Anti-striper bill gutted before hearing!

I got an email Monday night with some good news! It was sent from Dave Hurley over at USA Fishing who had received the news that Assembly Bill 2336, the “anti-striper” legislation has been gutted and amended prior to Tuesday’s hearing at the Capitol. Apparently, Assembly Member Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield) has once again underestimated the angler opposition to this bill and, just like last year when she introduced a similar one, ended up backing off at the final hour.

This is awesome, though we can’t rest yet — this battle isn’t over as there’s a lawsuit pending that would declare open season on striped bass. That’s coming around this summer. In the meantime, here’s the letter passed on to me by Dave, from John Beuttler, Conservation Director of the
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance:

I just found our from committee staff that Fuller has gutted and amended AB 2336. Below are those amendments for your review.

John Beuttler
Conservation Director
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
1360 Neilson Street
Berkeley, CA 94702
510-526-4049
JBeuttler@ aol.com

AB 2336: Proposed amendments

SEC. 1. Delete existing legislative findings and intent language and replace with:

In order to protect and preserve the existing populations of native fish species that live and migrate through the San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, it is the intent of the Legislature that the Delta Stewardship Council consider for inclusion in its final Delta Plan, in addition to measures addressing the impacts of the State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project operations, identification of effective and scientifically justified measures to reduce or eliminate the impact of other significant stressors on California’s native fish populations.

SEC. 2. Rewrite to read as follows:

85308.5. The Council, in the course of developing and adopting the Delta Plan, shall direct the Delta Independent Science Board to conduct an assessment of other stressors, in addition to State Water Project and Central Valley Project operations, on native fish species populations in the Delta, the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their tributaries below the rim dams, and recommend changes in law and actions by state agencies to remedy the situation in as timely a manner as possible. Other stressors evaluated shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, those identified in the Delta Vision Strategic Plan, including impacts of invasive species and non-native species, water quality impairments, and predation on native species.