PFMC & CDFW Close OCEAN SALMON season again; effort shift to Oregon

In Seattle, a letter was submitted to the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) by California Dept of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) Director Chuck Bonham advocating for a California Statewide Salmon Fishing Closure for the 2nd straight year to help replenish SALMON stocks. Watch PFMC on CZcams: / @pacificfishery182
During the Public Comment portion of the April 10 PFMC meeting, NCGASA president James Stone presented a powerpoint presentation (7:43:10 mark in the PFMC CZcams Video • April 2024 PFMC Counci... ) that begged the question, why did CDFW changed the River Allotment model in the March PFMC meetings without any oversight? Why were CA SAC fish allocated to the Ocean harvest despite the low escapement numbers and the modeling system they use being off 20%
Was this an example of CDFW mismanagement of the species by changing the inland allocation to ocean harvestable surplus? This model change may have backfired on CDFW as they gave Oregon 350% more CA fish or impacts while closing the California Salmon Fishery again for a second year in a row for 2024.
The next day, Govenor Newsom had to file a Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration to support impacted CA fishing communities. Just as Newsom's letter was released, Golden State Salmon Association held a press conference in San Francisco begging Newsom to make significant changes for the species survival. Find them at / @goldenstatesalmonasso...
Note: In 2023, California requested $35.3 million of direct revenue loss, of which NOAA Fisheries, also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service approved and allocated $20.6 million to be dispersed among the salmon fishing industry. None of the assistance has been released as CDFW is seeking public comment on a spend plan.
Find more information about California SALMON on our website's NEWS blog under salmon at ncgasa.org/ and join us in the fight to save our Salmon with a $20 donation.