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Prosecutor says fishery officials stress enforcement

Posted by: Maven on February 9, 2010 at 2:14 pm

From the California Farm Bureau Federation:

“With state authorities vowing to enhance enforcement to protect fish along the Russian River and its tributaries this winter and spring, the local official who would prosecute such cases provided farmers with insights about how he determines what cases to pursue—and what farmers can do to avoid becoming a target of prosecutors.

Sonoma County Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Holtzman came to a recent Russian River frost protection workshop, where he told winegrape growers his purpose was not to “antagonize or demonize” them, but to give them a straightforward representation of what risks there are for growers with respect to environmental laws that his office enforces.

The issue has become crucial in the Russian River watershed, as the State Water Resources Control Board develops regulations on water diversions for frost protection. State biologists charged that the diversions from the river and its tributaries stranded salmon and other protected fish during a cold snap in the spring of 2008. Any new regulation would not take effect until 2011, and water board officials—under pressure from federal fishery agencies and the threat of a lawsuit by environmental groups—have pledged to step up enforcement of existing laws in the region this year. … “

Read more from the California Farm Bureau Federation by clicking here.

February 9, 2010 · Filed Under Northern California

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