Rep. Cardoza Calls On Government Agencies To Address Predator Fish That Hurt Delta Smelt And Valley Agriculture

Floor Speech

Congressman Cardoza called on state and federal agencies today to take immediate steps to address non-native striped bass that are feeding on protected salmon and Delta smelt.

"Our government agencies have known for some time that non-native striped bass in the Delta are responsible for predation of native, threatened Delta smelt and salmon," said Congressman Cardoza. "However, these predator fish have been allowed to flourish while cuts have continued in the deliveries of irrigation water to the San Joaquin Valley. This makes absolutely no sense and we deserve more from our government agencies."

The issue was raised in letters (below) sent from Congressman Cardoza to the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the letters, Congressman Cardoza, joined by Congressman Jim Costa and George Radanovich, said the agencies must stop programs that protect the predator fish until taking into consideration their impact on the native species of Delta smelt and salmon. He also said that the fish must be managed in a way that complies with the Endangered Species Act, taking into consideration the implications to Delta smelt and salmon.

"It is apparent that the federal government has known about the predation problem for years and yet has continued to fund programs and allow actions that protect and maintain these sport-fishing populations to the detriment of native fishes, including Delta smelt, salmon, and steelhead," states the letter to the federal agencies.

In recent years, water supplies to San Joaquin Valley farmers have been cut with the excuse that the water was needed to protect the smelt and salmon. Congressman Cardoza has long argued that other causes -- including predation by non-native fish -- should equally be considered by government agencies.

Congressman Cardoza introduced legislation last year calling for a National Academies of Science review of the science used to manage the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Initial results of those studies will be released this week.

March 18, 2010

Eric Schwaab Assistant Administrator

Rowan Gould Acting Director

Dear Assistant Administrator Schwaab and Acting Director Gould:

As you know, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is in a state of crisis. Native fish populations are at record low levels and water deliveries through the Delta have been significantly reduced in an effort to protect delta smelt and salmon species with little discernible benefit. It light of the current state of affairs, it was appalling to read a recent report in the Sacramento Bee describing the extent of predation by non-native striped bass and largemouth bass on the federally-protected delta smelt, salmon, and steelhead populations in the Delta.

The federal and state wildlife agencies have known for years that striped bass prey on delta smelt, juvenile salmon, and steelhead. In the recently released Draft Recovery Plan for the Evolutionarily Significant Units of Sacramento River winter run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring run Chinook salmon, and the Distinct Population Segment of Central Valley Steelhead (2009), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) identifies predation as a "very high stressor" on salmon and steelhead and recommends a significant reduction of striped bass and other non-native predators to prevent extinction of these species. And, more than a decade ago, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) identified predation as a threat to the recovery of delta smelt in its Recovery Plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Native Fishes (1996). Biologists at the California Department of Fish and Game estimate that striped bass eat 5 to 50 percent of the juvenile salmon population annually; they have also estimated that striped bass eat 20 percent or more of the delta smelt population annually.

It is apparent that the federal government has known about the predation problem for years and yet has continued to support programs and allowed actions to occur that serve to protect and maintain these sportfishing populations to the detriment of native fishes, including delta smelt, salmon, and steelhead. Specifically, the FWS has issued tens of millions of dollars of grants to the California Department of Fish and Game that support the striped bass management program. In addition, the federal government has underwritten State activities to protect the striped bass without complying with the Endangered Species Act, including, by failing to engage in consultation required by section 7(a)(2) of the Act to fully analyze and address the impacts of its funding decisions on the federally-protected fish species in the Delta.

Predation by non-native bass in the Delta and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers is a known cause of the decline of the native fish populations. It is an issue that can and should be addressed. FWS and NMFS are required to comply with the ESA and must ensure that any action taken to maintain or protect the striped bass and largemouth bass population in the Delta be fully analyzed to be in compliance with the Endangered Species Act. Until the federal and State governments have complied with the ESA, FWS and NMFS should immediately halt any existing programs that serve to protect and enhance the non-native striped bass and largemouth bass sportfishing populations in the Delta, including any grants to the California Department of Fish and Game to support the non-native striped bass and largemouth bass.

Sincerely,

Dennis Cardoza

Jim Costa George

Radanovich

March 18, 2010

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor of California
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

As you know, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is in a state of crisis. Native fish populations are at record low levels and water deliveries through the Delta have been significantly reduced in an effort to protect delta smelt and salmon species with little discernible benefit. It light of the current state of affairs, it was appalling to read a recent report in the Sacramento Bee describing the failure of the State of California to address a known cause of the decline of the native fish species in the Delta -- predation by non-native striped bass and largemouth bass.

The federal and state wildlife agencies have known for years that striped bass prey on delta smelt, juvenile salmon, and steelhead. In the recently released Draft Recovery Plan for the Evolutionarily Significant Units of Sacramento River winter run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring run Chinook salmon, and the Distinct Population Segment of Central Valley Steelhead (2009), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) identifies predation as a "very high stressor" on salmon and steelhead and recommends a significant reduction of striped bass and other non-native predators to prevent extinction of these species. And, more than a decade ago, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) identified predation as a threat to the recovery of delta smelt in its Recovery Plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Native Fishes (1996). Biologists at the California Department of Fish and Game estimate that striped bass eat 5 to 50 percent of the juvenile salmon population annually; they have also estimated that striped bass eat 20 percent or more of the delta smelt population annually.

It is apparent that the State of California has known about the predation problem for years and yet has continued to implement programs that serve to protect and maintain these sportfishing populations to the detriment of native fishes, including delta smelt, salmon, and steelhead. There is a conflict between the Department of Fish and Game's responsibility to protect listed species and its maintenance of sportfishing programs that result in a substantial revenue stream to the Department. To date, this conflict has been resolved in favor of the non-native striped bass and largemouth bass populations within the Delta to the detriment of the listed species. California's striped bass sport-fishing regulations include size and catch restrictions to maintain an artificially high striped bass population, and the Department of Fish and Game expends significant resources -- including thousands of hours of staff time -- enforcing these restrictions. This has occurred at the same time that Delta water supplies for millions of agricultural and urban users throughout the State have been significantly curtailed to protect delta smelt and salmon.

Predation by non-native bass in the Delta and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers is a known cause of the decline of the native fish populations. It is an issue that can and should be addressed. We understand that the Fish and Game Commission is currently considering revising the sportfishing regulations that serve to maintain and protect the striped bass population in the Delta. We fully support those efforts and urge the State to take swift and comprehensive action to address the serious predation problem in the Delta. Therefore, we urge the State of California, through the Fish and Game Commission and the Department of Fish and Game, to take immediate action to suspend enforcement of the sportfishing regulations that serve to protect non-native striped bass and largemouth bass species and take additional immediate action to reduce the populations of non-native striped bass and largemouth bass within the Delta.

Sincerely,

Dennis Cardoza

Jim Costa

George Radanovich

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