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Bay-Delta Stamp Advisory Committee meeting results in funding approved for three important fisheries projects, halibut hooking mortality, central valley steelhead monitoring and  the role of contaminants and multiple stressors in the striped bass population collapse

CSPA has two board members sitting on the Bay Delta Stamp Advisory Committee, Jim Crenshaw, CSPA President who is chair of the committee and John Beuttler, a CSPA Director. John Ryzanych, co-chair of the committee is on the CSPA Advisory Committee. Mike McKenzie, a member of the CSPA Advisory Committee, attends the meetings as an interested citizen.

by Mike McKenzie, CSPA Advisory Committee
March 12, 2009 -- The latest meeting of the Bay-Delta Stamp Advisory Committee started with a discussion on "project priorities" and how much spending authority the Committee had. It ended up with DFG saying that there was $219,021.00 left to spend this fiscal year. It was determined that they would work off of the priority list that had "Shovel Ready" status.
 
The projects that were funded were:
 
1.  Halibut Research:  Hooking Mortality of San Francisco Bay Sub-legal Sized Halibut – DFG Marine Region   $10,000.00
 
The State Finfish Management Project (SFMP) completed the first year of a hooking mortality study during June to October 2008 to investigate the effect of various hook types and hooking locations on the mortality rate of sub-legal sized halibut.  SFMP staff used fishing gear and tackle similar to that used in the recreational fishery in San Francisco Bay.  Halibut were caught; hook location and fish condition noted, and fish were tagged and held for observation at the Aquarium of the Bay.  The SFMP plans to continue the study during the next recreational fishing season, beginning in April 2009. This proposal is requesting funding to facilitate work planned for 2009 in San Francisco Bay.
 
 
2.  Central Valley Steelhead Monitoring Plan – DFG and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission   $79,737.00
 
Project will develop a Central Valley Steelhead Comprehensive Monitoring Plan (CVSCMP) which will be incorporated by DFG, DWR, and USFWS to assess steelhead abundance, distribution, and population trends in the Central Valley.  Monitoring sites would be identified and the best monitoring methods noted for using at these sites including scientific uncertainties regarding assessments of steelhead abundance and population trends. The Plan would integrate were possible, existing monitoring programs to develop a statistically sound monitoring program. The plan will identify any new sampling methods that may be required to acquire statistically sound data such as the use of Alaskan Weirs, Didson and video monitoring sites.  It may suggest the use of various pilot monitoring techniques at various sites. The plan will also address the use of pit tag or other tagging/tracking technology to determine steelhead distribution and abundance.  A standardized database structure and standardized reporting techniques will be developed.  The draft monitoring plan will describe the sampling framework, data management and data reporting system.
 
The project below was fund for the months of June, July, and August to give time for the Striped Bass Stamp Advisory Committee to meet and approve funding for the complete project and possibly repay the BDSEF with money from the striped bass stamp fund.
 
 
3.  Striped Bass Research – U.C. Davis, David Ostrach, Ph.D.        $114,000.00
 
Determine the role of contaminants and multiple stressors in the striped bass population collapse in the San Francisco Estuary.
 
The underlying hypothesis of our research is that interactions of multiple stressors in the Bay Delta region have substantially contributed to the decline of the striped bass population.  As one of the POD species, striped bass may be used as an indicator species for other species in the fish community, including delta and longfin smelt. The potential stressors include sublethal exposure to contaminants, food limitation, and disease.
 
The specific hypotheses include:
 
1. Sublethal exposures of early life stages of striped bass to environmentally relevant concentrations of contaminants induce pathological and physiological changes that adversely affect subsequent survival and ultimately population numbers;
 
2. Evaluating contaminant interactions in regions with the broad range and history of uses such as the Bay Delta is more productively accomplished by addressing the contaminants as a unit, rather than a list. This uncovers indirect as well as direct toxic effects such as depletion of effective immune response mechanisms and reproductive efficacy while addressing the interactions of multiple stressors;
 
3. Health effects associated with the interaction of multiple stressors in the Bay Delta have substantially contributed to the decline of the striped bass population.
For more on this study see: http://www.pnas.org/content/105/49/19354.abstract?sid=8dc49a62-a5ea-454b-b155-44cc582b7bbf
 
There was further discussion on prioritizing the list of projects (some 30 projects) for the 2009/2010 Fiscal year.