Steve Merlo: Delta native species, striped bass at center of water controversy
| Thursday, Feb 26 2009 10:18 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Mar 26 2009 01:43 PM
Water, the most precious commodity we have in the Southern San Joaquin, stands in short supply due to the extended drought. Agriculture and other highly beneficial interests to the people of Kern County are suffering, and entire companies relying on the quaff of life are closing up shop because the "well" has all but gone dry.
Yet, only a few miles away, the California Aqueduct stands ready to deliver more than enough liquid gold to meet our demands. Northern California , with its plethora of rivers, streams and excess runoff, has more than enough to share, yet is forced to allow trillions of gallons to flow unimpeded back into the ocean. Of course, it is ultimately not wasted, but a lot of us think there might be a better use for that water than dumping it back into the sea.
Due to environmental considerations, aqueduct access points in the San Francisco-San Joaquin River Delta have been shut or netted off to prevent further damage to several of 52-known species of Delta fish that are classified as either extinct or becoming so. Included in the list are the Delta smelt, King Salmon, Sacramento Perch and Steelhead Trout, all victims of illegally introduced predatory fish, including the channel catfish, largemouth, smallmouth and striped bass.
Now, I hate politics as badly as the next guy, but sometimes we have to get a little dirty in order to achieve what we want for our community. In this instance, and please hear me out, water delivery to our thirsty valley is paramount to our very existence. More so than the continued and unnecessary protection of one of these predators that continue to devastate our native Delta species, disrupt the flow of water to our area and keep hard-nosed environmentalist politicians breathing down our necks and cutting off our water.
Jean Fuller, our assembly member, recently called to ask how I felt about supporting a bill removing all restrictions and protections, including size and bag limits, on Striped Bass. The purpose of the bill was two-fold : One, to protect native Delta population species from further attrition by the striper, and secondly, to get an environmental mitigation going that would unlock the dammed gates and restore badly needed water flow to the south.
Ms. Fuller suggested that she was merely trying to strike a balance with her proposal. Given the far reaching steps being taken to protect endangered Delta species, this is a politically motivated way to mitigate the overall impact on the priceless water supply and also increase the populations of the native species. I like her idea and think it may work.
At one time, striped bass were considered one of the "glamour" fish species in the state. In fact, striped bass enhancement stamps were sold by the DFG to provide monies for habitat and planting programs, and it has worked--too well, it seems. The voracious stripers have literally cleaned out our lakes, streams, canals and deltas to the point where they now feed heavily on their own fry because nothing else is left.
I enjoy catching and eating striped bass as well as the next guy, if not better. My wife and I have spent many an enjoyable evening catching stripers out at the concrete canal. Pyramid and Castaic Lakes on the grapevine are teeming with the fighting gamesters, but in almost every case, the other fish populations have suffered. According to every report I've read, striped bass account for 10-15 percent of available native fish fry annually, and that's far too much.
My opinion is that the striped bass will never entirely be fished out, but probably needs to be better controlled and properly managed for everyone's benefit. That we can reopen the gates to replenish our own depleted water stocks and supplies, so much the better. And that we can at least stop some of the predation on our native species, I'm all for it.
My only other concern, other than the water issue, is not for the stripers, but for the fishermen. Many millions of fishermen's dollars sit idly in an account collected entirely through striper stamps and once dedicated to improving striped bass fisheries and habitat. What will become of all that money, and will it be returned to the people who paid their hard-earned cash to paste the stamp on the back of their licenses?
These are Steve Merlo’s opinions, and not necessarily The Californian’s. His column appears every Friday.
