Disappering Striped bass...No wonder...

[Mike McKenzie]

Well..The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (aptly BuRec) is happily killing off thousands of striped bass along with who knows how many E.S.A. listed species..Typical of their total disregard for our fisheries..Any of you out there that do not like this, are welcome to join the effort at tryin' to salvage some of these fish..Wet, muddy, miserable work but you'll get your reward, you all know where...

Prospect Island lies between the Sacramento Shipping Channel and Miner Slough..I think the work is being done on the Minor Slough side..
Here's the story...

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/507812.html

Mike

[Darian]

Hi Mike,.... Seems like another example of how the right hand doesn't know what the other is doing and how little can be done if politicians only setve themselves.... The result is that fish just can't get a break. :( :( :( :(

[Tony Buzolich]

Mike,

I hope you post this on Dan's board as well. I sent he and Doug Lovell some pictures of the pumps where this was going on and have been trying to get more information about about F&G not wanting to issue permits to save the stranded striped stripers.

The pumps apparently have been shut off or pulled out and the resulting stranded fish are simple being left to die.

I'll keep in touch once I get contact with names of who said what about this.
TONY

[HC]

How can people help? Is it boat accessible or wading? Tell us how. Harley

[Mike McKenzie]

Prospect Island is only accessible by boat...What the conditions are on Prospect Island I can only guess..really wet and muddy...Boat access from Hog Back on Grand Island, Snug Harbor on Ryer Island or Arrowhead Marina on the North side of Miner slough off of State 84 (Jefferson Blvd. South from Sac. or Ryer Island ferry from Rio Vista)
and Vieira's on the Sac. are all the closest launch spots...
I don't know why they picked Cliff's Marina as it's a pretty good ways from Prospect Is.

Mike

[Tony Buzolich]

Mike,

Arrowhead Marina is only a mile or two north of the repair and the pumps and is easily acceessed by boat.

The construction company that is doing the repair drives their vehicles around the top of the Arrowhead lagoon and onto the island and is also easily acceesible by land.

There is lots of heavy equipment and large trucks bringing in fill as well as moving and operating the pumps that are being refered too.

Getting on to the island and getting some pictures of the dying fish for all to see shouldn't be a problem.

This is what it looked like about a week ago.
TONY
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/_MG_381825.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/_MG_381725.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/_MG_380725.jpg

[Mike McKenzie]

I sure hate to see this happening for a lot of reasons....ever since the mid 90's I've had some of the best striped bass, steelhead and salmon fishing there was to be had anywhere, fishin' the levee breaks on Prospect Island. Whenever the levees broke and they did on numerous occasions, it was wondrous fishing.. non stop through the whole incoming tide on the inside of the Island. Then there was the out go on the outside.. Jeeez! I get wore out just thinking about it....Now this! Sad Sad Sad!


Here's a copy of a report by the Fish Sniffer's Dan Bacher who was out there today on a "recon" run...

Re: Thousands of stranded stripers dyin'

Bureau of Reclamation Strands Thousands of Fish on Prospect Island

by Dan Bacher

I just got back from examining what appears to be an impending, massive fish kill at Prospect Island. Bob McDaris, owner of Cliff's Marina in Freeport, Bob Boffitt, KFBK Radio reporter, and another KFBK reporter and I went by boat to the area where the levee is being repaired by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamatation.

We slogged through the mud in waders and saw large schools of stripers with their dorsal fins, backs and tails out of the water as they struggled to survive. I saw a dozen dead stripers, along with one dead bluegill and a couple of dead pike minnows. Of course, we walked through just a tiny fraction of Prospect Island - McDaris on Tuesday estimated that there were thousands of fish stranded in a larger area that he pointed to after we took photos and videos.

The massive stranding of fish came to McDaris' attention when he and a local hay farmer, John Soto, went out prospecting for ducks on the island on Tuesday. Instead of finding ducks they found a fish kill in progress.

"We saw thousands of striped bass, two sturgeon, hundreds of bluegill and two 15 to 18 pound salmon stranded in the remaining water," said McDaris. "We also saw two steelhead and lots of carp. I was amazed by the number of fish that were stranded on the island and I figured that somebody should do something about it."

McDaris contacted Bob Simms, host of the KFBK Outdoor Show, Mark Wilson, striper angler, Matt Weiser of the Sacramento Bee members of the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA) and this reporter to see what we could do about rescuing the fish. Over 35 people, including CSBA members, met McDaris at Cliff's Marina this morning to investigate this latest fishery disaster and see if they can do anything about it.

Unfortunately, the brush, tules and terrain make it very difficult for anglers to carry fish out in buckets or ice chests to be released into Miner Slough, as CSBA members and DFG staff did several years ago when the water out of flooded Jones Tract was being pumped out. I assisted in that rescue.

While I was there today, I spoke to a DFG warden, Carolyn Djody, who was there to assess the extent of the fish stranded on the island. At that time, she hadn't examined the area where the fish were located.

"We had a call that there were fish dying on the island," she said. "This is a federal project, so the proposal to pump water out was reviewed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It's not our project."

McDaris and other anglers are very concerned about the Delta smelt and other endangered and threatened species that may be impacted by further pumping of water off the island without the initiation of some sort of fish rescue.

Jeff McCracken, spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, said the agency, after being alerted by anglers and other about stranded fish, ordered the pumping suspended. "The Bureau and the U.S. Fish and Wildife Service will reevaluate this situation to see if we can salvage the fish," he said. "At issue is whether there are Delta smelt stranded on the island."

However, he noted that probably no decision about this would be made until Monday because of the absence of many personnel over the Thanksiving weekend.

The levee broke in 1998, flooding the island, and then was repaired. The levee broke again in January 2006 and the Bureau of Reclamation authorized the current repair operation this year.

"After the levee break in 2006, CalFed said to leave the levee like it was and nothing happened," said McCracken. "However, then five boats capsized when entering the levee break. Two of them required Coast Guard assistance. Also, there is a lot of vegetation and trees that created hazards to boats."

Because of the public safety and liaibility issue, the Bureau decided to go ahead with hiring a contractor to repair the levee break and pump the water off the island back into Miner Slough.

"We consulted with the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about what to do," he said. "They said that because of all of the trees and brush found on the island there was no effective way to do fish salvage."

The two fishery agencies gave the Bureau the go ahead to repair the levee, with the stipulation that the contractor pump at the lowest tide possible so as many fish would be able to move off the island as possible as it drained.

Meanwhile, as we wait for a decision by federal officials about how, when and if the fish will be salvaged, thousands of fish, including an unknown number of endangered delta smelt and other endangered and threatened species, are expected to perish.

I was appalled by the spectacle of hundreds of striped bass in their final throes on the surface of the water at Prospect Island. The stripers, because of their size and schooling nature, were the easiest to see in the muddy water.

I wonder how many stranded delta smelt, sturgeon, king salmon, steelhead and other species will also die and go belly up as the remaining oxygen in the water is used up. After we witnessed a disaster two weeks ago when the Cosco Busan dumped 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel into San Francisco Bay, it's horrible to see yet another man-made environmental catastrophe take place, courtesy of the federal government.


« Last Edit: Today at 6:15pm by Daniel Bacher »

You can read the whole thread here:
http://www.fishsniffer.com/cgi-bin/forumsyabb/YaBB.pl?num=1195662549

[Ed Wahl]

Mike, this looks incredibly ugly. I'll tell ya what, if you think a modified "bucket brigade" will work, I'll do what I can to put the word out for volunteers. I looks like big numbers are needed though as well as a lot of boats. We'd need people in the muck netting fish, a bunch of shallow water craft like jon boats and prams to transport the fish to the levies, and then a bunch more people to hump the buckets up over the levy. With the time constraints I don't know if it will even work, the fish are using up a limited amount of oxygen fast. It's getting kind of late, I'll shoot you a pm, just in case. Ed Wahl

[Mike McKenzie]

Hey Ed,

Thanks for takin' the time to run out there and get a "looksee" I was afraid of what you found which is why I was doubtful that we could pull off a "rescue". Too bad, The bad guys win again..If you look at it from their selfish standpoint...boat loads of anglers rescuing fish that they have deliberately stranded would not "look good" on their already piss poor resumé, hence their goons runnin' around puttin' up the no trespassing signs...

Mike

[Ed Wahl]

Let me outrage you just a little bit more. I talked the owner or manager of Arrowhead Marina for a little while this morning. Got no sympathy at all from him. Seems some anglers had known for months what was happening but the fishing was so good there they kept their mouths shut. He says no one said a thing about it until the other day when he gets a visit from some people wanting to use his ramp for free and they showed up with a camera crew. Not knockin him, he's in a tough spot, the feds have shown themselves to ber rather vindictive and he's gotta watch his assets. Ok, enough heartbreak and outrage for one day. I'll try calling some lawmakers tomorrow. Since we can't save those fish maybe we can make someone pay.

[Ed Wahl]

Alright, it's been 12 hours since I went to check out Prospect Island. Now I gotta ask. WHERE THE HELL ARE ALL YOU STRIPER FISHERMEN? I'm not even one of you, I'm a hack. I've got a pram and an electric trolling motor. The biggest Striper I've caught was maybe 5 pounds. That one fish has shown me the potential of what's out there. HELLO! Do you even care? I haven't even started to tap into what the delta has to offer. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE? Are the majority of Striper fishermen totally apathetic to the fishery as a whole? I gotta say, as I drove around down there this morning I really expected to run into at least a couple of other concerned fishermen. Nope, not one. Yeah, I'm pissed. At you. And you. Where the hell are you guys? Look, I'm not an activist of any sort, I don't like or even approve of most of the stupid enviromental activist crap that we all hear about. But c'mon, this is fishing 101. Dead fish=no fish to catch or release. Sooner or later you have to take a stand, our fishery depends on it. While this battle seems lost, there will be others. C'mon people, stand up and be counted. Ed

[OceanSunfish]

Message deleted by author.

[OceanSunfish]

Ed,

I understand your frustration.

Sadly, there are many beaten down striper anglers that have tried for decades to 'make a difference'. I personally know of a handful that attempted many different efforts dating back to the early 80's that have simply given up, both protesting AND striper fishing altogether!

Perhaps the holiday has distracted the hearty from chiming in and responding, I don't know.

With some foresight, proper planning, and notification, I bet there would've been quite a gathering of volunteers to assist in rescuing the trapped fish.

Unfortunately, the Feds pulled a 'quick one' AGAIN and are laughing all the way back to DC. It's sick and it's amazing how these bureaucrats can find satisfaction in their work knowing full well that what they do/did is nonsense.

Nevertheless, we must stay vigilant, observant, and be better prepared to thwart the next Federal caper.

[HC]

Mike and Ed, I too am saddened by our fishing community, save for a few right minded people like yourselves. In panic, I contacted news 10 by email about this late last night and have not heard a peep from them. Have you all had similiar results with media folks? I have no experience with them but I figured maybe we could shine a little light on the Feds, an unfavorable light, and maybe they would try and save face by helping save the fish, especially the endangered ones. Also, where is CSBA, and the other big fishing groups on this? has there been a back channel plea for help and we don't know its fate yet. I am more than disappointed by the lackluster response from other boards as well. I can see no reason for shyness on this subject, I mean where are the leaders on this. Like Ed, I am no real threat to catch a lot of stripers, like Mike M is, but I do enjoy the ocassional chase a lot. I would hope the folks who regularly pound them would show up when it counts, I think their voices would help. The sound of your silence is deafening and sends the wrong message. Harley

[Hairstacker]

Ed, I was following this very closely to see what kind of rescue attempt could be mustered until I found out there was no way for anyone to get in there.

Lack of posting doesn't necessarily mean folks don't care or aren't willing to take action.

[Darian]

I'm with Mike. 8) 8) Everyone needs to calm down and take a deep breath on this. 8) 8) It's Thanksgiving weekend and most people are traveling/visiting relatives\friends. One thing we need to acknowledge is that this BB community is largely oriented towards Salmon, Steelhead and Trout; Stripers are secondary....

Now, from everything I've read about this, we're at a stalemate at Prospect Island. Apparently, info about the project to drain the island has been available to the public for some time but overlooked (for whatever reasons). So, if any of you have seen the movie, Rising Sun, there's a line from it that applies here: "We're playing that most American of games, catch-up."

There's an topic under the Conservation Forum of this BB entitled: G.W. Bush signs executive order to protect Stripers, posted by Mike M., that looks like it might apply. While it is too late to address the current situation, it is possibly the answer for any future problems of this nature (including the proposed Delta re-design) and should be brought to the attention of all of the officials responsible for natural resources with emphasis directed at the state officials who have exhibited an indifferent attitude towards the existance of Stripers on the Pacific Coast.

In terms of the overall Delta picture, the Prospect Island situation is a lost skirmish compared to the Governor's $10 billion proposed Delta re-design war. :x :x The bond issue for that will be on an upcoming ballot for all of the people of this state to vote on. The time to fight against that is now not after it's passed. Get out and educate/inform people. Become an activist/advocate and don't forget to vote. 8) 8) 8)

Wheew,.... I'm getting off my soap box now. 8) 8)

[OceanSunfish]

I spoke with Bob McDaris this morning. He is spearheading a group of volunteers that are on call, ready to get a possible "okay" to go onto the island and rescue as many fish as possible.

Unfortunately, not much can be done until perhaps Monday when the bureaucrats return from holiday. However, if permission is granted sooner, then the effort will commence immediately.

Bob Simms, the Sac Bee, and various internet BB are staying abreast of the situation so stay tuned.

Regardless of this situation's position in scale to other heavy topics such as the "canal" or other bond issues or even what party boats kill off in a few short weeks in the summer, this is an opportunity for us to actually do more than write a letter. Getting out there and physically participating in ACTION vs. words is fundamentally, American, is it not?

Stay tuned.

[gene goss]

Here's a video for the fish kill from channel 31 http://cbs13.com/video look up (thousands of fish dead in the Delta) on page 2 or 3 :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Jay Murakoshi]

This is sad, too see all those stripers dying or dead. I just watched the video clips from CBS13. If the guy at Arrowhead Marina wants too charged for the use of the ramp, why not get a group of guys together and use some of the money raised at Striperfest. Isn't that what the money is for - saving the striper population. I'm sure there's a good chunk of change in that fund.
Has there ever been a print out to where and the $$$$$$ amount of how these funds are used?

Jay :(

[Mike McKenzie]

There's an topic under the Conservation Forum of this BB entitled: G.W. Bush signs executive order to protect Stripers, posted by Mike M., that looks like it might apply. While it is too late to address the current situation, it is possibly the answer for any future problems of this nature (including the proposed Delta re-design) and should be brought to the attention of all of the officials responsible for natural resources with emphasis directed at the state officials who have exhibited an indifferent attitude towards the existance of Stripers on the Pacific Coast.

Darian,

Unfortunately later I found out from a few folks that know, That executive order GW signed only applied to striped bass that were in waters where they were already protected from the commercial fishers...Call it a con job, mis-guided effort or what ever..It was simply a feel good, do nothing publicity stunt when it comes to the bottom line...As far as any effect on west coast striped bass..never happen never will. West Coast stripers are simply an "exotic" species that prey on "endangered" native fish....

The truth of the matter is that as far as the federal and state bureaucracies are concerned, the striped bass is "dangerous" fish to them for the following reasons..It is an extremely popular game fish and as such has a large following in the angling communities. This following has the potential to become a large problem with respect to the government's (both state and federal) failure to carry out their mandated responsibilities as Trustees of the Public Trust resources and enforcing wise and resonable use of the peoples waters.
Several of the latest court cases in which the fisheries were the victors (to a point anyway) support that thinking...So now we are beginning to see an all out assault on striped bass by BuRec, DWR and Federal Fish and Wildlife. The recent bogus lawsuit by the water contractors against DFG for restrictions on the harvest of striped bass, The fact that the BuRec/DWR wants to back out of giving anymore "mitigation" monies to DFG for the destruction of millions of striped bass over the life of the CVP/SWP are other troubling signs of things to come..

There was absolutely no reason for the Prospect Island fiasco..There were several ways they could of taken care of the "safety" issues as far as boaters were concerned and protecting the levee on the other side of Miner slough from wash out. In my mind this fish kill was deliberate. There is simply no other reason for it...
Mike

[Mike McKenzie]

Alright, it's been 12 hours since I went to check out Prospect Island. Now I gotta ask. WHERE THE HELL ARE ALL YOU STRIPER FISHERMEN? I'm not even one of you, I'm a hack. I've got a pram and an electric trolling motor. The biggest Striper I've caught was maybe 5 pounds. That one fish has shown me the potential of what's out there. HELLO! Do you even care? I haven't even started to tap into what the delta has to offer. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE? Are the majority of Striper fishermen totally apathetic to the fishery as a whole? I gotta say, as I drove around down there this morning I really expected to run into at least a couple of other concerned fishermen. Nope, not one. Yeah, I'm pissed. At you. And you. Where the hell are you guys? Look, I'm not an activist of any sort, I don't like or even approve of most of the stupid enviromental activist crap that we all hear about. But c'mon, this is fishing 101. Dead fish=no fish to catch or release. Sooner or later you have to take a stand, our fishery depends on it. While this battle seems lost, there will be others. C'mon people, stand up and be counted. Ed

Ed,

Great rant!! I love Ya' like a Brother... You are echoing sentiments I've expressed a million times over the years.

Unfortunately us fisher folks are pretty poor at gettin' ourselves organized..Soooo I'm gonna' try a different way here. I think that the Allied Fishing Groups need to spend a few bucks and hire some professional folks to get us ginned up for a big rally on the capitol steps..I've already talked to a few in leadership positions that agree that it takes more than a few of us that really care to get something like this done. Pro's know how to organize, how to deal with the media to get a bigger bang for the buck and above all if we ever do get to the havin' a ralley stage, educating us on how to speak to the press by staying focused and without sounding like babbling idiots in front of the cameras..Its hard to do, I've been there!! :lol:

Mike

[Ed Wahl]

Man, I was pretty upset. Went out today with David Lee and took a chill pill. Acutally I took about half a dozen chill pills, with lines on their sides :D

[OceanSunfish]

Mike has hit the 'nail' on the head. There is an all out assault on the striped bass.

It would not have been that difficult to salvage a lot of fish if you think about it. In fact, it would've been quite simple. For example:

A crane with a big scoop or bucket could've been placed on the levee nearest to the deeper pools left after some pumping took place. Volunteers on the island would load fish into the bucket and the crane swings the bucket over to the Miner Slough side. Viola!

Pumping starts with a few screens then shuts off when the biomass accumulates to where the fish are placed into the crane/bucket by volunteers, etc.

The BuRec's idea of sealing off the island at the bottom of the tide to assist fish escapement is a bunch of BS. The tide rises and falls every day so the fish are used to the pattern. What would make them leave the island? By sealing off the island at low tide only means there is LESS water to pump out!

There is an assault taking place right under our noses. Time to create a real coalition of all striped bass fisherman and agree on a single agenda and start playing the 'game' seriously.

[STEELIES/26c3]

Lots of good issues/concerns here.

Yes, striped bass are an introduced species... but are also a naturalized species. In the first 121 of 128.5 years, since their assisted migration to the west coast, they have coexisted with native bait and game fish. Numbers of smelt, salmonids, etc... were not degraded so they were never blacklisted as a species.

And of course, DFG even attempted (half-heartedly) in the 1980's to manage and enhance the fishery. And in an even lesser manner, carried on the tradition by creating the delta-enhancement stamp in the mid 1990's...

I myself raised questions (back in the day) about CA. DFG's mixed messages and motives regarding protection of native salmon and steelhead stocks and enhancement of the exotic and predatory striped bass within the same delta system...

I worked for DFG in Lewiston and at Nimbus and with them in So Cal over the years. My relationship with the department has always been one of love/hate.

These days, I realize that we are not going to get back to the proverbial 'Garden of Eden' nor to the unspoiled Bitterroot Mountains of Montana (A River Runs Through 'Em...). Until the reservoirs and dams crumble below Nimbus and Folsom Lakes... The American River is going to be a mitigated/managed fishery... and we need to do the best we can with what we have left. Stripers are here to stay. To eradicate them would be impossible (physically, monetarily, and legally speaking, it will NEVER happen).

Yes, the water barons are making a ploy to use the striped bass as a scapegoat to pigeonhole DFG and push their agenda for increased water flows to the public via bond legislation co-drafted by 'The Governator'.

It is very dirty politics. It is not only an assault on DFG by quasi-government agencies (which have WAY too much power...) but it also pits agencies (who used to have common interests and goals) against one another. Namely, CA Dept. of Fish and Game and the US Fish and Wildlife Service and to a lesser degree; NOAA and NMFS.

DFG is being criticized (and sued) for falling short in its efforts to protect the delta smelt. In fact, they stand accused of willingly and wantonly undermining Federal Endangered Species Act legislation by managing striped bass as a fishery, despite that striped bass predation likely causes a 4-6% decline in salmonid smolt populations.

WATER DIVERSIONS administered by DWR, and BOR are indeed the MAJOR CULPRIT.

The correlations between increased water export and subsequent decline in numbers of; salmon, steelhead, striped bass, delta and longfin smelt, sturgeon, and other delta pelagic fish are very strong correlations and the declines in numbers of many fish species are staggering.

Now, these agencies are rallying behind Schwarzenegger to drain even more water from the delta to keep up with rising water demands.

Where do we draw the line?

I should note that my above observations are quite simplified and that this is a very complex issue. There are lots of factors, lots of agencies involved and lots of social and economical interests at stake.

No one can deny however, that the delta is seriously imperiled and can not sustain healthy fisheries if it is drained according to the agencies who wish to spend 9 billion taxpayer dollars to remove even more water from the already failing ecosystem...

The bureaucrats and water barons pushing for the bond measure on our 2008 ballot, call themselves, "The Coalition For a Sustainable Delta". Perhaps a better name for this deceptive, and gluttonous ad-hoc committee would be: "Coalition for a DRAINABLE Delta".

Don't forget to vote NO if the bond passes.

Mark

[HC]

I am with mike... We need to be together on this, and Ed, your rant was great stuff. We need to stay mad about this for a while. If we keep giving, soon there will be no stripers left to fight for. Oceansunfish is right as well, things could have done to save these fish. Think about this there could be winter run San Joaquin steelhead trapped and killed there too. Are not these fish valued? How much is the fine for wasting game fish? Endangered species and so on. It may be a rhetorical question at this point but the Feds need to pay for what they destroy. They sure would enforce it on us. Harley

[Darian]

Hmmmm,.... Mike, I'm still in the business of attempting to hold elected officials accountable for their actions/inactions.... To all posters here, don't discount the value of getting out the vote.

Since congress was responsible for failing to fund the acquisition/conversion of Prospect Island into a wildlife preserve after directing BuRec to do so. BuRec appears to be acting in accord with their federal mandate to reclaim flooded lands for other uses. They're, apparently caught in the middle and will be damned if they do there jobs or if the don't do their jobs. Congressional ldr's/rep's should be held accountable for the fiasco. Anyone seen Doris Matsui, Nancy Pelosi or Dianne Feinstein around Prospect Island....??? Isn't Darrel Steinberg running for an elected federal office, shortly??? The point is that Politicians only respond to two things; money/power. Collective power can only be demonstrated thru the vote or thru lobbying efforts. If you're ever want a long term solution to this kind of problem, don't let up on actions, demonstrations, letter writing and DON'T FORGET TO VOTE.

I agree that we should use some money for an exercise of that power. Perhaps we should consider hiring a lobbyist or buying our own politician to advocate our cause.... 8) 8) 8)

[OceanSunfish]

I took a drive to Ryer Island today to see the scope of the fish kill myself.

It's worse than I imagined. The area is large and vast. Even if I imagined the areas where birds were sitting or flying over as the only areas that had fish, dead or barely alive, it's a huge area! We're not talking about just few thousand here folks, we're talking about a big number. I cannot imagine this incident slipping under the table unaccounted for.

I spoke to Bob McDaris today and he and others are willing to put up $500 each as that is what it will cost to hire a pilot and helicopter to air lift fish out from the acres of knee deep water quite a ways away from the levee. He believes there are still fish alive further inside, but he also knows that time is running out. If he gets permission tomorrow to enter the property by foot, then he'll reassess the situation to see if an airlift operation is needed.

[Ed Wahl]

I snatched this from the SacBee.com site. Looks like as good a rallying point as any............"McDaris said anyone who wants to help can call him at Cliff's Marina, (916) 665-1611, or by cell phone, (916) 769-8047". Money left over from a rescue attempt, he said, will be donated to a fishing charity... Ed

[Big Dave]

Some random thoughts...

1) Too bad these werent Humpback Whales. Over a million spent last year to get those two whales turned around and head back to the Ocean.

2) The impact is not just the thousands of fish lost here , but the spawning that has been lost too. How many more thousands of future fish were just lost.

3) We're all lazy and worthless. ( with few exceptions ...like Ed ) If someone posted a report of 20-30 pounders leaping in their boat , you can bet the Striper Nation would be out in full force.

4) Drop all charges against those caught poaching. Give them their boats and gear back too. ( NO , I'm not really serious ) What the poachers have done is so much less a crime then what BuRec has done.

5) Those we put our trust in. Those who receive our donations. Those who we look to for leadership in times like this....where are you ? If this is it. If this is our response , then all is lost. We will be rolled over on time and time again after this. ( "Big Dave" doesnt have the name or ability to organize a rapid response. ) Others do and you have failed. I will be political and "nice'" and not mention those who are obviously MIA's.

6) Wouldnt it be nice if ALL anglers supported ALL angling issues in the State. But you fish with gear , or you belong to THAT Bulletin Board , oh you're one of those flyfishing guys. That works against us so much that its actually pathetic. Its all OUR water and all OUR fish. One strong united voice should be all over this as with the access rights up north , the Klamath fish kill etc etc...

7) "It was unavoidable"...uh huh , yeah. Couldnt shock the Stripers and move them. Couldnt lower the water and let anglers come in and move them for you. Couldnt reverse the pumps when they realized that "OOOOPS , theres Fish in there". No , but they had the manpower to have people stand guard against potential rescue and hand out trespassing citations. ( or did they not want people to find something else in the water....like ESA species )

8) This isnt an accident. There were too many chances to correct the wrong , but they moved forward. Its criminal.

9) Not one penny more of my money is going to any fishing organization until I see demonstrated passion and responsibility. ( part of the group of MIA's Im referring too )

10 ) Lucky you , I'm done !!!

[Mike McKenzie]

Big Dave,

Because I know you, I know your hearts in the right place. With that said, There is a hell'uv'a lot more to this than tryin' to save a bunch of mostly dead fish which I admit is a laudable enterprise, unfortunately I ain't quite able physically yet to be any help with that effort.
I do take an extreme exception to your following remark and I quote

"5) Those we put our trust in. Those who receive our donations. Those who we look to for leadership in times like this....where are you ? If this is it. If this is our response , then all is lost. We will be rolled over on time and time again after this. ( "Big Dave" doesnt have the name or ability to organize a rapid response. ) Others do and you have failed. I will be political and "nice'" and not mention those who are obviously MIA's."

Where we are is busy as hell building and "offense" for this "offensive" BuRec action. The proper reaction both legal and public takes a little time to organize and it is not something that wants to be plastered all over the internet at this point in time..believe me when I say the wheels are turning and burning! The biggest difficultly at the moment is the fact that it's almost impossible to get anything done on a long holiday week-end..Critical folks are not around etc.

Then there is this and again I quote..

"6) Wouldnt it be nice if ALL anglers supported ALL angling issues in the State. But you fish with gear , or you belong to THAT Bulletin Board , oh you're one of those flyfishing guys. That works against us so much that its actually pathetic. Its all OUR water and all OUR fish. One strong united voice should be all over this as with the access rights up north , the Klamath fish kill etc etc..."

While some of the above may be partially true..those days are rapidly coming to an end. This is What the "Allied Fishing Groups" is all about..Common fight for common ground.

I've just now finally finished writing and mailing, e-mailing and faxing letters to the BuRec. the Governor, the Resources Agency Secretary, the President of the F&G Commission, The State Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Recreation, my local State Senator and Assembly man and I don't know who all else..Plus I still have my federal representatives to copy on all this (it'll be done tonite!). How many letters have you written to your "elected" representatives??? Any??
Hard at work!!
Mike

[Big Dave]

Mike , nothing I said was directed at you. I made the mistake of not including your name in the part where I mentioned Ed Wahls name. Sorry. I thought you would know that.

Any efforts made to litigate this illegal action are fantastic , but its no so good for those dead Stripers. Thats my focus.

E-mails , letters ? As a matter of fact , yes. Followed up on several ocassions with phone calls. Go to the "politicians" web sites and call call call until you get through. Its amazing some of the folks Ive had "two minutes" with.....

[OceanSunfish]

Mike, others:

Do you know if there has been any attempt to 'elect' or 'hire' someone to be the central spokesperson for any issues pertaining the the delta and it's fisheries? How about a PR person that can send out the "for immediate release" bulletin to the newswires, etc. I personally know of someone that is a consultant PR person that does such things after doing thorough research before releasing the bulletin.

The incident on Prospect Island is not the first and unfortunately, won't the be the last.

It seems whenever something like this arises and the media swarms in, there's nobody there to interview and provide factual information instead of the personal opinion of those that happen to be present when the media arrives.

I know you've been on TV, news, etc. during certain incidents in the past, but you're doing it on your own free will and time. "We" cannot expect or assume you'll be there each and every time, it's not fair, especially when you're supposed to be resting.

I appreciate your insight in letting us know that there is action in the works today and that we need to be patient and understanding. However, I would like to see some of the 'funding' through donations be used for some 'shots fired' when the issue is on the forefront too.

I don't know. Maybe what I am suggesting makes "us" look like the same kind of folks that go and sit up in trees situated around the Cal football stadium. But, see, I knew about those tree sitters! :D

Regards.