Scott V
05-09-2008, 11:18 AM
Taken from News 10 web site:
SACRAMENTO, CA - Salmon fishing in Central Valley rivers could end Friday when the California Fish and Game commission will meet in Monterey to consider a salmon fishing ban.
The vote is preceded by a salmon fishing ban in federal waters, as well as a California Coastal fishing ban that went into effect in April.
The movement to ban salmon fishing for at least a year comes after the discovery that only about 90,000 fall-run Chinook salmon returned to the Central Valley to spawn in 2007. That's just a third of what the number was in 2006. It's also the second lowest number on record.
The salmon fishing cut-backs have already hurt many valley economies. Salmon season represents around 80 percent of business during the summer months for many bait shops.
"It's like ducks lined up for a catastrophe in this business all the way around," lamented Michelle Bukey of Vigil's Bait shop in Suisun City. "We're already losing our bait deal and I anticipate a lot more people going out of business, a lot more."
Economists believe the decision could cost the state millions. The state has applied for $255 million in federal aid to help those impacted by the fishing ban.
Other states have their own regulations for helping the salmon population. Washington State has set a quota of just 15,000 salmon for its fishermen this season and Alaska has cut its salmon catch allocation by 48 percent.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Salmon fishing in Central Valley rivers could end Friday when the California Fish and Game commission will meet in Monterey to consider a salmon fishing ban.
The vote is preceded by a salmon fishing ban in federal waters, as well as a California Coastal fishing ban that went into effect in April.
The movement to ban salmon fishing for at least a year comes after the discovery that only about 90,000 fall-run Chinook salmon returned to the Central Valley to spawn in 2007. That's just a third of what the number was in 2006. It's also the second lowest number on record.
The salmon fishing cut-backs have already hurt many valley economies. Salmon season represents around 80 percent of business during the summer months for many bait shops.
"It's like ducks lined up for a catastrophe in this business all the way around," lamented Michelle Bukey of Vigil's Bait shop in Suisun City. "We're already losing our bait deal and I anticipate a lot more people going out of business, a lot more."
Economists believe the decision could cost the state millions. The state has applied for $255 million in federal aid to help those impacted by the fishing ban.
Other states have their own regulations for helping the salmon population. Washington State has set a quota of just 15,000 salmon for its fishermen this season and Alaska has cut its salmon catch allocation by 48 percent.