamath Basin, Capital Press, posted to KBC 6/10/07

Salmon 'River Origin' ocean tracking program expands, CB Bulletin, posted to KBC 5/21/07. (KBC NOTE: Coastal commercial fishing was mostly shut down last year so fishermen would not catch Klamath River fish. The DNA tests found that only 5% of the West Coast catch was Klamath River fish.)

 

Management Council Picks Ocean Harvest Option, Fishletter, 4/16/07

SB986: "the gov picks the "conservationists, hunters and fishermen" as an emergency it takes effect July 1, 2007, if anyone quits, the governor immediately appoints someone he wants to fill that vacancy, the task force makes all its own rules"

Lawsuit Challenges Salmon Protection, by Jeff Barnard 4/18/07 Forbes

States seek permission to kill salmon-gobbling sea lions, by Les Blumenthal, McClatchy Newspapers, posted to KBC 4/18/07. "...an estimated 300,000 California sea lions inhabit the Pacific...

 

Summary of decisions at the April 2007 Pacific Fishery management council meeting, posted 4/18/07, Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife.

 

Acoustic tag study compares wild/hatchery migration habits, posted to April 14, 2007 Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Bulletin

 

Coho seasons get bump this year, Statesman Journal, posted 4/12/07

 

A city hooked on salmon, San Francisco Chronicle, posted to KBC 4/10/07. Go fish: The sportfishing season for wild chinook opened yesterday -- Bay Area anglers optimistic this year's catch will be better than in 2006. "Because the Klamath runs were fairly strong this year, commercial fishermen will enjoy more liberal quotas."

 

Limited salmon season worries fishers, The Daily Astorian, posted 4/10/07. "The decision to protect endangered runs of chinook salmon returning to the Columbia River and its tributaries means fewer of the river's fish will be caught." (KBC Note: Last summer, with a projected low chinook run on the Klamath, the feds practically shut down the West Coast fishery so Coastal Commercial fishermen wouldn't catch wild-spawned fall chinook. As it turned out, only 5% of all the fish caught were Klamath River fish.)

 

Coalition Says Court Ruling Sets Stage For Regional Salmon Recovery Solution, Coalition for Idaho Water, posted 4/10/07

 

Hatching new ideas, H&N 4/8/07

 

Federal fisheries managers prescribe final 2007 salmon quotas, Eureka Reporter, posted 4/7/07. "...3-year-old salmon from the Klamath River are at a near-record high, which was a tenfold increase of what was expected." (KBC NOTE: According to tribes, gov't agencies, and enviros, the Klamath Irrigators and Klamath dams are killing the fish and pushing them to extinction. 2007 "a near-record high"??)

Salmon seasons set for Oregon, California, Washington coasts, Seattle Post Intelligencer 4/6/07

CEO with a spine, by Bob Murray, NY Sun 4/3/07, on global warming.
 

This year's windy forecast calls for a lot of salmon, San Fransisco Chronicle, posted 4/3/07. (500,000 salmon Sacramento River, 515,000 from Klamath River; last year's record 1.7 million year-class of three-year-old salmon for the Bay Area coast had a terrible return due to poor feed and ocean conditions...conditions were terrible all the way up to Alaska last year. (KBC Note: tribes and enviros and gov't agencies are saying Klamath salmon are going extinct coastal fishing was shut down because of Klamath dams and Klamath project operations. Please read this article)

 

Oregon, Washington Fishermen Brace for Low Returns, Poor Salmon Season on Columbia, PRNewswire, posted 4/3/07 "...Failed federal policies keep leading to fisheries disasters along the entire West Coast, causing widespread economic hardship and social problems. Shortened seasons have already cost fishing families a lot. We need to develop real salmon solutions that don't put the full burden of recovery on the backs of fishing families."

 

Washington congressmen aim bill at salmon-munching sea lions, The Daily News, posted to KBC 3/30/07. "Hastings said taxpayers pay millions of dollars a year to protect salmon while the sea lions gorge themselves on the fish."

North Coast Harvest Options Shrink For Chinook, Better For South, NW Fishletter, posted 3/20/07. "The improved outlook for Klamath River chinook in 2007 should boost fishing opportunities significantly off the southern Oregon and northern California coasts. Managers have estimated the Klamath chinook age-4 component at the lowest level on record, around 26,000 fish, but the age-3 component, is estimated at the highest level on record--515,400 fish. Most spawners are age-4's." (KBC NOTE: We hear continually by the enviros and tribes that the Klamath salmon will become extinct unless the 4 Klamath Dams get removed. What's with this 'highest level on record' forecast?")

The Klamath Riverkeeper is filing a lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco against Warren Buffett's PacifiCorp for polluting the Klamath River, Indy Bay posted 3/28/07. spokesperson "Craig Tucker received his B.S. in biochemistry from Clemson University in 1993. He went on to get a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1999. After graduate school he gave up laboratory science for a career as an environmental and social justice activist. In 2000 Craig joined Green Corps, the field school for environmental organizing. While in Green Corp, Craig learned fundamental grassroots organizing skills. After Green Corps he worked as Outreach Director at Friends of the River, developing grassroots campaigns on a variety of California water issues. Each campaign was based on the connection between sustainable environmental policy and social justice. Currently Craig is the Campaign Coordinator for the Karuk Tribe's 'Bring the Salmon Home' campaign. The goal: removal of four dams on the Klamath River which would represent the largest dam removal project in history."

 

More salmon, longer seasons could be on tap for area anglers, The Register-Guard, posted  March 28, 2007

 

Federal suit filed against California hatchery, MLive.com, posted to KBC 3/28/07. "Klamath Riverkeeper, part of an environmental alliance headed by Robert Kennedy Jr., filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, alleging that discharges from the hatchery violated the Clean Water Act. At issue is the hatchery at the Iron Gate Dam located on the Klamath River near the Oregon border."

 

ODFW, trollers discuss fishery options, The World Link, posted 3/25/07. Last summer most the the Pacific Coast commercial salmon fishery was shut down so fishermen would not catch any Klamath Fall Chinook. Only "8 percent of the coded-wire tag returns in the sport sector were from Klamath River fall Chinook. The commercial sector, with all of the fishing occurring north of Florence, returned tags from Klamath River fish of 5 percent."

State approves coho recovery plan, Statesman Journal, posted to KBC 3/19/07

ODE honors farmer/fisherman effort; Groups recognized as Cooperators of Year, Capital Press 3/16/07. "We're looking for solutions that keep everyone in business," said Scott Boley, a fisherman from Gold Beach, Ore., who will accept the award on behalf of the Oregon Salmon Commission. After visiting back and forth informally, fishermen and farmers are now in the process of formally organizing as the Common Ground Alliance, a group that will represent natural resource interests and push for projects that benefit fish without harming agriculture."

Farmers and fishermen showed their unity at the Klamath Potato Festival in Merrill, Oregon last fall. The Oregon Department of Agriculture will recognize the two groups as Cooperators of the Year at the 2007 Ag Progress Awards Dinner in Salem on March 22.

House bill would spend $60 million for salmon disaster posted 3/14/2007, KGW NW News Channel 8

Panel: Ease limits on Klamath River salmon; Expected record run of chinook prompts federal group to call for longer season, H&N posted 3/13/07 "A record run of chinook salmon is expected for California’s Klamath River basin this year"

 

A summer-long salmon season? Curry Pilot, posted to KBC 3/12/07

Salmon fleet setting out early, 3/10/07, Oregonian.

Federal panel proposes longer salmon season, fewer restrictions, 3/9/07, San Jose Mercury.

Big Klamath River chinook salmon run may ease restrictions, March 6, 2007 Sacramento Bee, "As many as 65,000 chinook returned to the Klamath River during the fall run, nearly double the minimum required by state and federal fisheries regulators who monitor the declining population." Followed by Thousands of chinook returned to Klamath River, Santa Cruz Sentinel

Oregon and Washington expand hazing efforts to deter sea lions from preying on salmon and steelhead, ODFW, posted to KBC 3/6/07

Salmon season on hold until federal findings are released, H&N 3/5/07
 

Fish and Game Commission denies coho delisting petition, Capital Press, posted 3/2/07. "James Buchal, a Portland attorney ... argued that the evidence shows the coho is not a native species in the region and efforts to restore its population are unwarranted, especially in light of the state's budget constraints."

 

Hazing starts for fish-gobbling sea lions in Columbia River, March 02, 2007  Fish and Wildlife Columbia Basin Bulletin
 

Klamath salmon forecast bodes well, Times Standard 3/1/07

 

Projected salmon rebound casts hope on murky situation, Times Standard 2/23/07. (KBC Note: according to Oregon trollers, during the 2006 salmon season,only 5% of the catch came from Klamath River, yet the feds shut down most of their fishing.)

 

* NOAA seeks comment on ocean fisheries research plan 2/23/07

 

Harbormaster Resigns, World Link, posted to KBC 2/20/07. "It was early last week when Harbormaster Don Yost was requested to sign a letter notifying a handful of boat owners that access to their vessels would be restricted and the boats would be impounded, Yost said. But Yost found he couldn't sign those letters."

 

* Klamath River Fall Chinook Age-Specific Escapement,River Harvest, and Run Size Estimates, 2006 Run, Klamath River Technical Advisory Team, posted 2/20/07
* Ocean Abundance Projections and Prospective Harvest Levels for Klamath River Fall Chinook, 2007 Season1, Klamath River Technical Advisory Team, posted 2/20/07

 

Value Of 2006 West Coast Salmon Season Down 62 Percent, Fish Letter 2/20/07

 

Don't get hooked by Salmon Planning Act, posted 2/20/07. Letter by Congressman Hastings and signed by five congressmen, sent to Republican Congress colleagues. "Salmon returns in the Pacific Northwest have rebounded to record levels in recent years in response to habitat improvements and  changing ocean conditions.

 

Chinook salmon season looks brighter, council says, posted 2/18/2007 The Oregonian. "About 60,000 wild fish are expected to return to the Klamath river to spawn, well above the 35,000 returning salmon that biologists set as a minimum level."

 

 Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking Project (POST): Results from the Acoustic Tracking Study on Survival of Columbia RiverSalmon, 2006

 

Salmon numbers better than expected; Fall Chinook return tops predictions by 8,000; coho also are up sharply, World Link, posted to KBC 2/15/07

 

Where have all the salmon gone?, Pioneer Press, posted 2/8/07

 

Lean year for salmon on Klamath, Times Standard Online, posted 2/7/07

 

Process Begins To Consider Lethal Removal of Sea Lions, Columbia Basin Bulletin 2/2/07

 

Two-day Klamath River Basin Fish Health Conference begins today by Nathan Rushton, posted 1/31/2007 (KBC NOTE: NOAA Fisheries, USFWS & USGS sponsor this 'objective' event. Consulting Fisheries Biologist Pat "Higgins helped create the Klamath Basin Tribal Water Quality Work Group web site at www.klamathwaterquality.com, which is aimed at educating the community about water quality problems in the Klamath River and offering solutions to solve them." Two photos they offer...one of dead fish and one of the Klamath Project saying it is polluted. Objective gov't sponsored conference?? These tribes and agencies are our FRIENDS now)

 

5 dozen killer whales believed to be hunting salmon off S.F. coast, SF Chronicle 1/30/07

 

Briefings debate how hatchery salmon fit with ESA listings, CB Bulletin, posted 1/27/07

 

NOAA seeks comment on ocean fisheries research plan, CB Bulletin, posted 1/27/07

 

Utility defends Klamath River hatchery, H&N 1/19/07

 

Bush signs country's leading fishery management law, CBBulletin 1/19/07. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (HR 5946

 

CALIFORNIA Seals, sea lions may endanger state's fisheries, San Francisco Chronicle 1/15/07, "About 240,000 California sea lions and 60,000 Pacific harbor seals live off the U. S. West Coast. It's not simply that they eat thousands of salmon that might otherwise be caught by people, say fishermen -- the critters may also negatively affect federal fishing regulations." (KBC editor note: (The environmental editor throws in habitat destruction, while nothing is mentioned about the State failing to run the hatcheries properly.  In fact that is why they attack hatcheries, to remove them from the solution equation.  The reason the hatcheries were built was to supplement lost spawning territory)

 

Bush signs fishing reform legislation, Sacramento Bee 1/12/07. "...the bill includes language to speed recovery of Klamath River salmon stocks in California and Oregon. For fishermen adversely affected by recent closures aimed at protecting threatened fish, there would be disaster relief programs."

 

Half a million chinook salmon fry die, Herald and News, posted 1/8/08. "About 600,000 of the 750,000 fry being raised at the Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery for release in spring 2008 died after workers left Tuesday." (KBC note: here is an example of how hatchery fish were, and could continue to be, used to enhance the Klamath River stocks if it weren't prohibited by NOAA Fisheries. The feds have chosen to shut down coastal commercial fishing and decimate the fishing industry)

 

Trollers renew push for federal aid, by Susan Chambers, Coos Bay World, posted January 7, 2007, "Issuing these disaster funds is a top priority for our constituents and is supported by the governors of Washington, Oregon and California, our county boards of supervisors, the Klamath Water Users Association and the California Chamber of Commerce....”

 

Contradictions, Lies and Inconsistencies Regarding Salmon and Dams, By James Foley, Hamburg, posted 12/23/06 "Removal of theses Dams will not solve the algae issues nor will it change them.  The Klamath River contains high levels of Phosphorus which the algae thrives on. This is a natural occurrence starting with the artesian wells, springs and rivers that feed the Klamath River in Oregon and Upper Klamath Lake."

 

Spring chinook forecasts disappointing, The Columbian, posted to KBC 12/23/06

 

A 'quick reference guide' to new elements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that may impact domestic fisheries management, posted to KB C 12/18/06 

 

* The effect of ocean Conditions on salmon survival and returns  POWER POINT presented by Joseph C Greene, Research Biologist of Greene Environmental Services 6/11/06

 

New ocean index tool forecasts northwest salmon return, December 15, 2006, Columbia Basin Bulletin, Fish and Wildlife News. "NOAA Fisheries scientists said this week that ocean conditions this year are about average for juvenile salmon entering the Pacific Ocean and vastly improved over the poor conditions observed in 2005, which should be good for adult salmon returns to Pacific Northwest rivers over the next two years."

 

Trinity River hatchery (fish) trapping summary: "Attached is an excel spreadsheet containing trapping information for two mainstem weirs (both out for the season) and Trinity River Hatchery (through Nov. 25).  The hatchery will be conducting spawning activities
into the spring for steelhead.  Chinook and coho salmon runs to the hatchery will continue into early January. Wade Sinnen, Associate Biologist, Trinity River Project, CA Dept. of Fish and Game, posted 12/14/06

The mystery of the disappearing Sacramento River salmon, posted 12/14/06 Indy Bay.

No help from feds for idled salmon fishermen, The Tribune, posted 12/14/06. (KBC NOTE: according to Oregon salmon trollers, government agencies regulating the fisheries and limiting hatchery fish has caused the fisheries shut down this year. But Congressman Thompson continues to blame Klamath irrigators and water management for fish die-off, in spite of the science to the contrary. He continually supports further downsizing agriculture)

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act Passes Congress, NOAA 12/12/06.

 

The preliminary 2006 coho returns for selected areas and facilities, 12/7/06

 

Sea lions become targets on Columbia River, OCRegister, posted 12/6/06 "Such is the case with more than 100 California sea lions that reportedly kill about 3,000 spring Chinook salmon and steelhead annually at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River"

 

Public hearing set for Thursday regarding displaced fishers grants, Newport News Times, posted to KBC 12/03/06

 

Salmon money in limbo, TheWorldlink.com, December 2, 2006  

 

Klamath Water Users Association letter to the Senate re: Salmon Commercial Fishery Failure Emergency Funding, 12/1/06 Letter to House Appropriations Committee

 

Siskiyou County drug trade and corruption by John Martinez, Pioneer Press 11/29/06 "The farmers and ranchers are getting blamed for the fish. Why are we not hearing about the nets and the big fishing companies?" "If the fish really mattered we would not see Tribes raping the fisheries with gill nets, Tribes wholesaling to Asian fish cartels, environmentalists dumping drug related production chemicals into pristine creeks and of course we'd see a tremendous effort to establish hatcheries in each tributary of each river..."

 

Ocean's early demise disputed, Fishers, other marine experts say pessimistic report unduly alarmist, Monterey Herald 11/28/06

States seek authority to kill sea lions eating salmon, Oregonian, posted to KBC 11/28/2006

11/25/06: "Dear Mr. Secretary: Below this message is attached the latest on the West Coast Salmon Disaster Aid available to displaced Oregon Salmon Trollers in two counties. I must say you were able to drag your feet like all good bureaucrats.  You said a lot, you did nothing!  Shame on you! ..." followed by: Housing help available to fishermen, The World Link, posted to KBC 11/26/06

 

A Revolution In Fish Tracking Gets Under Way, Fishletter, posted 11/21/06 "Other new research that may shed light on the vagaries of barging fish reported that overall, barged fish were in better shape than their inriver brethren, based on lab tests that assessed their ability to ward off marine bacteria" (this Columbia Basin report has many important points being discussed for the Klamath River dams, such as, barging of fish, disease, and survival.)

 

In north-central Washington, coho salmon are fighting the odds, Seattle Times, posted 11/21/06. "Now they are being revived with the aid of humble hatchery stock transplanted from the Lower Columbia River."

California puts severe limits on ocean fishing, Herald and News 11/20/06

Salmon rule gets preliminary OK, H&N 11/18/06 ‘‘This is certainly not acceptable to ocean commercial fishermen. It does not provide us with a means to access very many healthy hatchery stocks at all.’’

 

Corps holds four-day anadromous fish research conference, cbbulletin, posted 11/18/06, "Sea lions were, for the most part, undeterred in their pursuit of salmon in the waters below Bonneville Dam this past spring and early summer despite efforts of biologists, and noise-making devices to shoo the large marine mammals away."

 

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Seeks Comments On Rules For Grants To Employ Displaced Fishers, Applegate Oregon News, posted 11/17/06

 

Preliminary Oregon ocean commercial troll salmon catch and effort estimates for statistical week 44 (October 23 -October 29, 2006) and Week 45 (October 30 - November 5, 2006)
Oregon ocean recreational salmon catch and effort estimates for statistical week 45 (October 30-November 5, 2006).

 

NOAA Salmon Recovery Plans; public input by Nov 13, 06

 

Fishermen spawn Chinook at Indian Creek hatchery, posted 11/12/06

 

Second round of financial assistance available to qualified Oregon salmon fishers, Deadline Nov. 9, Newport News Times, posted to KBC 11/3/06

 

Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife preliminary 2006 Oregon Ocean Commercial Troll Salmon Catch and Effort Estimates Through Week 43   (October 16 – October 22) After deducting the 10,000+ Chinook landed North of Cape Falcon, the resulting Oregon Troll landed Chinook Catch through October 22 is approximately 8.6% of the highly restricted 2005 landed catch.  This is at a minimum 3.4% below that originally estimated by NOAA or 12%. You can view these and other ocean salmon reports: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/salmon/catchindex.html

 

Sucker fish return in droves, Herald and News 11/2/06, "In August, the Klamath Project's A-Canal fish screen and bypass facility at the southern part of the lake recorded 4,000 juvenile suckers per hour entering the lake. About 50 per hour were counted in 2004."

 

Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment for Pacific Coast Salmon Plan amendment, an opportunity to provide de minimus ocean fishing opportunity for Klamath River Fall Salmon Chinook, Pacific Fishery Management Council November 2006

 

Council Boosts Funding For Controversial Fish Survival Study, Questions Others, Fishletter October 31, 2006, "they strongly suggest that the ocean plays the critical role in the management and conservation of Columbia River salmon stocks, and that ignoring these issues leads to more blame being ascribed to the hydro system than is, in fact, appropriate."

 

Farmers and fishermen have Klamath solutions; Feds continue to regulate and decimate both industries. Farmers' and Oregon Trollers' met in Merrill, by Jacqui Krizo, KBC News Editor October 29, 2006 "A fisherman said that Congress came up with 18 million dollars for the Klamath, and we've been waiting 20 years for the different agencies to fix the Klamath. "It's come to an unadulterated disaster. We've had to learn fisheries biology and had to become experts to fix these problems." He asked Walden if he could assist in a bottom-up approach because the agencies have had 20 years." Congressman Walden asked, "Does Glen Spain from PCFFA represent you," and they all responded at once, "No." Spain wrote the trollers a letter saying Klamath Water Users do not care about fish."...they care about making sure they have all the irrigation water they want, and the fish be damned."

Oregon Trollers, with Bill Kennedy (r) Klamath Basin Farmer.

 

Spud festival brings water talk, Coastal fishermen, Klamath irrigators work together for solution to water issue, Capital Press 10/27/06

 

Hatchery review aims to balance harvest, ESA protections, October 27, 2006 Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Bulletin

 

CDFG Fishery Bulletins Available Online; 178 of the historic California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG) Bulletins, dating back to 19I3, are now available online at: http://ceo.ucsd.edu/fishbull/ Note that Bulletin 34 is on Klamath salmon.
 

Farmers, fishermen meet, by Pat Ratliff, Pioneer Press 10/25/06

 

Fishermen, farmers agree on ideas for Klamath River fixes, by Susan Chambers, October 23, 2006 The World Link World Photos by Susan Chambers Gold Beach fisherman Scott Boley, left; Merrill potato and alfalfa farmer Dick Carleton; and Charleston fisherman Paul Merz talk during lunch in Merrill during the Potato Festival on Saturday. Several fishermen traveled to the Klamath Basin to continue discussions about how fishermen and farmers can work together to develop solutions to water issues that affect several entities along the Klamath River.

 

Farmers and Fishermen met in Merrill, by Senator Doug Whitsett, Oregon District  #28 October 23, 2006, Klamath Basin farmers and commercial salmon fishermen..."met for nearly two hours of conversation with Congressman Greg Walden and Ron Saxton at the Merrill Civic Center."..."...the whiting fish harvest, licensed by NOAA fisheries, landed 200,000 metric tons of white fish this season. Their “by catch”, or accidental harvest, included some 13,000 salmon. Those salmon were sold at Oregon ports while our salmon fishing fleet was tied to the dock. Commercial fishermen were fortunate to land 350 salmon during their entire short season."

 

Salmon tracing study a success; may expand to entire coast, posted 10/23/06 Columbia Basin Bulletin. "In their study, the OSU scientists found that about 5 percent of the fish caught off the Oregon coast originated from the Klamath basin."

 

10/20/06: Klamath Basin Farmers  and Oregon Coastal Salmon Fishermen met in Merrill in the Klamath Basin to discuss their situations. Of the fish they caught all summer, only 5% were Klamath River fish, yet 700 miles of fishing was curtailed in the guise of catching too many "Klamath River Chinook".  It makes as much sense as shutting down the Klamath irrigation project when only 4% of water at the mouth of the Klamath River is from the Klamath Project.They meet again tomorrow.     More story coming soon from KBC.

Bonneville Dam, WA: Hasting, Baird take aim at sea lions preying on endangered salmon; Lawmakers Unveil Bipartisan Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act, October 16, 2006 "When we're spending hundreds of millions per year in direct spending on salmon recovery, our region cannot afford to ignore the impact of these sea lions," said Hastings."

 

Branding helps target problem sea lions, H&N, posted to KBC 10/16/06

 

Upstream Battle to Save the Salmon, Wall Street Journal letter by Bob Lohn, Northwest Regional Director NOAA Fisheries, posted to KBC 10/8/06

 

What happens to snowpack trickles down to fisheries, Capital Press 9/22/06
Heat threatens hardy salmon, Capital Press 9/22/06

 

Feds consider easing catch limits on Klamath salmon, Oregonian 9/21/06. "Scott Boley, a salmon fisherman and seafood market owner from Gold Beach, Ore. and a former member of the council, said adopting the more flexible standard would help.".... "The Karuk Tribe, which harvests salmon after they swim up the Klamath River, opposes the change, said spokesman Craig Tucker."

 

Net Loss Inside the Failure Of $8 Billion Effort To Save Prized Fish Salmon, Get Tracking Devices Yet Few Survive Long Trip Through Bonneville's Dams,  Protected Sea Lions Abound, Wall Street Journal, posted 9/20/06

 

Pacific Coast – NOAA to Develop Recovery Plans for California Salmon and Steelhead, 9/19/06.  Public input due November 13, 2006

 

Wildfire's long-term effect on fish unknown, Billings Gazette, posted to KBC 9/18/06. (Question from KBC to any fish scientist: Were there any studies done in 2002 regarding the Biscuit fire's effect on the Klamath River and tributaries and the fish die-off?)

 

'Dead zones' spread, thicken off NW coast; Oceanic wastelands may be becoming more severe, researchers say, The Oregonian, posted to KBC 9/14/06 (KBC Note: It's interesting that, according to a commercial coastal salmon troller, the few days that the fishermen were allowed to fish were in the "dead zones." Our government seems to value the survival of the fishermen as much as survival of Klamath Basin farmers.)

 

Fisheries and resource officials meet, by Nathan Rushton, 9/9/2006, The Eureka Reporter

 

The following was sent to KBC by Coastal Fishermen: Gov. Schwarzenegger Responds to Legislature Blocking Relief Package for Salmon Fishermen, Industry, Governor's Office, followed by: Prospects dim for relief bill to help CA salmon fishermen, SF Chronicle, and Bush OKs $800M For Drought Relief, CBS News, posted to KBC (Fishermen are devastated by government decimating the coastal fishing seasons, yet confused when their government provides 800M for farmers and ranchers. KBC) posted to KBC 8/30/06

 

Payments leave some fishermen short, The World Link 8/22/06 Salmon aid checks to arrive, Coos Bay World, posted to KBC 8/22/06 Note from Coastal Fisherman: "What about the troller living in a Garage in Pacific City, who didn't receive a check and had to borrow money for Fuel from another troller who received less than $250 so he could fish North of Cape Falcon ?  Perhaps the Administrators should take a big step back or hire someone with Common Sense."

Family Farm Alliance Applauds Fish Declaration, posted to KBC 8/16/06 "The coastal salmon issue – characterized by most media accounts as a divisive “farmer vs. fishermen” issue – has been manipulated by certain environmental groups that place the blame for the fishery restrictions on irrigation and dams located on the Klamath River. The attached Issue Alert! tells another story." Dan Keppen Executive Director Family Farm Alliance
The following is a prime example of green media pitting farmers against fishermen, and green politicians using the fisheries closure to advocate farm downsize and dam removal: California-Oregon Fishery 'Failure' Declaration Triggers Financial Aid, LA Times, posted to KBC 8/16/06

The actual Fisheries Disaster Declaration by the Department of Commerce, posted 8/16/06

**“Fishermen and Farmers Can Coexist, and We Will Coexist” by Dan Keppen, Executive Director Family Farm Alliance, Klamath Falls, Oregon 8/15/06 "The farmers and fishermen proposed similar solutions, including the need to address disease issues in the Klamath River, modernize and expand hatchery operations, control seal lion predation at the mouth of the Klamath, and improve real-time ocean management. Notably, both sides advocated for increased flexibility of Klamath Project operations, through regulatory measures and the development of new offstream storage like Long Lake, just west of Klamath Falls."

**Fisheries Disaster Declaration by Senator Doug Whitsett, Oregon District 28, 8/15/06

**Scott Boley, Oregonian Salmon Troller Responds to Oregonian Article "Feds declare fishery disaster" by Peter Sleeth, posted to KBC 8/15/06 "...I was puzzled by why you would quote Glenn Spain, who is only allied with California's Industry, and not talk to a real Oregon fisherman or a member of the only active organization that speaks for Oregon's Salmon Industry, The Oregon Salmon Commission. Mr. Spain to my knowledge represents not a single Oregon Troller, not one, and for you to quote him and not someone from Oregon's Industry is misleading to the public at best. Oregons Salmon Fishermen are active, organized, and working on solutions, and it is not under PCFFA's banner, or under the banner of Mr. Spains IFR group."

**Dick Carleton, Merrill Oregon, Responds to Oregonian Article "Feds declare fishery disaster," posted to KBC 8/13/06  "Perhaps if he (Steve Pedery of ONRC) and Mr. Spain and Mr. Grader would work with us to get good science and find real solutions instead of looking for a lawsuit to file we might make some progress."
FOLLOWED BY Oregonian article

Talks follow fishery failure proclamation, TheWorldLink.Com, posted to KBC 8/13/06. "Both farmers and fishermen said that the perception in the past has been that the groups are at odds. That's not true, they said."

A brighter future for salmon; Barcodes, genetic testing could help West Coast fleets, H&N 8/13/06

"* PRESS RELEASE: Commerce Department Declares Commercial Fishery Failure for Coastal Oregon and California 8/10/06
* PRESS RELEASE: California Senator Diane Feinstein's office  August 10, 2006, Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Declares Commercial Fishery Failure for Pacific Salmon Fisheries. This release contains quotes from Oregon and California Senators, Congressmen and Governors.

 

Aug 9 spotted owl hearing

 

Sea lions horn in on south coast fish Salmon - Most of Gold Beach's sport catch was being stolen right off of anglers' gear, which led to hiring hazers, Oregonian 8/8/06

 

Oregon allows trollers to catch a few more salmon, H&N 8/7/06

 

Research uses DNA to identify ocean salmon's home river, CB Bulletin 8/4/06/

 

2006 Klamath River Pathogen Monitoring, FWS, posted to KBC 7/22/06. "Attached are updated 2006 disease incidence rate data thru 7 June for Chinook and coho salmon collected from the Klamath River. Please note that all data presented are preliminary, as noted in table captions. Sample collections from the upper two reaches (Iron Gate-Shasta, Shasta-Scott) were terminated last week due to low to zero catch rates. Laboratory processing is on-going for samples collected after 7 June, as is summarization of CPUE data from collections. We will distribute summaries of these preliminary data when they become available. We also want to recognize the efforts of Tribal and Agency crews on the river for their assistance in collecting samples and to Kim for providing the attached summary." Nicholas J. Hetrick Fisheries Program Leader Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office, USFWS
 

Letter from Oregon troller Scott Cook responding to letter from Zeke Grader, PCFFA, posted to KBC 7/20/06. "Zeke. you just don't get it...if you read Don's letter of the 18th, that is what we feel, we hope you folks will stay out of this long enough so we can get things done.. all the pcffa has done is file law suit after law suit, when we the Oregon troll fleet are in..."

Oregon Salmon Commission Tours the Klamath Project, Klamath Courier, 7/14/06

Coastal fishermen, farmers expand alliance, Capital Press, 7/14/06.

 

Senators secure $10 million in salmon aid, KTVZ 7/13/06 Small business disaster assistance Loan Guarantee Program for California Salmon Fisherman, Ca Dept of Food and Agriculture, posted to KBC 7/9/06 Declaration Concerning the Klamath River Fall Chinook Salmon Fishery, THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE,  July 6, 2006, posted to KBC 7/9/06 PRESS RELEASE: Gutierrez Announces Klamath River "Fishery Resource Disaster," Immediate Steps to Help Fishing Communities, Department of Commerce July 6, 2006, posted to KBC 7/9/06

PRESS RELEASE: KWUA applauds Secretary of Commerce's disaster declaration for fisheries, KWUA July 7, 2006

 

(9th Circuit)Court rejects challenge to salmon rules to commercial fishermen, posted to KBC 7/6/06

 

Irrigators make their case, H&N 7/6/06. Coastal commercial salmon fishermen came for tour of the Klamath Project.

 

Cycle of life in ocean spinning into extremes, Oregonian 7/5/06. A county supervisor sent this article to KBC:  "I think it speaks to the fact that the low salmon numbers are not due to flows, but to oceanic conditions."

 

DISCRIMINATION OTHER PLACES: Salmon run expected among best in 15 years, The Globe and Mail, posted to KBC 7/5/06  "The court ruled that the fishery is not discriminatory, but every fisherman who is not fishing today knows he is not fishing because he has the wrong blood in him. That is discrimination, no matter how it is [written] in the law."

 

Commission on salmon to visit Klamath Basin, theworldlink.com, posted to KBC 7/3/06

Proposed research project could change coast fisheries management, Newport News Times, posted to KBC 7/3/06

Cracking down on thieving sea lions, mail Tribune, posted to KBC 7/3/06

 

Salmon still struggle 20 years later, Federal funding about to run out on Klamath effort, Capital Press, posted to KBC 7/01/06. 
Related articles: (Where did the federal Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force money go?, Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong 10/23/05)
Fisheries Task Force stirs up health concerns; Are your tax dollars well-spent? Klamath Courier posted to KBC 10/29/05

 

Oregon Dept Fish and Wildlife preliminary 2006 Oregon Ocean Commercial Troll Salmon catch and effort estimates through week 24, June 5-11, posted to KBC 7/1/06

 

Schwarzenegger backs $35 mil. relief package for Calif. fishermen, Mercury News 6/30/06.  

 

DeFazio and west coast members win assistance for salmon fishers, posted to KBC 6/29/06. 

 

Aid for salmon trollers: $500,000 by Susan Chambers, Staff Writer TheWorldLink.com ,
 posted to KBC 6/29/06

Oregon to provide $1 million to coastal fishermen, The Associated Press and The Daily Astorian
6/25/06.

Panel passes aid package for fishermen, Statesman Journal 6/23/06.

Kulongoski asks legislators to help out salmon trollers, Oregonian 6/22/06.

 

PRESS RELEASE: NOAA status of stocks report shows progress, sustainability in America's fisheries, 6/20/06.

 

PRESS RELEASE: Senate passes Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization  Pombo, Frank, Young encourage House to move quickly on H.R. 5018, HCR 6/19/06

 

Research:  Adult Salmon Survival 98 Percent Dam to Dam, cbbulletin.com 6/16/06. "This is good news if we are only losing 1 or 2 percent of the fish migrating upstream."
 

Salmon legislation may bring some relief, Ukiah Daily 6/16/06
6/16/06 Letter from environmental groups to Congress regarding disaster relief for coastal fishermen, and money to "fix" Klamath's problems, which according to this letter are caused by dams and Klamath irrigators.KBC
Klamath Water Users Response to Thompson Bill 4/21/06

 

NOAA Developing Tools to Match Ocean Conditions, Fish Runs, 6/16/06

 

Newport - Lincoln County will help pay moorage for fishermen hurt by reduced season, Oregonian, posted to KBC 6/16/06
 

PRESS RELEASE: Wyden gets disaster declaration for salmon fishermen into Magnuson-Stevens, Senator removes "hold" on the major fisheries bill, 6/15/05
PCFFA Memo on Klamath/DC Trip  6/12/06 from Zeke Grader to California fishing interests.

 

A boatload of misery, With the season cut by 80 percent, the fishing industry is struggling to stay above water, The Register-Guard, June 11, 2006 (Oregon Troller view of the 2006 Season as it begins). More on government-inflicted fisheries disaster HERE

 

Pacific Fisheries Management Council (which recommended curtailing the Coastal salmon fishing) requests $25 million for 2007, 6/13/06 pdf file.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Fisheries Task Force stirs up health concerns. Are your tax dollars well-spent? Klamath Courier  Reporter  Oct 26, 2005

 

FOR THE SCIENTISTS: FWS 2006 Klamath River Pathogen Monitoring report, 6/13/06, Word Document "As a component of Klamath River fish health assessment the California-Nevada Fish Health Center is examining juvenile Klamath River Chinook and Coho Salmon to monitor the incidence of Ceratomyxa shasta and Parvicapsula minibicornis infection."

 

Canadian scientists predict poor salmon runs, Toronto Globe, posted to KBC 6/13/06. (The National Academy of science, and other objective scientists such as Canadians, understand the reasons for salmon decline, especially ocean conditions. On the Klamath River, with agendas to decimate the farming and commercial fisheries, environmentalists, attorneys and government agencies are bent on blaming lake levels and river flows, disregarding peer reviewed science. Thus, the Klamath Crisis, 'waterbank to increase river flows, agenda to remove dams, and blame towards fishermen, farmers and miners. KBC)

Canadian ocean report observes impacts to marine web, fish, June 9, 2006.

 

Poor salmon runs feared due to warming Pacific, The Globe and Mail 6/8/06. "The seventh annual State of the Pacific Ocean report, which was compiled by more than 30 scientists from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, predicts poor salmon runs this summer and fall because of poor ocean conditions dating back three years."
* ("Isn't it interesting that this honest scientific reporting on conditions effecting salmon growth and survival has to come from scientists residing OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES!" Joe)
* (On the Klamath, agenda-driven NOAA Fisheries, Tribes, Pacific Management Council, PCFFA and enviros blame the Klamath Project for poor PROJECTED runs on the Klamath. KBC)

 

DFO report: Warming seas hard on salmon, Sandra McCulloch, Times Colonist June 08, 2006

 

(California) Governor to provide loan guarantees to salmon fishermen, Mercury News, posted to KBC 6/7/06

 

Wyden blocks major fisheries legislation, Wyden News Release 6/6/06

 

 Kulongoski tells trollers he's working on aide, Oregonian, posted to KBC 6/5/06

 

Fishermen decimated by government, Klamath farmers help, enviros blame, and Kulongoski offers welfare list, 6/2/06 for KBC.  Coos County Commissioner John Griffith and a group of coastal fishermen met with Klamath Basin farmers and community members.

 

Wanna have some fun?  Let's kick a fisherman when he's down, Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier, posted to KBC 6/2/06.

Klamath County Natural Resource Advisory Council to meet June 1, 2006. Coos Co. Commissioner will be discuss impacts to commercial fishermen.

Fishermen not the only ones feeling a pinch without the salmon season, The World Link, posted to KBC 5/29/06. "... Klamath Basin farmers, too, are helping out. The Klamath Relief Fund, a fund started a few years ago to help farmers, has been reactivated - but this time to help fishermen.' These hard-working individuals have much in common with the farmers and ranchers of the Klamath Basin. It is clear that they would much rather work than receive financial assistance,'..."

State becomes first to regulate fish farms, SF Gate, posted to KBC 5/29/06

Klamath River 2002 fish kill power point, presented by Joseph C. Greene, Research Biologist, presented May 23, 2006 at Yreka Grange, Power Point Presentation
Joseph Green biography

PRESS RELEASE: Bipartisan fisheries management bill passes Resources Committee, 5/17/06

Civic Proud, by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier, posted to KBC 5/11/06 "The fishermen are in a horrible, desperate position.  They were hoping to get some immediate money as relief, but have since found out that won't be happening.  Many are nearly broke from last year's shortened season... They (the government) have no concept of urgent or immediate.  If they were trying to put the fishermen completely out of business forever, they couldn't do a better job of it."

Feds pay bounty for fish that prey on salmon, Herald and News 5/11/06 (however the feds refuse to allow fishermen to discourage non-native Baja California sea lions from eating salmon at the mouth of the Klamath River.)

Klamath, Coos representatives meet, by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier 5/11/06 "Coos County Commissioner John Griffith and Klamath County Commissioner Bill Brown arranged the meeting, which was also attended by Senators Joanne Verger, Coos Bay and Doug Whitsett, Klamath Falls as well as Representatives Wayne Krieger, Gold Beach, and Arnie Roblan, Coos Bay and Nikki Whitty, Coos County Commissioner. Around 80 people attended the four hour meeting."
Commissioner Brown told the crowd, "We want to do any thing we can to help you over here."

Politics, agendas cloud SF fisherman’s rally, "We’re going to kick some ass" – Zeke Grader, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier, posted to KBC 5/10/06

Senator Whitsett in Coos Bay with fishermen and farmers, Letter by Senator Doug Whitsett, Oregon District 28, to KBC and Klamath Courier May 8, 2006. "During the nearly five hours of presentations and discussions, not a single fisherman voiced blame that conditions in the Upper Klamath Basin caused the salmon fishery closure.

In fact, these fishermen blamed the fishery mismanagement by state and federal agencies that have resulted in a perfect federal regulatory storm. They compared their current plight to the unjustified 2001shut off of irrigation water to the 1400 farm families in the Klamath Project. They said that the alleged poor salmon runs are a government contrived regulatory crisis." "These professional fishermen stated unanimously that environmental activist Glen Spain’s Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen Association neither represents them or their interests nor the interest of any other fishermen that they know." More fishermen and farmer facts, go HERE.

Feds to fishermen: No funds, The World Link, posted to KBC 5/8/06

Politics, agendas cloud SF fisherman’s rally, "We’re going to kick some ass" – Zeke Grader, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier, posted to KBC 5/10/06

Farmers, fishermen discover common ground on Klamath, Coos Bay World, posted Thursday, May 5, 2006  “I've been lobbied by so many environmental groups to blame the farmers,” (fisherman) Ward said, “but we don't want to get into that divide-and-conquer thing.”

Pacific Coast - NOAA Accepts Council's Salmon Recommendations; Management Measures Set for 2006 Season, NOAA fishletter, posted to KBC 5/5/06

Hatchery salmon case heard in federal court, by William McCall 5/2/06

Salmon fishing along the Oregon and California coasts restricted, Bakersfieldonline.us, posted to KBC 5/2/06

PRESS RELEASE: Resources Committee takes up reauthorization of landmark fisheries management law (Magnuson Stevens Act), 5/2/06. Response by Schwarzenegger.

Klamath Water Users Response to Thompson Bill, 4/21/06

Klamath, Coos representatives meet, by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier 5/11/06 "Coos County Commissioner John Griffith and Klamath County Commissioner Bill Brown arranged the meeting, which was also attended by Senators Joanne Verger, Coos Bay and Doug Whitsett, Klamath Falls as well as Representatives Wayne Krieger, Gold Beach, and Arnie Roblan, Coos Bay and Nikki Whitty, Coos County Commissioner. Around 80 people attended the four hour meeting."
Commissioner Brown told the crowd, "We want to do any thing we can to help you over here."

Civic Proud, by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier, posted to KBC 5/11/06 "The fishermen are in a horrible, desperate position.  They were hoping to get some immediate money as relief, but have since found out that won't be happening.  Many are nearly broke from last year's shortened season... They (the government) have no concept of urgent or immediate.  If they were trying to put the fishermen completely out of business forever, they couldn't do a better job of it."

Feds pay bounty for fish that prey on salmon, Herald and News 5/11/06

Senator Whitsett in Coos Bay with fishermen and farmers, Letter by Senator Doug Whitsett, Oregon District 28, to KBC and Klamath Courier May 8, 2006. "During the nearly five hours of presentations and discussions, not a single fisherman voiced blame that conditions in the Upper Klamath Basin caused the salmon fishery closure. In fact, these fishermen blamed the fishery mismanagement by state and federal agencies that have resulted in a perfect federal regulatory storm. They compared their current plight to the unjustified 2001shut off of irrigation water to the 1400 farm families in the Klamath Project. They said that the alleged poor salmon runs are a government contrived regulatory crisis."
"These professional fishermen stated unanimously that environmental activist Glen Spain’s Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen Association neither represents them or their interests nor the interest of any other fishermen that they know."

Feds make salmon fishing rule final, Times Standard 4/29/06

Congressman Thompson Bill regarding coastal fishing harvest disaster, pdf file, posted to KBC 4/26/06
KWUA News Release regarding Thompson Bill, Word doc file, posted to KBC 4/26/06
KWUA letter to Dept. of Commerce regarding restriction of commercial salmon harvest, Word doc. file, posted to KBC 4/26/06

Hatchery salmon case heard in federal court, by William McCall 5/2/06

PRESS RELEASE: Pombo, Frank hold hearing on Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization, posted 4/26/06.

Oregon Department Of Agriculture Makes Plans To Help Coastal Salmon Fishing Industry, Medford News, posted to KBC 4/26/06

Salmon regulations hearing scheduled April 21, Eureka Reporter 4/15/06

Letter from a Commercial Coastal Fisherman's wife to KBC regarding salmon season limit  4/9/06 by Cheri Moore

Klamath water still hot topic, Redding Record Searchlight 4/9/06 "People recognize what happened in 2001 was a landmark issue, it changed how a lot of things were done in the Klamath basin,"

Fish board acts to limit time, range of season, Oregonian 4/7/06

Letter from the Coos County Board of Commissioners regarding the coastal fishery closure crisis, to: Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Gordon Smith, Rep. Peter DeFazio, Rep. Greg Walden, Secretary Gutierrez, Gov. Ted Kulongoski, April 5, 2005. "We therefore ask that the federal government, with your full support Governor Kulongoski, immediately take the declaratory and other actions necessary to have, from this point forward, full salmon fishing seasons in the Klamath River zone of the Pacific Ocean and the Indian fishery in the Klamath River."

Governor begins relief efforts, Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier 4/5/06 "People are going to die" - John Cook, Bandon salmon troller

Salmon closure set to decimate, Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier 4/5/06 "COOS BAY - Once again, federal agencies, through mismanagement, lack of action, driven agendas and selective reasoning have set the stage to decimate yet another Pacific Northwest group of resource users, their families, businesses and futures."

Fish Declines (and dam removal) - Defining the Real Problems, by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor District 5, 4/5/06.

Fishermen rally; salmon ruling due on Thursday, The World Link, 4/5/06. "Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., said he empathizes with fishermen who could be affected by the closure and also urged the council to design seasons that will lessen the blow to sport and commercial fishermen....“I simply don't accept the assertions made that the federal government's management of water flows in the Klamath River is the primary reason for dwindling fall Chinook salmon numbers. It is inconceivable to me that family farmers and ranchers, who use less than 4 percent of Klamath River flows, are somehow responsible for the potential closure of this commercial salmon fishery .”

Pacific Coast – NOAA and DOI Recommend Measures to Improve Fish Habitat Along the Klamath Fish News, NOAA Fisheries Service, posted to KBC 4/5/06 "The fishway prescriptions in this project area would restore 58 miles of habitat for Chinook, steelhead, and lamprey, including 46 miles of habitat for the threatened coho salmon, and would improve connectivity for resident trout. Fish passage would also create the opportunity for the development and implementation of a reintroduction plan to return salmon, steelhead and lamprey to more than 300 miles of historic habitat above the project."

Letter from the Coos County Board of Commissioners regarding the coastal fishery closure crisis, April 3, 2006

Letter from Don Stevens, advisor to the Oregon Salmon Commission, to Glen Spain and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, regarding Spain's untruths and mis-quotes the Register Guard article (following). posted to KBC 3/31/06

Closing of Sport and Commercial Salmon Fishing, letter by Congressman Greg Walden to Dept of Commerce and Pacific Fishery Management Council, 3/31/06, pdf file.

Coastal Fishermen Fight Back With Petition, 3/30/06. (Coastal fishermen are facing a possible season closure. They have submitted the following petition stating that all fish returning to the Klamath are to be counted equal, regardless of spawning in the gravel, or spawning in a hatchery.)

PRESS RELEASE: Pombo, Frank and Young Introduce Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Bill Bipartisan legislation would strengthen regional management of America's fisheries, HRC 3/29/06

Oregon to hold emergency on coast fishing closure, cbbulliten, posted to KBC 3/26/06.

This is a response to your editorial dated March 20, 2006, “Where are the Klamath Salmon?” by W.D. Kennedy, Klamath Basin farmer, for the San Francisco Chronicle.

KBC response to: Salmon fishermen feel pain of Klamath's troubles, followed by article, The Olympian posted to KBC 3/21/06. "Barnard from AP has been recently saturating his readers with his repetitive lies or half-truths along with Glen Spain, PCFFA-Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen (who represents some California fishing groups)"

Fish-stocks mystery untangled; Scientist can predict survival rate of salmon, posted to KBC 3/13/06

Ocean closures restrict trawlers, Oregonian, 3/9/06

ODFW: Zero salmon fishing is ‘not our recommendation', 3/3/06

Diseases killing fish, by Marcia H. Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor – District 5, posted to KBC 3/5/06

On short notice, trollers react to likely salmon season limits, The World Link, posted to KBC 2/26/06.

NOAA, state seek to maintain funding for coastal coho despite non-re-listing, posted to KBC 2/10/06

Fisheries Scientist David Vogel statement on the 2002 Klamath fish die-off directed to Fish and Game's , March 11, 2003, rerun on KBC 2/9/06

Vogel addresses flawed Hardy Flows in Salmon Rearing Habitats in the Main Stem Klamath River.  Key concerns outlined in the report: GO HERE for summary and report. 12/12/03, rerun on KBC 2/9/06

Fall salmon could reach record low on Salmon River, Capital Press 2/2/06.

Nature, Not Man, is Responsible for West Coast Salmon Decline, John Carlisle study, posted to KBC 2/2/06, A Publication of the National Center for Public Policy Research. "The immense influence of the oceanic cycle on salmon should give politicians and bureaucrats considerable pause before implementing costly policies that penalize people. Even if this natural cycle was not the culprit, the failure of past attempts to maintain or increase salmon populations suggest that a regulatory approach is not advisable."

NOAA Fisheries: Northwest – Harvest and Hatcheries to be Reviewed as Part of Salmon Recovery Strategy, posted to KBC 1/31/06

NOAA does not list coho, Pressure by Grange aids decision, Pioneer Press posted to KBC 1/27/06. " 'NOAA is still ignoring the court’s decision on the Southern Oregon and Northern California coho, so they are still breaking the law,' said Bergeron."

James L Connaughton, Chairman, White House Council on Environmental Quality, full speech regarding Columbia River Salmon Recovery, posted to KBC 1/27/06, PDF file. This could effect river and coastal fisheries, and hatcheries. Advocates float radical ideas to save salmon, Register Guard, posted to KBC 1/27/06. "Allow hatchery fish, traditionally excluded from interbreeding with wild stocks, to be released into the general population." (This "radical" idea of hatcheries was used successfully for 100 years, supporting tribes, fishermen and fish numbers. KBC) Bush administration out to reduce salmon harvesting, posted to KBC 1/27/06

Northwest - Oregon Coast Coho Avoids ESA Listing, NOAA Fisheries Service Fishnews, posted to KBC 1/24/06

NEWS RELEASE: NOAA finally complies with PLF'S 2001 court win; Oregon Coast coho no longer warrants ESA listing, agency says, 1/17/06 Pacific Legal Foundation.

PRESS RELEASE: Common sense, science and collaboration justify NOAA decision on coastal coho,  January 17, 2006,  Oregonians for Food and Shelter

Salmon season a hit despite closures, The World Link, posted to KBC 12/25/05

12/22/05
Come catch a Steelhead!!!
The Klamath River has produced a brilliant run of steelhead this year. Boats are bringing on an average 5 adult steelhead ranging from 3-10 pounds some days the numbers are silly. Numerous famous half-pounders are also caught in between the hard pulling adults. Come and book a trip now through February to experience why so many fisherman dedicate their lives to this fish. www.wildwatersflyfishing.com

ODFW stocks Oregon Food Bank with salmon fillets, ODF News, posted to KBC 12/15/05

National group encourages fishermen, posted to KBC 12/9/05 (PCFFA) A very short refresher follows regarding PCFFA's interaction with Klamath Irrigators: Klamath Irrigators and Commercial Fishermen Meet, Oregon Trollers posted to KBC 4/4/05, Oregon Trollers Association Press Release Dear Oregon Trollers and Oregon Fishing Industry Leaders..... from Glen Spain, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen (PCFFA) April 12, 2005 Klamath Irrigators and Commercial Fishermen –The Adversary Klamath Courier Report posted to KBC May 16, 2005 "Facts about the Klamath Project, and the flat-out lies from PCFFA"

Prosperous sea lions make fishermen angry, msnbc.com posted to KBC 11/28/05

Klamath River 'summit' called to address salmon declines, The Press Democrat, posted to KBC 11/28/05. (KBC editor's note: Despite the fact that the National Research Council's independent peer review states low flows did not cause fish die-off of 2002 in the Klamath River and river flow management is not justified, and despite the fact that the river flows are now higher than possible before the Klamath Project was built, blame continues to be directed toward the Klamath Project, loggers and fishermen.)

Salmon fishing on the Trinity (and Klamath) continues, Record New 11/21/05

Sacramento River salmon at highest population level in 24 years, Mercury News 11/20/05

ALGEA, by Dr. David Herfindahl from Siskiyou County Public Health, posted to KBC 11/7/05
PacifiCorp funding study of reservoir algae, KGW News 11/7/05

GAO looks at Klamath spending, not fish recovery, Capital Press posted to KBC 11/7/05 "This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded a multimillion-dollar study by five Klamath American Indian tribes into the impact of blue-green algae toxicity on the fishery."
(Where did the federal Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force money go?, Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong 10/23/05)

WEST COAST SALMON REPORT: State says salmon harvest was third largest on record, AP ADN posted to KBC 11/7/05

Nature, Not Man, is Responsible for West Coast Salmon Decline, John Carlisle 11/6/05

Fisheries Task Force stirs up health concerns; Are your tax dollars well-spent? Klamath Courier posted to KBC 10/29/05

Politicians Get Earful On Salmon Harvest, Canadian Interceptions, Fishletter 10/27/05 "With salmon recovery plans nearly completed for several Northwest regions, some stakeholder groups are wondering if stocks can actually recover if half of the fish are still being caught before they reach their spawning beds. Canada is a major culprit, they told a Congressional panel a couple of weeks ago."

Where did the federal Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force money go?, Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong 10/23/05

Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force Oct 19-20

PLF Takes Chinook Salmon Fishing Case to Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Pacific Legal Foundation posted to KBC 10/13/05

Endangered salmon numbers hurt by fishing, Corvallis Gazette-Times 10/12/05

NOAA Fisheries FishNews Special Edition - September 19, 2005. Administration Introduces Proposal to Reauthorize Magnuson-Stevens Act; NOAA Fisheries Service to Host National Call on September 20

Senate Approves Funding For Salmon Recovery, Ocean Research In Oregon  9/18/05 Medford News

 DFG regulations now in effect on Klamath River, Times-Standard, posted to KBC 9/16/05

Tribes return to Tri-Cities to sell chinook salmon, Tri-City Herald, posted to KBC 9/13/05 "So far, about 180,869 adult Chinook have passed over Bonneville Dam, along with 228,000 summer steelhead and 27,000 coho, said Stuart Ellis, a Portland-based harvest management biologist with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission"

Oregon trollers lose court decision--Oregon Trollers Association vs Carlos Guiterez, Yurok and Hoopa Valley Tribes, 9/12/05. Word document go HERE. PDF go HERE
For past article of trollers to Klamath farmers, go HERE

Counties’ salmon program poised for new federal initiative, Times Standard, posted to KBC 9/6/05

Trollers to battle fuel costs, weather, worldlink 9/2/05

Fishing report 9/1/05

Fishing report  8/30/05

Klamath River fishing report posted to KBC 8/25/05
Coho late arriving, but seem to be on the way, Oregonian 8/25/05

Letter to Congressman Pombo from Chris Vandenberg, Willamette Basin, Oregon, regarding ESA abuse by NOAA Fisheries 8/22/05 " Last week NOAA fisheries officially designated my stretch of creek as critical spawning and rearing habitat for threatened upper Willamette winter steelhead trout despite the finding in their own report, printed in the federal register, "that there is little evidence to suggest that sustained spawning aggregations of steelhead may have existed historically in the westside tributaries of the Willamette River basin."

2 sockeye salmon articles 8/21/05

NOAA Fishery Service FishNews posted to KBC 8/21/05

PRESS RELEASE: NOAA issues critical habitat areas for Pacific salmon in California, Northwest. Provides incentives for regional Habitat Conservation Plans, More focus for recovery efforts. Posted to KBC 8/19/05

Feds (NOAA) clear 80% of salmon waters, Capital Press 8/19/05

Warm waters blamed for disappearance of sockeye, and Mad sockeye: Stray salmon slip upstream with steelhead posted to KBC 8/21/05

South's second salmon season, Curry Pilot 8/17/05. "Sporthaven Marina owner Jerry Hogan said the last part of June was the most productive for Brookings' ocean Chinook in the last 14 years."

Tim King fishing reports 8/17/05

Karuks lose $1 billion lawsuit Tribes claim there are no salmon, but real data proves otherwise. Pioneer Press posted to KBC 8/14/05

THE SPORTSMANS CORNER: Hot bite for salmon on coast, 8/12/05 "For the past two weeks, the salmon fishing off the Fort Bragg coast has been red hot."

Coastal fishermen J.D. Evanow from Charleston, OR, James L Moore and his wife Cheri from Bandon, and fishing comrade Charles Clewell, also from Charleston, tell their story from Moore's home west of Merrill.  The government has cut down their fishing season while the media blames the Klamath Project.

"It’s not your fault." Part 1 of the Coastal Fishermen’s story to Klamath Basin farmers  by Jacqui Krizo, Klamath Courier Reporter posted to KBC August 10, 2005.  "Why are  fishermen being killed?"

COASTAL FISHERMEN NEWS: Senate considers bill to create system of whiting quotas, News Times 8/8/05

Salmon opportunities heating up for anglers, Lincoln City fishing report 8/3/05

NOAA Fishery Service FISH NEWS posted 7/31/05 The 2002-04 Biennial ESA Report is posted online.

Fishing Report posted to KBC 7/31/05

Current fishing report, Salmon Fishing Remains Excellent 7/19/05 on Klamath, Trinity and Smith Rivers. "The Klamath is having one of its best spring seasons ever."

ODFW commercial troll catch and estimates posted to KBC 7/18/05

Fishing Report Anglers anxiously wait for season to resume, Times Standard posted to KBC 7/18/05
Fishing Report from Trinity, Smith and Klamath River Guides, posted to KBC 7/18/05

State sued over coho, Pioneer Press Liz Bowen posted to KBC 7/18/05.

Other view: U.S. puts fish above families, By Greg Addington, Rayburn Guerin and Russ Brooks -- Special To The Bee Published July 16, 2005. "This view is referring to The Bee's editorial "Klamath in crisis," which appeared July 3. Greg Addington is executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association. Rayburn Guerin is president of the Oregon Trollers' Association. Russ Brooks is an attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation."

Nothing dull about fishing on the North Coast these days, Times Standard 7/8/05

Salmon, Salmon, Salmon, San Mateo County Times 7/6/05, "But there's enough out there for everyone. The population this year is as good as it can be, anywhere in the world."

Funding for salmon, research approved, Statesman Journal 6/26/05 $15 million.

Commercial boats await July chance at big Sacramento River salmon run, Ft Bragg Advocate News 6/23/05

Response to Your Dollars at Work, Klamath Courier article, by Steve West, former Klamath County Commissioner and Fisheries Task Force member, 6/23/05

Klamath Fisheries Task Force, Your Tax Dollars at Work, Klamath Courier posted to KBC 5/23/05, "She (Karas) said that if Fish and Wildlife acquires Barnes, they may breach dikes, which will increase potassium and will make it harder to maintain lake level. If it is used for storage it will need power to pump the water, fish screens, and the water there "sinks in."

NOAA Fisheries issues new hatchery policy, AP, 6/16/05.
"What I think the agency is saying is there are so many damn salmon out there they just can't protect them all."

News from the Front #83:The Great Summer Spill Hoax, Buchal posted to KBC 6/14/05

Tides beginning to turn for salmon anglers, Times Standard posted to KBC 6/14/05

Trollers, irrigators resolve water differences, Coos Bay posted to KBC 6/5/05

Farmers, new fishing group to work on water together, H&N 6/1/05

Salmon harvest will be slashed; Klamath's woes force cuts for the thriving Sacramento run, SacBee 5/31/05. (another case of record Salmon runs, a court of law and National Research Council peer review said the Klamath Farmers didn't kill fish in 2002, yet PCFFA continues to advocate destroying commercial fishing while blaming it on the Klamath farmers. KBC)

Fish other places: Fishermen calling for an improved salmon recovery, Corvallis Gazette AP 5/31/05. "'A decision of how many fish you need to produce in order to have healthy harvests is not addressed in the recovery plan,' he said." (Does this sound familiar? KBC)

PRESS RELEASE: Farmers and Fisherman Sign Cooperative Agreement, KWUA and Oregon Trollers 5/27/05
RERUN: Klamath Irrigators and Commercial Fishermen –The Adversary Klamath Courier Report posted to KBC May 16, 2005 "Facts about the Klamath Project, and the flat-out lies from PCFFA" Includes trollers press release, and letters from Glen Spain, PCFFA, to trollers and Chadwick stakeholders.

Optimism abounds for ocean sport salmon season, Times Standard posted 5/20/05

Spring salmon expected in Klamath estuary, Times Standard 5/18/05 "...anglers may see some spring salmon in the Klamath River estuary and movement upriver this weekend, said guide Rich Mossholder. The river is in beautiful shape, he notes."

Bonneville posts best day for chinook; officials still in holding pattern Seattle Post Intelligencer 5/8/05

Klamath Irrigators and Commercial Fishermen –The Adversary Klamath Courier Report posted to KBC May 16, 2005 "Facts about the Klamath Project, and the flat-out lies from PCFFA" Includes trollers press release, and letters from Glen Spain, PCFFA, to trollers and Chadwick stakeholders.

Fishing report for Klamath and Trinity Flows, Ruth and Lewiston Lakes scheduled for plants, Times Standard 4/21/05

Klamath Irrigators and Commercial Fishermen Meet, Oregon Trollers posted to KBC 4/19/05. We are rerunning this article to clear up recent misinformation regarding the relationship of fishermen and irrigators.
followed by Salmon trollers file for disaster aid for losses, LA Times 4/19/05. (There are zero fishermen groups in Oregon who are represented by Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen. KBC)

Restructuring the Oregon Fishing Industry, Newport News Times 4/6/05. "the commercial fishing industry contributed $342 million in personal income to the Oregon economy in 2004. According to the report, that made 2004 "the best year the industry has had since 1988," and was "about 39 percent higher than the average of the previous ten years."
NEWS RELEASE: (West Coast) 2005 Chinook Salmon Quota for Southeast Alaska Announced, Alaska Dept of Fish and Game 4/6/05. "The continued strong returns of Chinook stocks to West Coast rivers from Oregon to Alaska, and stronger returns to West Coast Vancouver Island, have produced the high Abundance Index (2.05).  Most of the Chinook salmon stocks covered under the Pacific Salmon Treaty have benefited from a recent upturn in ocean survival, which created the strong returns."
Salmon miss coming-out party, Monterey County Herald 4/6/05. (Go figure. Chinook population was huge in 2004 but Monterey journalist spins this where Klamath Irrigators horrendous existence will ruin fish runs this year. P.S. Every practicing commercial fisherman we talk to supports the Klamath farmers. KBC)

Tribes and farmers come together while Glen Spain, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen spokesman and Eugene attorney, still fueling the flames.  KBC commentary followed by Tidepool's article  Cutbacks Reflect Klamath Fish Kill Legacy,  3/30/05

Fishery managers propose limited Chinook season, Coos Bay World 3/29/05
Oregon fleet reels in a whopper of a year, Oregonian 3/29/05

Severe limits for salmon proposed for south coast, Curry Pilot posted to KBC 3/17/05

Limits on ocean-trolling targets sought to aid Klamath Basin fish, Oregonian posted to KBC 3/14/05. "Whether fish numbers will prove as bad as projections is far from certain. Forecasts have underestimated and overestimated run sizes by tens of thousands of fish in many years. Actual returns won't be known until after the fishing season, so larger returns won't allow more fishing."  "Troll fleets off Oregon and California last year took unexpectedly large numbers of Klamath salmon," (Another projected crisis and blame of Klamath irrigators even though there were recent record runs and huge underestimations in fish forecasts in the past. KBC)

23,600 diseased chinook salmon killed, Bend.com posted to KBC 3/6/05 (Why is it that when salmon in the Klamath are diseased,  Cal Fish and Game and all the environmental groups and green press blame the Klamath Irrigators 200 miles away despite court rulings and peer review proving otherwise? However diseased fish managed by tribes and government agencies  in other places are automatically attributed to 'natural causes'. KBC)

Salmon outlook mixed, posted to KBC 3/6/05, register guard. "The good news is that the ocean is expected to be chock-full of chinook salmon bound for the Columbia and Sacramento rivers." "the forecast calls for about 152,000 "Oregon Coastal Natural" coho, up 1,000 from the 2004 forecast"

Smith waits -- and waits -- for Klamath Council appointment, Times Standard 3/6/05.

Coho numbers skyrocket in Siskiyou County, California, Pioneer Press by Liz Bowen posted to KBC 3/1/05

Low stocks mean fishing cutbacks, Corvallis Gazette Times 3/1/05

Klamath council crunches salmon numbers, Times Standard posted to KBC 2/27/05 "'Everyone's going to have a rough year,' said Eric Larson, California Department of Fish and Game representative to the council....'Models and reality sometimes differ substantially, however. For example, commercial fishermen last year were predicted to catch just 26,000 Klamath chinook salmon -- but ended up landing 104,000' ."

2005 salmon season gets under way, Times Standard 2/18/05. "The mid-Klamath is in good shape and should be fishable this weekend without a lot of rain. Fresh steelhead are coming into the river with each storm. On the upper Klamath fishing has picked up with some 12-14 pound adult steelhead being taken."

17 tons of frozen salmon will help feed the hungry, Register Guard 2/18/05.

FISHING REPORT: Outlook encouraging for sport salmon fishing, Times Standard 2/3/05.
Makah officials defend 20,000-chinook catch, Oregonian 2/3/05. "The comments came after state Department of Fish and Wildlife officials expressed concerns that the tribe's overfishing of wild chinook — a threatened species — might hurt nearby commercial, sport and tribal fisheries in the 2005-06 season. Under state guidelines, the tribe was supposed to take about 1,600 chinook during the winter..."

Scientists take sides in battle over coho, the Register Guard 2/3/05.  "Indeed, the coho's numbers have rebounded from as low as 20,000 in the mid-1990s to as high as 200,000."

Coho report in line with Bush approach, Oregonian 1/27/05 "Wild coho runs have surged above 200,000 each year since 2000, after years rarely exceeding 50,000 fish."

Coho return in high numbers, Pioneer Press 1/14/05 "Data on coho salmon shows that the number is increasing."

OTHER PLACES: Fish rap: Year marked by stellar salmon season, Santa Cruz Sentinel 12/30/04. "The salmon season for 2004 will go down in history as one of the best ever. Sea conditions kept the water cool close to shore. From opening day in April to the season’s close on Oct. 3, fishing for salmon never dropped below consistent, and often rose to the level of astonishing."

More insanity to devastate our brother fishermen and our economy: 10 a.m. today, Sept 9: SAN FRANCISCO -- Press conference is scheduled to bring attention to the potential closure of much of the West Coast's salmon fishery due to the impact of the 2002 fish kills that occurred on the Klamath River because of the failure of the federal government to heed the advise of fishery biologists and release enough water to the river for fish survival. Scoma Restaurant, Pier 47, Fisherman's Wharf. Contact: Tom Worthington (415) 956-1985

Letter from Don Stevens, Oregon Salmon Commissioner and a commercial salmon troller. The folks he addressed the letter to are members of the Pacific Fisheries Management Council. 9/24/04

Good news out of Willow Creek, Times Standard 9/2/04. "sport salmon anglers fishing off Eureka and Trinidad have been scoring big time.  Gisela Kinder of Johnny's Marina reports "fishing for salmon off the stacks has really been good all week."

Report reinforces fishermen's claims that data is flawed, 6/17/04, Coos Bay World.

Processors brace for a super salmon season, Anchorage Daily News, posted to KBC 6/14/04. "the state's total salmon catch will approach 200 million fish, making it the third largest ever."

Oregon fishing industry on the rebound, newportnewstimes.com posted to KBC 6/2/04. "And the numbers of salmon coming across the Columbia River dams have astonished scientists, while the numbers in many (though not all) coastal streams have also jumped. Perhaps most important is the huge fact that the ocean has returned to conditions favoring larger fish populations. The changes are cyclical, based on a return of strong cold water upwellings. These sweep nutrients up from the seafloor, making them available to fish up and down the water column."

12,329 wild chinook counted on Scott River, Liz Bowen, Pioneer Press posted to KBC 3/29/04. "This year, the estimates on the 2003 fall-run came in at 12,329, which is the second-highest, since the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) began conducting counts in 1978."

Fishermen want action to stop pinniped predation on chinook, March 19, 2004.

Klamath Basin farmers, Brookings fishermen tour South Coast, 11/4/03 Curry Pilot, "In perhaps the most promising part of the tour, Klamath Basin representatives said they would attempt to lobby a northern California Congressman to reinstate funding for the Klamath Fisher Management Council (KFMC). "

Coos County Commissioner addresses government buyout of coastal fleets--will this help their economy? by John Elliott, 11/02/03. "In theory, those who remain in the business could make decent livings again if the allowable catch remains the same. The fear is that the government will continue to slice the allowable catch, as it has every year since the early 1990s, and starve out those who remain. It's a huge concern. The greens keep pushing for marine reserves and threatening or actually filing litigation to reduce the allowable catch. It is unrealistic to think they will stop simply because catcher capacity has been reduced by about half. "

Links of articles regarding the coastal fisherman buyout:

Coastal bottom fishing to be banned (11/07/03) Bellingham Herald
New England panel sharply curtails fishing (11/07/03) Portland Press Herald
Several local skippers reach for buyback lifeline (11/06/03) Newport News Times
New Tool Could Guide Groundfish Fleet Cuts (11/01/02) Tidepool.org
Groundfish stocks falling off the Shelf (11/06/03) Halifax Herald
Fishermen Caught in Sea Change (10/15/03) LA Times

On two coasts, big moves to save fish and fishermen | csmonitor.com

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1107/p01s02-ussc.html

 

Upper Basin Water Users Attend Two Day Tour with Coastal Fishermen "Visiting farmers were provided with a better understanding of the difficulties local ports face with restrictions on harbor dredging, the competition fishermen face with local tribes who also depend on salmon, and the growing pains that coastal communities are facing as tourism and tribal casinos begin to overtake commercial fishing in the local economy." HERE for story by Dan Keppen, Klamath Water Users Executive Director 10/31/03

Commercial fishermen support Klamath farmers, "Boley himself contradicts the image that the Pacific commercial fishing industry is lined up solidly against Klamath Basin agriculture. He says the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, which has been active in lawsuits challenging the management of the Klamath River, doesn't represent him or other Oregon-based fishermen." H&N 9/21/03

UN ban would impact US fishermen, 8/29/03 Eugene Register Guard

Why Coastal Counties joined the Bucket Brigade, by John Griffith, Chairman of the Coos County Board of Commissioners, 5/7/03.

Battle over fishing ban heads for round 2, Santa Barbara News Press, 5/26/03--this is the environmentalists shutting down fishing.

Battle over fishing an heads for round 2 COMMENTARY  by Coos County Commissioner, John Griffith, 5/27/03