BY DAVE HURLEY
MARYSVILLE – Finding solutions to complex problems often requires a different level of creativity, and the continued decline of California’s salmon populations has required thinking ‘outside the box.’ A unique group of partners consisting of fishermen, farmers, scientists, and water managers have been putting their heads together to develop an action plan in the attempt to restore salmon. The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association (NCGASA), Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association (GFFA), Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Association, California Rice, Northern California Water Association, and Sacramento River Settlement Contractors have formed a collaborative working group to form the Northern California Fishing and Farming Bridge Group.
Captain James Smith of California Dawn Sport Fishing and the GFFA has been a member of the group since its inception, and he is extremely enthusiastic about transitioning the ‘farmers vs. fishermen’ scenario from one of conflict to one of cooperation. The group recently was the catalyst for a release of 1.8 million salmon fry from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Coleman Hatchery into winter-flooded rice fields near Sacramento. According to the Bridge Group’s press release, research from UC Davis ‘demonstrates how rice fields provide vital ecological benefits by mimicking historical floodplain environments young salmon once relied upon while migrating to the ocean. Simply put, salmon feeding on zooplankton in intentionally flooded farm fields bulk up – often growing two to five times faster than in rivers, giving them the size and strength needed to improve their chance of reaching the Pacific Ocean.”
This first release is part of a plan to annually release 2 million salmon fry into flooded rice fields over the next decade, and it is only one of several projects in process by the group including a new hatchery on the Sacramento River.
With commercial salmon fishing closed and recreational fishing limited to a six-day ocean season since 2022, all hands must to be on deck to find creative solutions to bring back California’s salmon population. Water diversions through the California Delta continue at a increased pace, leaving the only answers for stakeholders to collaborate with each other and try new approaches. When the seasons are open, Sacramento River salmon generate over $2 billion in economic activity for communities in California and Oregon, providing approximately 23,000 jobs in California and nearly half that number in Oregon. In addition, California’s salmon are a critical food source for orcas, sea lions, harbor seals, and sharks. The stakes for salmon survival are very high.
