DFG Begins New Study to Increase Survival of Out-migrating Juvenile Salmon

Department of Fish and Game (DFG) biologists are trying a new tactic to help California’s ocean-bound juvenile salmon, in hopes of increasing survival rates. On May 3, for the first time in state history, DFG staff used a boat to move approximately 100,000 young Chinook (called smolts) down the Sacramento River to San Francisco Bay. Upon arrival, the smolts were released in the Bay, where they will grow to adulthood before returning upriver to spawn.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“We’ve been using trucks to transport smolts to points downstream for years, but we’ve never moved them by barge, and we’ve never moved them this far,” said DFG Environmental Scientist Colin Purdy, who supervised the boat transport to the Bay Area. “Truck releases are typically much further upstream, and though they do shorten the fish’s journey to the ocean, they still face all kinds of hazards in the river. It’s possible we could better the chances of survival for this species just by making a few thoughtful changes in our operating practices. The data we collect over the next few years will tell the story, but we’re hopeful that we’ll see positive results.”

Salmon return to their spawning grounds using their sense of smell. The process, called imprinting, begins before birth as waters flow over the eggs and continues as they grow and make their way to the ocean. Each segment of water on their journey has distinctive chemical cues which they can re-trace to their spawning grounds. Water is circulated through pumps from the Sacramento River into the boat’s holding tank, where the fish are kept. The hope is that this may improve their ability to find their way back as an adult and predators are unable to access the fish in the holding tank during the journey downstream.

This is the beginning of a multi-year study program aimed at increasing return rates of salmon from the sea to their native rivers. Over the next few years, scientists will use the data collected from the fish to test and evaluate the idea that overall survival rates and increased adult returns can be better achieved by barging the young salmon downstream.

To form a basis of comparison for this study, two other control groups of 100,000 smolts each were released by trucks in other locations at the same time as the barge release — one at a different location in the Bay, and one into the Sacramento River near Sacramento. All 300,000 fish in this study were implanted with coded wire tags smaller than a tiny piece of pencil lead, which will ultimately enable scientists to tell which of the three groups the returning fish came from — the barge release, or one of the two truck releases.

The study is being conducted by DFG fisheries biologists with the support of the Commercial Salmon Trollers Advisory Committee, which donated the use of the boat, fuel and crew time to help ensure a successful start to the study. They have committed to helping DFG for the next three years of data collection.

“This has been a major cooperative effort and we really appreciate DFG’s willingness to work with everybody and look at new ways of doing things,” said Zeke Grader, Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen. “DFG is committed to decreasing straying rates among the salmon migrating up the Sacramento River. Barging may be one way to achieve this goal.”

Scientists hope to confirm that — unlike the usual method of transporting the fish by truck — the boat transport will both eliminate in-river hazards such as getting lost or being eaten by predators, and give the smolts a chance to imprint on their native stream on their way to the ocean, improving their chances of successful return.

Media Contacts:
Colin Purdy, DFG Region 2, (916) 358-2832
Andrew Hughan, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8944

DFG and Orange County Successfully Prosecute First MPA Violation

A Riverside County man was fined more than $20,000 and sentenced to a week in jail for poaching lobsters inside a marine protected area (MPA). This is the first resource crime conviction since the MPAs off theSouthern Californiacoast went into effect onJan. 1, 2012. 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Marbel A. Para, 30, of Romoland pled guilty in Orange County Court on May 4 for violating Fish and Game Code 12013, which stipulates a minimum $5,000 fine for anyone who takes or posses more than three times the daily bag limit of lobsters.

“This diver intentionally took a huge overlimit of lobster with no regard for the current laws,” said Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Assistant Chief Paul Hamdorf. “He didn’t follow any fish and game laws, including the take restrictions within an MPA.”

After midnight on Jan. 15,DFGwardens foundParaand a companion with 47 California spiny lobsters in their possession. In addition to illegally taking the lobsters from an MPA, the divers were well over the legal possession limit of seven lobsters per diver, and all but five of the lobsters were undersize. Para claimed that all the lobsters were his and his companion was not cited.

“This was a big case, but unfortunately it wasn’t the biggest even in the last 12 months. Any time you have something that has significant monetary value, there will be a small group that will exploit it, regardless of what the law says,” said Hamdorf.

DFGhas been working closely with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to combat resource crimes in the county. Para was ultimately sentenced to three years probation, seven days inOrangeCountyjail and a $5,000 fine for theDFGviolation. Additional fees and penalties pushed the total fines to more than $20,000. He also had to forfeit all his SCUBA equipment and was given a “stay away” order from the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve.

The MPAs were created through the Marine Life Protection Act in order to simplify and strengthen existing marine reserves and fishing regulations to allow recovery of fish populations that have been in severe decline.

Media Contacts:
Paul Hamdorf,DFGLaw Enforcement, (562) 342-7210
Andrew Hughan,DFGCommunications, (916) 322-8944

DFG to Hold Public Meeting on Pacific Halibut Management

Media Contacts:
Deb Wilson-Vandenberg, DFG Marine Region, (831) 649-2892
Carrie Wilson, DFG Communications, (831) 649-7191
Kirsten Macintyre, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8988

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) invites the public to attend a meeting to discuss the management of California’s Pacific halibut fisheries. The meeting will be held on May 16, 2012 at the Humboldt Bay Harbor Recreation and Conservation District Conference Room, 601 Startare Drive in Eureka, from 6 to 8 p.m.

DFG staff will provide current information on Pacific halibut management and ocean fisheries in California, and will discuss the possible need for changes in the recreational fishery in 2013. The public is encouraged to provide input to managers and representatives which will aid in the development of future Pacific halibut management.

Pacific halibut fishing regulations are developed through a collaborative process involving DFG, the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Fish and Game Commission, the International Pacific Halibut Commission, the states of Oregon and Washington, and the public.

When additional information becomes available on proposed regulation changes, or other opportunities arise for public comment regarding Pacific halibut, DFG will post details on its website at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/groundfishcentral.