UPDATE: We’re hearing rumors that SB 657 is DOA. More as we know it.
California Trout is in strong opposition to California Senate Bill 657, which simply deletes existing law related to the proper regulation of suction dredge mining permits.
That’s bad idea in itself, but more importantly, SB 657 would undermine an ongoing and comprehensive environmental review of the recreational practice of suction dredge mining.
In a joint letter, CalTrout and the California Chapter of Trout Unlimited said “By deleting existing law related to the proper regulation of suction dredge mining permits, SB 657 would undermine an ongoing and comprehensive environmental review of this recreational practice. The current California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review and the associated process to develop and adopt new regulations governing such mining should continue.”
Stopping those processes now would waste substantial public funds, and short-circuit a public review process in favor of… well, nothing.
The threats posed by suction dredge mining to California’s native and imperiled salmon, steelhead, and trout species are documented, numerous, and must not be underestimated. They include:
It is for these reasons and others that the Department of Fish and Game has been ordered to perform a comprehensive review of suction dredge mining and the regulations pertaining to permitting the activity.
Please join us in supporting this ongoing and productive environmental review process, and in opposing attempts to circumvent state efforts to protect our trout, steelhead and salmon.
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Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.