No Doubt that the West Coast fishermen largely depend on wild king salmon for up to two-thirds of their income. Humboldt County fisherman Dave Bitts said that such situation has never been arises before. According to Federal fishery regulators the number of chinook salmon returning to the Sacramento River and its tributaries falls unexpectedly low. The present situation has trigger severe fishing restrictions and economic hardships for fishermen and related businesses from Central California to the Canadian border.
Rep. Mike Thompson of California’s North Coast informed that the situation indicates economic rumbling and that will go right through every coastal community. The reason for sudden collapse of salmon is still unknown but many fishermen blaming an increase in the amount of water being pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to drought areas.
Environmentalists said that many times the authority has been warned about the ill effect of water diversions. They believe the salmon collapse might be the thing that finally stokes public outrage. Mike Sherwood, an Earthjustice attorney, said the federal agency is now under more pressure to do something about the present situation of salmon collapse.
Most fishermen want to strict restrictions, perhaps a total ban on both commercial and sport fishing. Meanwhile the state and federal scientists are studying the impact of the water diversions on salmon, informed Barbara McDonnell, a biologist with the California Department of Water Resources.
