Delta smelt numbers up :)

[Tony Buzolich]

I wasn't sure where I wanted to post this because there's so many overlapping issues and feelings, but , it all comes down to the need for water.

In this morning's paper (Appeal/Democrat) there's an A/P article taken from the Fresno Bee. It states that Delta Smelt numbers are higher now than they have been in the last ten years.

According to Marty Gingris (I'll paraphrase) ".. the abundant rainfall last year has lead to more water in the rivers and delta leading to improved habitat and quality of water as a whole."

Now, with this logic, why are we continuing to suck so much water away from where we need it to support this endangered fish as well as the Salmon and Steelhead?

Less water means less life. Give the water to southern California and the Central valley farmers and you drain away what gives life to our natural resources. Simple as that.

If we continue to re-route and pump northern water to the south it will support the needs of an exploding population while at the same time making a very few farm mogels
richer than they already are. These moguls are like drug lords, they don't care where they get their supply (water) and they don't care who they sell it's by-product to (produce).

I hope with this recent information it may shed some more light on the water problem that has caused the demise. Blaming striped bass for the lost salmon runs is only a small fraction of what lost water does to their population.
TONY

[Darian]

Tony,.... I agree. Water equals life. However, in the case of the Delta Smelt, the recent increase in population probably isn't enough to offset the overall decline but, hey, it's a good start.... :D

In reading up on this stuff, I found an article in a DWR publication titled, "Laboratory Culture of Delta Smelt". The article reported that lab culture of Delta Smelt was feasible as far back as 1994 when UCD conducted this exercise. An interesting quote from that article says, "This year, work suggests that laboratory culture of Delta Smelt is technically feasible but labor intensive. Broodfish can be raised and spawned in captivity to obtain adequate supplies of fertilized eggs and larvae." :|

Since conservation hatcheries are already in use to protect/raise Delta Smelt, last winter was a wet one and smelt populations are still at an all-time low, it seems to me that a real recovery over the next 10 years without hatchery production isn't realistic. My best guess, continued use of hatcheries will be necessary regardless of what is done to reduce predation by Striped Bass. Too many other contributing factors that DFG doesn't have control over. :|

[Scott V]

The number one thing I hear from everyone fishing the delta this year is lack of bait fish. I thought delta smelt were considered bait fish and if there are so much of them then where are they hiding?

[Frank Alessio]

L.A. Remember the sound of Sucking on your straw at the end of your Milk shake....Break out the Popcorn....

[Nick B]

Some food for thought, no doubt about it. Another interesting tidbit is that this is the first year that they released a large quantity of freshwater in the FALL, in an attempt to increase smelt habitat... something that B of R is fighting tooth and nail.

Interesting thing about striper predation... In the studies cited by DFG they found relatively low rates of predation...even though the smelt were EXTREMELY abundant at that time (1960's). In fact the Shapovalov report makes a note about how few smelt they were finding the striper guts, given how abundant they were.

Finally, these guys are pretty much ecologically extinct in the delta.... I am just guessing, but an increase in smelt will probably not offset a shortage of bait fish.

[Darian]

Nick,.... Good points. :nod: On the increased release of water in the fall, last year, it was reported in the SacBee around that time that CVP/SWP had so much water in storage that they elected to discount the price of water per ACF down to $9.00 from the contract price of $50.00 per ACF to reduce storage in anticipation of another wet water year. Guess what :?: It's shaping up to be a drought year, thus far.... :confused: So much for conservation of water.... :\\