Salmon Seaon in Danger

The West coast salmon season is in danger of being cancelled. In 2001 and 2002 the Bush administration fucked up the Klamath river to gain favor with farmers. They diverted a lot of water from the river to crops. The lack of water caused the waterway to heat up and kill juvenile and returning fish for the spawn. Now due to poor numbers returning to the Klamath river Fish and Game is considering putting the kaibosh on the whole season. While the Sacramento and American rivers are expecting modern record returns of fish for the spawn. The number of naturally spawning fish required on the Sacramento and American Rivers to meet sustainabilty goals is in the low 6 figures. Officials are expecting over 680,000 fish to return for spawning. With record rains this year spawning grounds should also be fertile and clean.

As a matter of scale the Klamath river needs 32,000 to sustain populations and without a fishing season they expect 27,000 fish. An unrestriced fishing season would bring returning salmon down to 18,500 fish. So 18,000 fish are going to ruin the lives of countless commercial fishermen in 3 states. This doesn't seem right. I am all for conservation. BUT I think there is a reasonable way to restrict the season based on population movements that could protect Klamath salmon and allow for some sort of season. Rolling closures starting in May at the north and south end of the Klamath salmon range, and then close it closer and closer to the Klamath as the spawn approaches. I mean you know where these fish wind up (obviously) you know how fast they can swim. This is math people.

This isn't the only beef I have with the way F+G manages fishing seasons. They are really asspoopbutt.