Section 1000.6 Of Article 1. Generally From California Fish And Game Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.
1000.6
. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) The commercial fishing industry of the North Coast has been
greatly affected by decisions made by federal and state agencies
concerning the health of the salmon resource and the consequent
shortening or closing of the season, further impacting the already
economically depressed region.
(2) Sportfishing on the North Coast, a staple of the tourism
industry of the region, could be substantially affected by the
limitations of the salmon seasons.
(3) The method of determining salmon escapement counts on only the
Klamath River is inadequate for determining the overall health of
the salmon resource in northern California waters and consequent
decisions regarding the commercial, sport, and Indian salmon
fisheries in those waters because it does not take into consideration
the escapement figures on the Eel River and the Smith River.
(b) The department shall use present assessment methods to assess
the salmon escapement count on the Eel River and the Smith River, as
well as the Klamath River, systems, employing out-of-work fishermen,
where possible, to do the counts with department personnel in
supervisory capacities. Those figures shall be used by the commission
and the department in all reports, recommendations, and decisions
concerning the establishment of the commercial and sportfishing
seasons in the state waters and in all recommendations to the Pacific
Fishery Management Council or other regulatory agencies. This
program shall be a priority for funding under the Fisheries
Restoration Act of 1985 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2760)
added to Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code by Senate Bill No. 400
of the 1985-86 Regular Session).
(c) The department shall install sonar fish counting devices on
the Klamath River system as a three-year test program to determine
the accuracy of the devices, and shall make recommendations to the
Legislature by January 1, 1990, as to their accuracy and whether they
should be installed on other river systems. Present assessment
methods shall continue on the Klamath River system during the test
period as a control mechanism.