This is just one post in the Endangered Species & Wildlife Category

Assembly approves Wolk bill to protect Delta´s declining fisheries

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 30, 2008 at 5:30 am

From the California Chronicle:

The State Assembly voted 41-31 yesterday to approve Assembly Bill 1806 by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to protect the declining fisheries in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The legislation requires the development of protocols to guide preparation and implementation of emergency fish rescue plans for Delta fisheries. Wolk introduced the bill in response to a massive fish kill on Prospect Island that resulted when the Bureau of Reclamation drained water from the area to conduct levee repairs.

Wolk says her bill is intended to prevent such incidences from occurring in the future. Perhaps more importantly, this:

AB 1806 also requires the board to enforce reasonable mitigation requirements for adverse impacts on Delta fisheries arising from operation of the large water export pumping facilities of the state and federal water projects.

“While there have been a number of efforts over the years to restore habitat for fish, millions of salmon and other species continue to die annually as a result of both the direct and indirect impacts of the state and federal water project pumps,” said Wolk. “My bill requires the state and federal projects that pump water out of the Delta to mitigate for these losses, which have huge negative impacts on our state’s fisheries, as well as the commercial and sport fishing industries that contribute billions of dollars to our economy.”

Read the full text of this article from the California Chronicle by clicking here.

May 30, 2008 · Filed Under Endangered Species & Wildlife, Other Delta Issues