My Salmon Fishing Experience

In the past I have fished for salmon off of the Point Reyes Peninsula. Back in the day the salmon were plentiful and within a few hours everyone on the boat would have caught his/her limits. (Limits for sport fishing were two 24’’ or larger fish per person per day.) The salmon often are found farther out in the earlier summer when the cool nutrient-rich water is off shore, during the l
ater months of the summer and into the fall, the salmon could be caught right off the beach where they fed. In the last couple of years people have been catching fewer and fewer salmon. This is due to a dramatic decrease in salmon populations, which has resulted in a ban on salmon fishing for the 2008 season.

Research Summary Salmon Populations

For the first time ever there is a complete ban on salmon fishing along a 200-mile stretch of the Oregon and California coast. This closure will last until April 2009 and was instated by Fish and Game officials. The ban followed steep decreases in the salmon population. The spawning salmon population in the Sacramento River has dropped from 800,000 six years ago to only 68,000 last year. Although it is not clear what is causing such a drastic decrease some of the blame can be placed on the fishing industry. The governor of California has appropriated $5.3 million this year to salmon and steelhead fishery restoration projects, but it might take more than money to save the salmon.

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Bridge Status Update

Last Wednesday night the Park Service and county officials met at the Point Reyes Dance Palace to discuss the proposed trail and footbridge that would run from Point Reyes Station to Inverness Park and cross Papermill Creek near White House Pool. They also discussed an alternative plan that would involve widening the Levee Road. The non-vehicular bridge discussed is a 200 foot truss bridge and would extend 150 feet from one side of the creek to the other. The bridge would be able to withstand a 50-year flood and would be eight feet high, with 20 feet of ramp for every foot of height so that it would comply with the American Disabilities Act. The cost for the construction of this bridge would be at least $1.75 million. However, according to county officials the cost of widening the Levee Road would be much greater. In order for the road to be widened by 17 feet, the power poles would need to be moved, and the four existing bridges would need to be widened. Not only would this be more expensive, it would have more of an environmental impact on the marsh, which is traversed by the Levee Road. The project is currently in Phase One, which includes moving the current trail to the northern side of the creek 100 feet from the water and planting 16,000 new native plants.

Blum, Andrea. Thru the marsh. May 15 2008. West Marin Citizen
Francine Allen Interview, 5/14/08