In response to a looming crisis over the lack of federal Sport Fish Restoration funds to plant kokanee salmon in California lakes, the presidents of Kokanee Power and the California Inland Fisheries Foundation, Inc, (CIFFI) recently pledged their financial support to the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to address a shortfall in funds.

"Kokanee Power, CIFFI, the DFG and anglers have to work together to keep these programs going," said Nelson Money, president of CIFFI. "I don't want our inland salmon fisheries to end up in the same shape that the salmon in our rivers are now in."

"Nelson and I have been asked to step up to the plate by the DFG," said Gary Coe, president of Kokanee Power. "We have talked more in the last 30 days that we have in the previous years. Nelson and I have joined our resources to preserve our kokanee salmon program."

The crisis arose because of a shortfall in Sportfish Restoration Funds spurred by a court-ordered Environmental Impact Statement that DFG has to conduct for its stocking program's impacts on endangered species. Though an exact figure was not available at press time, up to $100,000 in federal monies are at stake.

Judge Patrick Marlette of the Sacramento Superior Court ruled in May that California's fish-stocking program must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the DFG shall conduct a public review of the program's impacts.

"The DFG felt that because we had began our trout and salmon planting program before CEQA went into effect 10 years ago, we could continue stocking without needing to conduct an EIR," said Terry Foreman, Fisheries Program Manager of the DFG's Fisheries Branch. "However, the judge agreed with the plaintiffs and said we have to conduct an EIR."

In addition, NOAA Fisheries in 2005 told the DFG to make sure that that any federal money provided to the program doesn't impact endangered species negatively. This includes endangered trout and other fish, but also frogs, bird, plants and macro invertebrates, according to Foreman.

The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed in October 2006 by the Pacific Rivers Council and the Center for Biological Diversity over what they contended was "the Department's longstanding failure" to consider the impacts of fish stocking on sensitive aquatic species throughout the state, including the mountain yellow-legged frog, Cascades frog, California golden trout, McCloud River redband Trout, Santa Ana sucker, and others.

As a consequence, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reluctant to release Sport Fish Restoration Funds to be used for kokanee, coho, king and trout planting in the California lakes, fearing that it would also face a lawsuit. The federal government is worried that inland salmon are going to establish runs below dams and compete with endangered species.

The federal agency is concerned that planted salmon could start their own runs that compete with wild fish. "This hasn't happened, with the exception of 10 sockeyes that went up the Feather River several years ago," said Foreman, "and these fish never established a run."

These fish were apparently kokanee from upstream reservoirs such as Bucks Lakes or Bullards Bar that were washed down the river and came back as adults.

Judge Marlette said there is "substantial evidence" supporting the argument that the Department's fish-stocking program "has significant environmental impacts on the aquatic ecosystems into which hatchery fish are introduced, and, in particular, on native species of fish, amphibians and insects, some of which are threatened or endangered."

Marlette ordered the Department to conduct a public review of its trout and salmon stocking program. The results of the review will be documented in an Environmental Impact Report that will govern future fish-stocking management decisions on a lake-by-lake and stream-by-stream basis.

During the period that the EIR is being conducted, the state is allowed to plant trout and inland salmon, in spite of the shortfall. "We are very glad that the two organizations are cooperating with us in light of this crisis situation," said Foreman.

The Department stocked a total of 736,164 kokanee and 551,467 chinooks in California lakes in 2007. The Department and volunteers of both organizations are currently gearing up to take kokanee eggs out of Taylor Creek and Stampede Reservoir when the fish begin spawning this month.

"Gary Coe was the one who reached out to us to make this happen," said Money. "We decided it would be best for the members to forget about past conflicts. If we all work together, each organization will achieve more. It is long time overdue."

The two organizations both have great strengths. "Kokanee Power rallies its volunteers very well and does fabulous derbies. Most of our derbies are a mixture of members of both organizations," he said.

"CIFFI's strengths are its leadership ties with the industry and our roots with the Department of Fish and Game," said Money. "We are very good at getting matching funds and have done a lot to keep kokanee programs going. We run quite a few projects and Kokanee Power isn't far behind."

He added, "My thinking is that every pen-rearing program helps enhance the fisheries of California. Our members don't care whether the fish come from Kokanee Power or CIFFI. They just want to work to enhance the fisheries together."

Gary Coe had similar feelings about the cooperation between the two organizations. "It's incredibly significant," said Coe. "We will have much more impact to get the job done by working together. Combining our resources will make it easier for each organization to accomplish our goals to maintain and enhance California's inland salmon and trout fisheries."

"The members of both organizations are anglers who are trying to do the right thing to make sure that future generations have the opportunities to enjoy California's inland salmon and trout fisheries," he stated.

The kokanee, king salmon and rainbow trout projects in California's reservoirs become even more significant in light of increasing rockfish closures on the coast, the decline of the California Delta food chain and poor salmon fishing conditions on the Sacramento and its tributaries.

The wonderful inland salmon fisheries that we enjoy at Shasta, Whiskeytown, Folsom, New Melones, Don Pedro, McClure and other lakes are something that we must preserve for future generations. The pen rearing projects at Shasta, New Melones and Collins lakes help create a better quality brown and rainbow trout fishery that gets anglers excited about going fishing.

I'm very glad that the presidents of both organizations have volunteered to raise money for kokanee plants in a time of crisis. This is a monumental development for the future of our inland fisheries.