Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Not good folks, News at 5. I'm going to hold off until later this afternoon commenting since it would be purely emotional. I need a better understanding of what happened up there in Sacramento this morning so as to be able to post a full report with complete facts, names and where we go from here. I'll be on a conference call later today with key members of various groups taking notes ta pass on later tonight.

The DOOR has been opened to our worst nightmare people!

this is terrible.....

Amazing.

better start voting these idiots out or we soon wont be able to hunt or fish in califonia

It was amended at the last minute and completely changed, doesn't even mention "striped bass"... all language was changed ...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/0 ... 644537.php

Here's some great news from John Beuttler: Due to massive opposition by anglers and environmentalists, Assemblywoman Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield) has gutted and amended her striped bass eradication bill.
I just found our from committee staff that Fuller has gutted and amended AB 2336. Below are those amendments for your review.

Committee staff believes we stopped Fuller in her tracks, but I suspect this was a planned "Bait & Switch". We've collectively stopped the destruction of the fishery for now.

I will be at the Capitol early and hope to discuss this with all concerned.

Thanks for your efforts. You made a huge difference!

John

John Beuttler
Conservation Director
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
1360 Neilson Street
Berkeley, CA 94702
510-526-4049
JBeuttler [at] aol.com


AB 2336: Proposed amendments

SEC. 1. Delete existing legislative findings and intent language and replace with:

In order to protect and preserve the existing populations of native fish species that live and migrate through the San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, it is the intent of the Legislature that the Delta Stewardship Council consider for inclusion in its final Delta Plan, in addition to measures addressing the impacts of the State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project operations, identification of effective and scientifically justified measures to reduce or eliminate the impact of other significant stressors on California's native fish populations.

SEC. 2. Rewrite to read as follows:

85308.5. The Council, in the course of developing and adopting the Delta Plan, shall direct the Delta Independent Science Board to conduct an assessment of other stressors, in addition to State Water Project and Central Valley Project operations, on native fish species populations in the Delta, the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their tributaries below the rim dams, and recommend changes in law and actions by state agencies to remedy the situation in as timely a manner as possible. Other stressors evaluated shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, those identified in the Delta Vision Strategic Plan, including impacts of invasive species and non-native species, water quality impairments, and predation on native species.

Good job to those who put forth the effort to oppose this bill.

Ray Vanacore wrote:Committee staff believes we stopped Fuller in her tracks, but I suspect this was a planned "Bait & Switch".

EXACTLY. It's a common political tactic--introduce legislation or a proposal with such overreaching and unacceptable provisions that after all the public outcry, the "amended" version suddenly becomes a little more palatable. Kinda like Arnold's proposed state park closure brouhaha...

Cooch wrote:Not good folks, News at 5. I'm going to hold off until later this afternoon commenting since it would be purely emotional. I need a better understanding of what happened up there in Sacramento this morning so as to be able to post a full report with complete facts, names and where we go from here. I'll be on a conference call later today with key members of various groups taking notes ta pass on later tonight.

The DOOR has been opened to our worst nightmare people!

Ok, so it passed the Assembly. What happens next? How many more amendments will be made to the bill before introduction to the Senate? Where do most Senators stand on the issue (of the ones not beholden to water interests)?

Which Capitol insiders have their feelers on this?

I don't think it passed the assembly yet. I think this was the initial step, and our hope was to stop it at today's committee. We didn't succeed, but that language change is better. But, these people can't be trusted - meaning the this state's leglislature.

It's still too early to tell guys. I stood in on many conversations outside of the Assembly room after speaking and the bill was passed. There was mixed emotions among the lobbists and I couldn't get a solid grip on if the passage was good or bad. Certainly the statements post by Vanacore from John Buetler, were not the sentiments I gathered listening. I've known John and worked with him back in the mid 80's to 90's with United Anglers on many issues here, I indeed do trust his judgements and opinions and it was kinda cool catching up with an old friend. He at the time this morning on the steps of the capitol, was not emphasizing the same statements Ray posted. But maybe after having some time and discussing with other entities, the perception of what happened today has changed for John. We'll know more in the coming days.

There could be several spins on this, it could be a HUGE victory for the striper constituants, in that Striped bass are no longer singled out in this bill. This could be perceived as a victory. It could also be pereived that the change in wording to review "other significant stressors", in addition to the State Water and Federal Central Valley Project operations. to scientifically justfy measures to reduce or eliminate these that have an affect on the native fishery, is indeed a victorious change since we all know, Scientific data, if done without bias, will prove that these non-native fish, aren't responsible for the native fish reduction. Of all the man induced changes that have been implimented on this river, introducing non-native fish is way down the list of causes to the Delta's demise, specifically relating to Salmon and Delta Smelt.

It is further sated in the section 2 change, that the Council, primarily filled by those who's pockets are lined by those who gain to seek the most $$$ return on the selling of California's water, "Shall Now direct" an Indipendant Science board, to conduct studies pointed directly at "Invasive and non-native species impacting the predation on native species. Independant board my a$$, that's what we have the DFG & Delta Stewardship Council for!

All this change does, is deflect the issue away from the "root cause" of the problem! It tossed out a small bomb fire to go fight, that takes the focus off the reall damaging issue here in that these people are trying to take as much water out of, and away from this system, with complete disregard for anything that they may damage along the way.

I have two thoughts in walking away from this for the night. First and formost, is FISH EAT FISH! It has been that way since God's inception of this planet. The eco system was put in place to naturally sustain the balance. Man has single handedly changed that eco system by his greed to move and attain a profit by selling the water to which the fish live in.

Secondly, man is selling this water to sustain a wide variety of crops here in California, THAT ARE NOT NATIVE TO THIS State! How can they sit there and blame non-native fish species for the disruption in the system here, when infact they are diverting the natural water here, to support a non-native species themselves?

It's truely an ugly, ugly situation, moslty because the passage of this bill, gives the control of defining the problems, back to the politicians and the big money business men, versus the state commitees and orgs who have been put in place to scientifically work thru defining the problems here on the Delta. Let the DFG and Delta Stewardship do their job with NO outside intervention!

We the fisherman, and ALL sportsmen for that matter, must continue to fight this battle against these money hungry bastards!