Department of Fish and Game officials and the two nonprofit groups that sued them over the state's trout and salmon stocking program followed a judge's order yesterday and began working on stocking practices that will minimize impacts on sensitive species.
Neil Manji, the DFG's fisheries branch chief, said the DFG reached a temporary agreement during a conference call with the lawsuit's plaintiffs, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pacific Rivers Council, to continue stocking trout in certain man-made reservoirs. He said the DFG will continue working on a court-ordered environmental impact report and is limited to stocking man-made reservoirs with 1,000 surface acres or more or reservoirs that aren't connected to a network of streams where trout stocking may impact a list of 25 sensitive species identified in the lawsuit.
“This is very complicated, but I think, based on our discussions today with the plaintiffs, we'll have some trout throughout the winter in most of the reservoirs in Southern California,” Manji said.
Said Noah Greenwald of the Center for Biological Diversity: “I do think it's going to work out. We made substantial progress (yesterday). Fish and Game knows it has to survey waters, identify sensitive species and stop stocking in waters that affect them.”
That would mean, for now, Chollas, Cuyamaca, Doane Pond, Lindo Lake, Murray and Lower Otay will continue to get state-grown, hatchery trout.
Asked about the Eastern Sierra waters in the spring, Manji said, “There could be problems there.”
Manji added that the DFG has suspended approval of any new trout stocking permits in the state until further notice.
A judge in May 2007 ordered the DFG to complete an environmental impact report for its stocking program by October 2008 after ruling for the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pacific Rivers Council. But the DFG, citing budget cuts and lack of personnel, asked for a continuance. Last Friday, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Patrick Marlette told the DFG to reach an agreement with the petitioners on how and where it may continue stocking fish while preparing the report. The judge ordered the parties to reach an agreement and return to court Nov. 24.
Manji said every stocking venue will be surveyed for the possibility that stocking it will impact sensitive native species.
Ed Zieralski: (619) 293-1225; ed.zieralski@uniontrib.com
