CalTrout maintains a strong presence in Sacramento in an effort to:
- Develop legislation to improving funding and management for trout, steelhead and salmon priorities
- Support legislation that furthers our Mission and oppose harmful legislation
- Track the state budgeting process to ensure fish and water programs are funded
- Raise state legislators’ awareness about the importance of trout, steelhead and salmon
Our regional presence throughout California allows us to bring tangible examples and real world solutions to Sacramento. CalTrout’s goal is to use our regional success to set a precedent for state-wide policy.
We have a united voice in Sacramento led by Curtis Knight, CalTrout Conservation Director. We work closely with Trout Unlimited. Our government affairs consultant, Conservation Strategies Group (CSG), provides strategic advice and lobbies for important bills and legislative issues on our collective behalf.
Legislation
The current budget crisis remains the focus of the California State Legislature. However, this has not stopped our elected representatives from introducing over 2400 bills into the 2011/2012 Legislative Session, including a wide array of natural resource management bills. A few of the bills CalTrout is closely monitoring or actively engaged in are listed below.
Implementing Past Legislative Successes
DFG Reform Bill; AB 2376 (Huffman): Driven largely by CalTrout/TU/CSG leadership in 2010, this bill was approved by the Legislature after a long battle and signed by the Governor on 9/28/10.
The bill (which acts directly on the primary recommendation of CalTrout’s SOS Report) reports that the Department of Fish and Game is overburdened by unfunded mandates and in need of restructuring. As a first step, this bill requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to convene a committee to develop (and submit to the Governor and Legislature before 7/1/12) a strategic vision for the Department that addresses specified matters relating to state fish and wildlife resource management. CalTrout and TU have been working with committee membership appointees since October 2010.
Wild Trout and Hatchery Management; AB 7 (Cogdill, R): This bill was sponsored by CalTrout and passed in 2006. This legislation is important in providing the Department of Fish and Game the resources it needs to properly manage the designated Wild Trout Waters.
This legislation mandates a $2 million budget for Department of Fish and Game’s Heritage and Wild Trout Program and requires seven full time positions for Wild Trout management. However, these mandates are not always fulfilled, requiring CalTrout to continue to advocate for the full implementation of AB 7. AB 7 also requires a percentage of hatchery fish to be of native stock.
Measures CalTrout Supports
AB 528 (Chesbro, D – Eureka): This bill would prevent the successful Steelhead Report Card program from expiring in 2012. AB 528 would ensure that the program – which provides valuable steelhead trout population data and funding for restoration projects – is continued for an additional five years. California Trout will play a leadership role in advancing this legislation throughout 2011.
AB 359 (Huffman,D – San Rafael): This groundwater management plan bill would require:
- The local agency to provide a copy of a resolution of intention to the Department of Water Resources within 30 days of the date of adoption
- The local agency, upon written request, to provide a copy of the proposed groundwater management plan to an interested person
- The local agency to provide each of those interested persons with a specified notice at least 30 days prior to the commencement of the 2nd hearing to determine whether to adopt the plan
- The Department of Water Resources to post on its Internet Web site the information the department possesses regarding the local agencies that have jurisdiction to develop groundwater management plans
AB 88 (Huffman, D – San Rafael): This bill will be developed into state policy requiring the appropriate labeling of genetically engineered salmon sold within California.
Measures CalTrout Opposes
SB 657 (Gaines, R – Lassen/Sierra range): This bill would repeal the current freeze on suction dredge mining permits, and would exempt the issuing of those permits from the California Environmental Quality Act.
SB 665 (La Malfa, R-Northern Central Valley, Siskiyou County): This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would clarify that the public trust doctrine does not extend to groundwater. CalTrout believes groundwater is clearly under the jurisdiction of the public trust doctrine and opposes this bill.
Measures CalTrout Is Monitoring
SB 505 (La Malfa, R – Richvale): While just a “spot bill” at the moment, SB 505 will be developed into policy related to the distribution of fishing licenses for hatchery operations. California Trout will engage Senator La Malfa to help ensure the development of policies consistent with our conservation principles.
Events
2nd Annual Casting Call
On 6/1/11, CalTrout and Trout Unlimited will be hosting the 2nd annual Casting Call on the north lawn of the state capitol. The goal of this event is to raise state legislators’ awareness of trout, steelhead and salmon issues.
The day is filled with casting demonstrations, free ice cream, and information about California’s incredible diversity of salmonids.
CalTrout's Casting Call in Sacramento
