Squawfish as Stressors

[jbird]

they'll just be confirming what we already knew......

Isnt this what the majority of scientists do with our tax dollars anyway????

[Darian]

OK,.... One more try.... It’s naïve to think that in the current economic/political climate that there’s no incentive to maintain or increase water exports from the delta. It’s entirely obvious that the current water infrastructure in this state isn’t adequate to provide water for agriculture, development or municipal suppliers and demand continues to increase (It’s been widely reported that Department of Water Resources has consistently over allocated available water supplies). Water is a scarce commodity and the potential for profits from its sale has never been higher.

Water agencies, whether federal, state or private, that are in charge of capture, storage and sale of water in accord with rights have a legal obligation to deliver on contracts they have executed with all of their customers. Further, the current administration of this state has committed itself to establishing a “….reliable water supply” for the rest of the state. Water is being sold to private water holding companies for delivery at a later date and for high profits. So, it’s not much of a stretch to see that there’s a high incentive to maintain or increase water exports from the Delta, the primary source. BTW, I don't see this as some kind of conspiracy but recognition of business making activities.

Comments from my prior post weren't/aren't directed at individual biologists but at the organizations that employ them. However, I don't think scientists are much different than the rest of us. They're human, after all, subject to the same pressures to perform (or not) all of us are and being human beings they have personal biases. I think you might concur that bias can be insinuated into projects thru choices made by individual project team members and/or management, as well. IMHO, Some of that bias could originate with scientists.

Like anyone else, a biologist/engineer/scientist employed by any of the water agencies who did not agree with the direction imposed by agency/project management has a choice; follow direction and keep quiet or quit and go to work where they fit in. So, regardless of how they personally feel, s__t can happen. BTW, I don't see a conspiracy in this. As Rockeffeler once said, "The business of America is Business."

[Mr. Striper]

LMFAO, It seems to me that there are some people who like blame storming on this issue. Or, some just have not been fishing here in this great state ( yeah rite) long enough.

[Dustin Revel]

OK,.... One more try.... It’s naïve to think that in the current economic/political climate that there’s no incentive to maintain or increase water exports from the delta. It’s entirely obvious that the current water infrastructure in this state isn’t adequate to provide water for agriculture, development or municipal suppliers and demand continues to increase (It’s been widely reported that Department of Water Resources has consistently over allocated available water supplies). Water is a scarce commodity and the potential for profits from its sale has never been higher.

Water agencies, whether federal, state or private, that are in charge of capture, storage and sale of water in accord with rights have a legal obligation to deliver on contracts they have executed with all of their customers. Further, the current administration of this state has committed itself to establishing a “….reliable water supply” for the rest of the state. Water is being sold to private water holding companies for delivery at a later date and for high profits. So, it’s not much of a stretch to see that there’s a high incentive to maintain or increase water exports from the Delta, the primary source. BTW, I don't see this as some kind of conspiracy but recognition of business making activities.

Comments from my prior post weren't/aren't directed at individual biologists but at the organizations that employ them. However, I don't think scientists are much different than the rest of us. They're human, after all, subject to the same pressures to perform (or not) all of us are and being human beings they have personal biases. I think you might concur that bias can be insinuated into projects thru choices made by individual project team members and/or management, as well. IMHO, Some of that bias could originate with scientists.

Like anyone else, a biologist/engineer/scientist employed by any of the water agencies who did not agree with the direction imposed by agency/project management has a choice; follow direction and keep quiet or quit and go to work where they fit in. So, regardless of how they personally feel, s__t can happen. BTW, I don't see a conspiracy in this. As Rockeffeler once said, "The business of America is Business."

You truly do not understand scientists especially fisheries biologists. Someone with a bachelor's degree in fisheries biology will rarely become more than a field technician; they are not in it for the money.
It is their job to present accurate data, and if they do not do that they lose their job. The only bias present in a study is generally systematic in nature. Say they were capturing adult striped bass using lures that look like salmon smolt 9which they obviously wouldn't do), and checking their stomach contents for salmon dna, which would be a bias due to sampling technique. When this kind of bias is included in a study it is usually dismissed during peer review.
I know you said it doesn’t come from the individual biologists themselves, but these studies are ultimately designed by biologists who have spent the greater part of a decade studying fish and sampling techniques (they’re a little weird about fish).

Dustin

[Darian]

Dustin,.... Perhaps you're right about my understanding of fisheries biologists (at least I hope so). Having been a project manager, myself, I do understand how bias can intrude into the design/analysis/sampling processes and how results can be influenced. There're numerous examples of the latter over recent years.

My cynicism is based on a lot of interaction (frequently adversarial) with businesses and government over many years. I've not seen too many people who didn't have some sort of greedy intent and, because of that, I rarely take anything of importance at face value.

[bart]

If you people are interested,i'll ask Marty Gringas of f&g to post here onse in awhile.He heads the bay-delta office.

[Darian]

Bart,.... I thought it was already acceptable for him to post here. Great guy, good info he posts. I've seen a lot of his stuff over Blanton's BB. Kinda felt sorry about some of the verbal assaults he's taken over there....

[bart]

I've worked with Marty since he came on board of b/d comm.Nice guy,but he don't fish,so that makes him suspect!!lol