Tragedy for Monterey Bay Salmon & Steelhead

[Cruzin4Metalheads]

For those of you who don't know there is a little known non-profit hatchery located just north of santa cruz, which helps raise steelhead and a endangered coho to place in our local waters, including the san lorenzo river, soquel, aptos, scott creek and more.

As of this moment the bonny doon fire still rages on and the hatchery still stands, but all fish in the raceways and in the stream are all DEAD most likely as a result of the fire retardant entering the stream flow. This is a complete disaster, not only did they loose an entire year class of steelhead, but also an entire year class of coho salmon, of which there are very few left in existance in our waters. A real tragedy to say the least.
The people working at this hatchery are pretty much all volunteers, and this fire is going to set them back a great deal. I have gone to a hatchery events in the past, and a nice group. They are going to need our help in the form of donations and or any other support we can give.
The hatchery website is www.mbstp.org. It's a great cause, they need our help now, more than ever. I know i'm pitching in a few extra $.

[Ned Morris]

Cruzin,
Thanks so much for putting this on the board. I was going to put something up last night but glad someone else out there beat me to it. To say Lockheed fire is a tragedy is an understatement. The Big Creek Hatchery single handedly keeps the Central Coast Coho in existance and the fire has handed this fishery a huge blow. Central Coast Coho numbers have been dwindling to almost nothing since 2006 and this could put the run in serious trouble for the next 4-5 years. I already dontate to the MBST anually but need to up it for sure now as this fishery is on the brink. This hatchery most likely provided me my first ever (accidental) Coho caught out of CA on a central coast stream seven years ago. Since then I feel I owe it a lot for providing me that chance opportunity. Thanks so much again for posting this to get the word out. This is truly a special fishery.

Tdog

[Jay Murakoshi]

Hey guys, it's great to think about the salmon and steelhead but it's part of nature or probably in this case man made to loose such a great fishery. I was fishing the San Lorenzo back in the '70's and remember some of the great runs that would come in every year. I also remember standing shoulder to shoulder in the line up at the mouth. My favorite spot was at the "buckeye" hole. Although I haven't been back to the river in a couple decades, I'm sure it's changed drastically.

I was probably one of many original people who help start the salmon and trout project. We had the pens out at the Salinas waste water treatment plant in nets. We constructed the net rings by using 4" round gas pipe that was donated by PG&E. The first couple of trys, the rings either split apart or sank. I think we then filled the pipe with foam and welded the plastic pipe together. It was definitely a lot of work for our club members to feed the smolts daily, try to keep out the egrets and other critters, like humans. Summer time water temperatures were also a big factor. Many of them died due to water temperature rising.

Then I think from there, we start raising fish at the Silacci ranch in Salinas rural. There, they had walkway and pens built with netting over the top, automatic feeders, etc. Then we had weekend parties going out and measuring and inoculating the fish and cutting the adapose fins.

After a few years, they moved everything to the santa cruz mountains. The operation definitely grew and more volunteers help, but never enough people. I use to attend the MBSTP held every year in Castroville. I think at that time, it was hard to get people to volunteer to help put on this feed. I don't know if they still have the annual dinner

I believe the name of our fishery bioliogist was Tommy Thompson. Could be mistaken.

Some of the members who worked on this project in Salinas was Chuck Bloom, Tom Polyniak, Gene Schweitzer, Ed Given, and others whom I can't recall the names

If I can find some of my old slides, I'll scan them and post them on the board

Jay

[Ed Wahl]

Posted by Troy on 2009-08-14 22:01:10

There is some good news about the Santa Cruz,Ca
"Bonny Doon" "Lockeed" Fire.
The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project (MBSTP)
Hatchery was saved. Located a half mile from HWY 1 and the ocean, the Scott Creek Steelhead and Salmon pools were protected from any direct fire damage. Not only were they
protected from the fire, flame retardent was not dropped
on the immediate area.
Fire Battalion Captain Matt McCaslin knew the value of the
propety. He has been a major part of the success of the MBSTP Hatchery and Education program for many years. McCaslin escorted staff in this afternoon for one hour to feed fish and take water samples.
On another note, Dave Streig the Hatchery mgr and biologist for almost 3 decades is scheduled to retire today. He will be replaced on Monday by new mgr Carla Moss.
Good Luck Carla www.mbstp.org
This is a large and dangerous fire for our area. This morning I was at the Scott Creek Bridge observing 4 helicopters scooping water out of Scott Creek lagoon
and flying less than a mile into walls and giant plumes of
smoke. Another helicopter double the size of a school bus was scooping out of the ocean. Plenty of fire crews and heavy equipment are coming in from the entire West Coast. The area is being evacuated,a great community is coming together.
Winds from any direction are a problem. We have had white caps since this morning. Time to say special thanks ahead of time to the fire and support crews. They are saving lives, homes, property and some of the most beautiful Redwoods in the world.

The fire is located about 8 miles from the Santa Cruz lighthouse on the northern tip of the Monterey Bay.