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More time for DFG stocking analysis |
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Wednesday, 03 December 2008 |
 A Department of Fish and Game warden plants trout in the Eastern Sierra. The DFG reached an agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity last week that will allow it to continue stocking state waters with non-native fish, despite a delay by the agency in drafting an environmental impact report on its stocking program. Mammoth Times photo by Susan Morning By Mike Gervais
Register Staff
12-2-2008 Trout stocking in the Eastern Sierra is expected to carry on as usual, despite new restrictions that have been placed on the California Department of Fish and Game program.
An agreement between the DFG and the Center for Biological Diversity limits the waters where non-native species of fish may be stocked, but allows the DFG to continue providing sport-fishing opportunities throughout the state.
A lawsuit filed by the Pacific Rivers Council and the Center for Biological Diversity against DFG in 2006 claimed that DFG’s fish stocking operation did not comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and harms native species that share waterways with the non-native sport-fish.
“The court agreed with us that trout stocking has a significant impact on the environment,” said Noah Greenwald of the Center for Biological Diversity.
In July, 2007, the DFG was ordered by the Sacramento Superior Court to comply with CEQA regarding its fish stocking operations.
To complete that process, the DFG was required to complete an environmental impact report on its stocking operations within one year.
Recently, the DFG notified the courts and the Center for Biological Diversity that it would not have the environmental documents in order in time to meet its deadline.
That delay could have resulted in temporary suspension of all DFG stocking operations, but, to avoid the ban, the Center for Biological Diversity and the DFG reached an interim agreement on Nov. 20 that allowed the agency to continue stocking on a limited basis until the EIR is completed.
According to the agreement, before the DFG can stock a stream or body of water in California it must conduct a survey of the wildlife that can be found there. If one of 25 native species that have been identified by the Center for Biological Diversity are found, the agency must wait until after the EIR is complete to stock there.
The DFG will not be required to conduct a survey of man-made reservoirs that are more than 1,000 acres in size or reservoirs that don’t connect to areas where there are native species.
“In the case of the Eastern Sierra, the Department of Fish and Game is well ahead of the curve,” said Greenwald.
Of the 25 native species outlined in the stocking agreement, the mountain yellow-legged frog and the golden trout are found in the Eastern Sierra.
“The DFG has done a lot of surveys for the mountain yellow-legged frog and have stopped stocking over them,” Greenwald said. “Because the DFG was managing their impact on the species anyway, this agreement shouldn’t affect that area very much.”
The DFG will be publishing a list of waters that will be affected by the new agreement in the near future. That list will be available on the DFG Web site.
Locally, Crowley Lake, North Lake, South Lake, Sabrina and the upper and lower Owens River will be stocked as planned next year.
Many lakes in the backcountry may not be stocked next season due to the agreement.
On its Web site, the DFG says it plans to have the EIR available by 2010.
Phone calls to DFG Hatchery Supervisor Gary Williams were not returned as of press time Monday.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 12 January 2009 )
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