The federal government unveiled a sweeping plan to try and restore west Marin County's dwindling Coho salmon population, one of the last watersheds in California where the endangered fish return to spawn.
Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration described the recovery plan as a long-term roadmap toward restoring the Coho's numbers, which have declined sharply since the 1940s when California's population was estimated at around a half-million. Despite years of dangerously low numbers, state leaders were encouraged by a slight rebound of Coho in Marin County.
"We've come a long way in Lagunitas Creek in Marin County," said Chuck Bonham, director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "It's known up and down the state as a stronghold of salmon effort."
The Lagunitas Creek watershed, a warren of winding creeks and streams in West Marin, is considered one of the few successful Coho spawning grounds left in California. Still, the already low number of returning salmon there dropped even further several years ago. Todd Steiner of the environmental group SPAWN said the numbers are slowly rebounding. He said the group recorded more returning Coho this year, than three years ago.
"It's a good sign," Steiner said. "We have to keep reality in mind though that we only have a couple hundred fish. It's not enough to sustain a run."
The new federal plan, a requirement of the Coho's addition to the endangered list, calls for restorative actions stretching from Mendocino to Santa Cruz. The actions are aimed at restoring and protecting critical Coho habitat.
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Callifornia crabbing: Here's a fun video shot on the decks of the Majestik while catching Dungeness crab off the coast of northern California.
Alaska fisherman and commercial fisheries activist Kevin Adams was elected chairman at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors meeting on May 9 in Anchorage.
The governor-appointed board consists of seven members: five seafood processors and two industry representatives actively engaged in commercial fishing. Adams was appointed to fill a harvester seat by Gov. Frank Murkowski in 2004.
With 38 years of fishing experience in Bristol Bay, Adams has long been an active member in the Alaska fishing industry, ASMI says. He has worked for both the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation and the Bering Sea Fisherman's Association, and represents Alaska fishermen on numerous boards.
The Northeast Regional Planning Body, a group of state, tribal and federal representatives from New England who are working to implement the National Ocean Policy and address critical New England ocean issues, is holding a series of public meetings in May and June.
The meetings are being held to discuss draft regional ocean planning goals and associated potential actions. The planning body seeks input on these goals and actions. Additional information on the group's progress can be found here.
The meetings will also provide an opportunity to review draft maps and products from initial efforts to gather information on the natural resources and diverse uses of the ocean, including fishing, transportation, energy and infrastructure, aquaculture, and recreation.
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