California's Most Wanted
The flawed logic goes like this: Get rid of the predatory stripers and salmon will come back. But it’s just a diversionary tactic to get us to ignore the fact that the Delta ecosystem is literally falling apart at the seams due to unprecedented water exports and poor water quality. And the funny thing about it all is getting rid of stripers may actually cause worse problems for native fishes in the Delta. Listen to what Dr. Peter Moyle, Professor of Fish Biology at UC Davis and William A. Bennett, UC Davis, Fish Ecologist have to say about it all:
“The key to restoring populations of desirable species is to return the Delta to a more variable, estuarine environment,” they say. “Reducing striped bass and other predator populations is unlikely to make a difference in saving endangered fishes, and will serve only to distract attention from the real problems. Any program to control striped bass should carefully consider the likely consequences. If initiated, it should involve an intensive study effort on the impacts of the program and an adaptive management plan (missing from all current proposals) to make sure the alleged cure is not worse than the supposed disease.” Read more reasons why removing our stripers is a bad idea on the California Water Blog
FilthyPhil says
If anything isn’t done about the lack of water, it doesn’t matter if the stripers are there or not. With more and more people chasing any of these fish from the ocean all the way into the river, I sometimes cannot believe there are any fish left! Maybe it’s a people population problem, as far as I know, the rivers we have now do not produce any more fish than they did 20,000 years ago. Steelie, you are a genius, maybe YOU can save the fishery
FilthyPhil says
Sure Pete, I’m sure the salmon pops were better, don’t take everything so literally. It was five years ago just about anyone could go down to the river and easily pluck out some salmon, catch easy limits at the coast. I think with a name like “steelie” you’re just mad these fat stripers are feeding on your steelie smolts! Get an education? You’re saying the numbers wont go back up? From the numbers of returning salmon this year from last, looks like they went up. But hey, I know what you mean,I won’t take what you say so literally. Gent bent…..your rod.
Steelie Pete says
I agree this is a state issue. But what is embarrassing about having an educated debate about the factors that are leading to a decline in our native fish species? FilthyPhil, no offense but it sounds like you’re thinking with your fishing rod and not your brain. Don’t expect anyone to believe that salmon populations were at an all time high a few years ago. Don’t you think the numbers may have been better 20,000 years ago? AND, I’d be willing to bet that numbers WON’T go up. Bull talk? Get an education. It’s this kind of rhetoric that creates this population crash. “Oh, this will fix itself. We had a good run this year, we’re out of the woods. I love catching stripers, they can’t be doing any harm.” UHHHHH!!!!!
Justin W. says
I agree with you Steelie, there are indeed too many folks who assume just because things have not collapsed yet that they never will. With regards to salmon population numbers, they are subject to the same HIPPO (Habitat loss, Invasive species, Population, Pollution, Overharvest) effects that every other sensitive species has been hit by. I just saw some numbers put out by the CA State Parks which showed a doubling (or more) of annual visitors to parks and recreational areas since the late 1980s. With double the amount of people visiting a site you can safely assume a doubling of pressure on the land. I wonder how many more fisherman there are compared to the “glory days” of salmon fishing and how the annual take from commercial fishing has increased in a like amount of time. It’s pretty easy to manage a dinner party of 5 in your house but add another 50 people and watch what gets trashed. ;)
FilthyPhil says
Salmon numbers were supposedly at an all time high only a few years ago, stripers were there then. Why would any one want to get rid of one of the most popular gamefish species that we have?? Blame this salmon (and water) mess on the state, not on the stripers. Embarassing, thankfully the salmon population will rebound as it has before, then this bull talk will hopefully go away.
Steelie Pete says
For the record, I’m not saying Dr. Moyle is wrong by any stretch of the imagination. But there are a lot of…. if this is true, then that will happen type statements. Turns out that nobody really understands 100% of what goes on down there. It’s all up for debate.
Steelie Pete says
I’ve met Peter and respect his work , but this is common sense folks. It is unlikely we can completely eradicate the stripers. However, to drastically reduce their numbers would undoubtedly help the numbers of steelhead and salmon. In addition to striper reduction, largemouth populations should also be reduced. Mississippi silversides? Get rid of them. More Delta Smelt and salmon? Increase river flows and shut down those fish blenders called turbines. How can anyone dispute that returning the rivers to their most natural state would do anything but good? If every invasive species were eradicated, all dams and diversions removed and nitrogenous sediment runoff limited, you would see the native populations return. SIMPLE! The problem is, that’s never gonna happen. So until a salmon runs for president, let’s do the best we can. Kill non-natives and release the rest. It’s working on the Columbia River.
B Sliz says
Ok Let a Landscaper tell ya whats going on..lol..Us landscapers are always targeted for water loss because you can visually see water being wasted sometimes ( sprinkler on in the rain or water going into the drain). Well after doing some research I found out that OUR LOCAL farmers are selling the rights they have to a certain amount of water for there farm….to rich people in So. Cal. They are paying the farmers more for the water than they would be able to make growing any crops and processing them. So we have farmers from the upper sac river out to the aquaduct selling water that should be ( OUR WATER ) so they can get rich while F’N up the eco system,fish populations,water quality,drinking water, aquatic habbitats, wild life area’s and worst of all MY FISHING SEASONS!!!! They need to charge HARDCORE, GRIP UR ANKLES TAXES TO FARMERS LIKE THAT….LOL
B Sliz says
I will have my contractor License this year in May, 2011
Davis Landscaping Maintenance…Every sprinkler system, drainage system I design will CONSERVE AS MUCH WATER AS POSSIBLE….Because 1 gallons of water can make a difference in weather or not a Salmon or Steelie will attack my lure and YOURS TOO.
EVERYONE CAN HELP SAVE WATER SOME HOW!
Justin W. says
Urban water use in California is only about 11% of the total use. Agriculture uses approx. 43% with the balance (46%) for environmental. – California Farm Water Coalition. While domestic water waste is definitely a problem, it is not THE problem. Agricultural efficiency development is the low-hanging fruit here. This doesn’t account for water being labeled as “AG” but then being used in an urban setting. Water policies are a train wreck of politics, money, and power. :( Anyone ever read the book “Water Wars”?
Justin W. says
Forgot to link my source. http://www.cfwc.com/Fact-Sheets/
fishbird says
Striper populations have around over 100 years in OUR delta .Not till the massive water diversions (cal. aquaduct ect) did the populations die off on all species in OUR delta system. Just a few make huge profits off such water programs and its not farmers but instead the greedy water brokers!!!!They will gladly sacrafice OUR delta to line their pockets with money
Matt says
It is so simple. Why were the good “old days” the “good old days”? Less people = less pressure on rivers, lake, and streams. Last I checked the rivers that are being blocked and diverted have not grown with the demand that is put on them. Quite the contrary. Water=money in California. There are no “small farms” in California. The major players are agri business farming thousands of acres at a time. These same people are the ones that give our politicians, Brown, Feinstein, Whitman tens of thousands of dollars to pull on there ear. It is time to fight or it will all be sold out from under us.
Justin W. says
Peter Moyle is right in my opinion. Then again, he is THE authority on CA fisheries. :)
Kreb says
The stipers sure do take down their fair share of salmon fry on the emmigration to the sea. Most carnage comes at the pumps where the stripers take them out, and what fry make it passed the stripers then face the fate of the pumps. I love catching stripers and agree that the bay needs to be rehabilitated, however stripers are part of the many culminating factors that have led to the crash of the salmon.
Ryan Sabalow says
Peep my blog today, JD.
I mention your column and others.
http://blogs.redding.com/rsabalow/archives/2011/02/the-predator-bu.html