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The Carmel Steelhead Association (CRSA)

The Carmel Steelhead Association (CRSA) from its roots dating back to the 1974 evolved from a Conservation group consisting mainly of fishermen to the leading advocate for preserving the Carmel River Wild Steelhead.

The primary goal is to return the Carmel River watershed to as natural a state as possible so that it will maintain an annual adult run of adult steelhead in excess of 2000 fish.

All members are volunteers and we are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Membership in the Association is open to all interested persons upon paying annual dues of $25 and is not limited as to age, race, religion or gender.

Board meetings are the second Wednesday of every month at the Carmel Area Wastewater District board room at 7PM. They are open to all members of the CRSA.

The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project (MBSTP)

Founded in 1976, the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project (MBSTP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and enhancement of the native salmon and steelhead populations of the greater Monterey Bay area.

To accomplish the goals of the MBS&TP has developed three major programs:

•Coho Salmon and Steelhead
•Chinook Salmon Enhancement
•Salmon and Trout Education (STEP)

Coho Salmon and Steelhead

The MBSTP operates a hatchery and rearing facility to supplement natural production which has been reduced due to habitat degradation. One objective of this program is the reintroduction of native steelhead and especially Coho (silver) salmon into local stream where they were historically present. The MBSTP assists the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) in research addressing current limiting factors, such as the elimination of certain diseases endemic to the habitat.Â To date the MBSTP has released over 1.9 million Coho salmon and steelhead into area streams from whence they out migrate to the ocean and grow naturally into maturity.

Chinook Salmon Enhancement

The MBSTP operates salt-water net pens in Moss Landing and Monterey harbors to acclimate Chinook salmon fingerlings obtained from the Feather River Hatchery into the ocean.Â The objective of this program

is to reduce fish losses during out migration thereby increasing the numbers of Chinook salmon available in Monterey Bay for sport and commercial fishery. As of June 2004, the MBSTP has released 2 million Chinook salmon into the Monterey Bay.

Salmon and Trout Education (STEP)

The MBSTP currently supports the STEP program in over 155 classrooms from San Bruno to Gonzales (elementary through high school grade levels). The purpose of this program is to develop awareness of the life cycle and habitat requirements of our local salmon and steelhead. To this end the Project has developed and distributed class curricula, trained teachers, and provided continuing support including eyed steelhead eggs for rearing in classroom aquarium. To date approximately 150,000 students have participated in this program.

Funding Shortfall

During the life of the MBSTP, the CDFG provided substantial financial support. In recent years CDFG budgets have been severely cut with corresponding reductions in what they have provided to the MBS&TP. In 2003, the Governor's office vetoed the entire MBSTP appropriation. Subsequent action by the Commercial Salmon Stamp Committee provided only partial funding for the 2004 Chinook Salmon Program. However, support for the Project's three major programs came from the MBSTP treasury. As a non-profit MBSTP relies on the generosity of the community, especially in light of the state's funding cut-backs. Major increased support from the community is needed to offset the CDFG shortfall.Â Without this increased community contribution, the very existence of the MBSTP is in question.

Last Updated (Monday, 13 September 2010 16:08)

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance

Who is CSPA?

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) is a collection of committed activists with several centuries of combined experience in the trenches of the administrative, legislative and judicial processes affecting fisheries, water rights and water quality. It is within these arenas that the battles to protect the fisheries and water quality of our waterways are won or lost.

California has many laws protecting fisheries and water quality but a poor track record of enforcing them. CSPA monitors the water rights and water quality processes, and where necessary, enforces laws enacted to protect the aquatic environment. We have developed working relationships with state and federal agencies and legislators and closely collaborate with other fishing and environmental organizations, including the Environmental Water Caucus. For example, we:

Water Rights

Submit formal comments, complaints, protests and petitions and participate in evidentiary proceedings concerning water rights, public trust, water transfers, water quality control plans and unreasonable use and method of diversion issues before the State Water Resources Control Board.

Water Quality

Review, submit comments and participate in administrative proceedings before both the State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards regarding proposed NPDES Permits, 401 Certifications, Waste Discharge Requirements or waivers of WDRs issued pursuant to state and federal clean water statutes.

Hydropower

Submit comments, complaints, petitions and interventions and participate in formal proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding hydroelectric project licenses that affect fisheries. CSPA is a steering committee member of the California Hydropower Reform Coalition.

Environmental Review

Review, analyze and submit detailed comments on California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents pertaining to projects affecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and waterways throughout California.

Policy Development and Rulemaking

Participate in numerous State Water Board and Regional Water Board proceedings related to policy development, promulgation of water quality criteria, impaired waterbody listings, TMDLs, Basin Plan amendments, enforcement actions, etc.

Fisheries Habitat

Review and submit comments on biological opinions, critical habitat designation, streambed alteration and 404 dredging permits issued by National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers and California Department of Fish and Game.

Legislation

Monitor legislative agendas and participate, throughout the legislative process, regarding proposed legislation affecting fisheries and water quality.

Delta Protection

Monitor actions related to the San Francisco Bay-Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary. CSPA has been intricately involved in virtually every proceeding involving the Bay-Delta from the evidentiary hearings in the 1980s through CalFed, Delta Vision, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan efforts to construct a peripheral canal and the Delta Stewardship Committee’s development of a Delta Plan.

Restoration

Conduct projects designed to restore degraded habitat. For example, CSPA is presently managing a half-million dollar restoration project to reestablish steelhead to their historical watershed in Suisun Creek.

Enforcement

Investigate and, where necessary, initiate enforcement actions against violators of environmental laws established to protect fisheries, habitat and water quality. As of this writing (29 December 2010), CSPA has an ongoing docket of some forty-five legal actions to protect water and fish. These include some 30 current enforcement actions against violators of water quality statutes, as well as agency lawsuits against the State Water Resources Control Board, Central Valley Regional Water Board, California Department of Water Resources, California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, etc. for violation of environmental laws or the failure to enforce those laws. CSPA’s enforcement efforts have resulted in literally millions of mitigation dollars being distributed to other fishing and environmental organizations.

California Trout

Thirty Seconds To Better Steelhead & Salmon Fishing in California (and a Stronger Economy)

November 11, 2011 Leave a Comment

The facts are clear: The four lower Klamath River dams (which are currently throttling the salmon and steelhead populations on what used to be the west coast’s third-most productive salmon fishery) are not only bad for fish, they’re bad for California’s economy (if updated instead of removed, they’d run at a $20 million annual loss).

Copco dam has outlived its usefulness -- and would even run at a $20 million loss...

And in literally thirty seconds, you can help us take them out.

Simply click here and offer a public comment supporting Alternative 2 (Full Dam Removal) of the Klamath Draft EIS/EIR.

While a supporting comment in your own words is always helpful, we’ve already written a sample comment which you can simply cut and paste into the very simple comment form (sample comment and picture of the form included below).

For an executive summary of the Draft EIS/EIR, click here.

For more information about the Klamath River Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) and other Klamath Issues, click here.

CalTrout is committed to working on this issue — expect to see more emails, articles and Trout Clouts on this important fight.

Click here to comment — and help restore California’s steelhead and salmon populations.

##### Sample Comment #####

Subject: Klamath Draft EIS/EIR: I support Alternative 2

Comment: I support Alternative 2 of the Klamath Draft EIS/EIR proposal (full removal of the Iron Gate, Copco1, Copco2, and J.C. Boyle dams).

1. ◦These dams are decimating one of the west’s most prolific salmon and steelhead fisheries and strangling the area’s economy
2. ◦Alternative 2 will help restore salmon runs (dramatically increasing steelhead populations), and ensure predictable water deliveries to irrigators
3. ◦The dams don’t make economic sense: if upgraded to modern standards they’ll actually operate at a $20 million annual loss
4. ◦Even the owner (PacifiCorp) wants these privately owned dams taken out
I support healthy fisheries and a healthy local economy (dam removal brings many jobs to the area) — and I support Alternative 2.