Fixing Sturgeon Decline

January 24, 2006

Release from: San Francisco Chronicle

The sturgeon population in the San Francisco Bay and Delta has crashed to a 50-year low of only 10,000 adults, according to Department of Fish and Game scientists.

In an emergency action, DFG will propose closing part of the Sacramento River to sturgeon fishing from March through June, when adult sturgeon migrate upstream to spawn. The action will be heard at the Fish and Game Commission's Feb. 2 meeting.

The decline of sturgeon is blamed on poaching and the illegal sale of caviar from large female sturgeon, and the collective impacts of water projects that reduce spawning habitat.

Sturgeon populations peaked in 1998 at 142,000 fish, according to DFG estimates. Populations fell nearly 50 percent in the next five years, during which undercover game wardens learned that a poaching ring operated by Russian immigrants and poachers fishing primarily at night had targeted the Bay-Delta's largest but slowest-growing native fish.

In a sting operation, 21 people were arrested and convicted, but game wardens warned that illegal activity was still rampant.

As news of the proposed ban circulated at weekend sports shows, many anglers said the move did not go far enough and suggested that all night fishing in the Delta, when poaching is rampant, also be outlawed.

Even the biggest hatch of sturgeon in the past 15 years, from the winter of 1993-94 and projected by scientists to reach adult size in the coming year, is not enough to offset recent losses, scientists say.

DFG Director Ryan Broddrick said that a comprehensive plan to restore sturgeon numbers will be created in the coming year.

"If successfully implemented, this plan will improve the ability of California's sturgeon to survive natural and other impacts to their population without affecting the opportunity to fish for sturgeon and with minimal reduction in the opportunity to harvest non-spawning sturgeon," Broddrick said.

Current regulations allow for a one-fish daily bag limit, a 46- to 72-inch size limit and closures in many areas. According to DFG scientists, sport anglers have little impact on the population, catching less than 5 percent of adult sturgeon.