Section 6901 Of Article 1. Citation And Legislative Findings From California Fish And Game Code >> Division 6. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 8. >> Article 1.
6901
. The Legislature, for purposes of this chapter, finds as
follows:
(a) According to the department, the natural production of salmon
and steelhead trout in California has declined to approximately
1,000,000 adult chinook or king salmon, 100,000 coho or silver
salmon, and 150,000 steelhead trout.
(b) The naturally spawning salmon and steelhead trout resources of
the state have declined dramatically within the past four decades,
primarily as a result of lost stream habitat on many streams in the
state.
(c) Much of the loss of salmon and steelhead trout and anadromous
fish in the state has occurred in the central valley.
(d) Protection of, and an increase in, the naturally spawning
salmon and steelhead trout resources of the state would provide a
valuable public resource to the residents, a large statewide economic
benefit, and would, in addition, provide employment opportunities
not otherwise available to the citizens of this state, particularly
in rural areas of present underemployment.
(e) Proper salmon and steelhead trout resource management requires
maintaining adequate levels of natural, as compared to hatchery,
spawning and rearing.
(f) Reliance upon hatchery production of salmon and steelhead
trout in California is at or near the maximum percentage that it
should occupy in the mix of natural and artificial hatchery
production in the state. Hatchery production may be an appropriate
means of protecting and increasing salmon and steelhead in specific
situations; however, when both are feasible alternatives, preference
shall be given to natural production.
(g) The protection of, and increase in, the naturally spawning
salmon and steelhead trout of the state must be accomplished
primarily through the improvement of stream habitat.
(h) Funds provided by the Legislature since 1978 to further the
protection and increase of the fisheries of the state have been
administered by the department in a successful program of contracts
with local government and nonprofit agencies and private groups in
ways that have attracted substantial citizen effort.
(i) The department's contract program has demonstrated that
California has a large and enthusiastic corps of citizens that are
eager to further the restoration of the stream and fishery resources
of this state and that are willing to provide significant amounts of
time and labor to that purpose.
(j) There is need for a comprehensive salmon, steelhead trout, and
anadromous fisheries plan, program, and state government
organization to guide the state's efforts to protect and increase the
naturally spawning salmon, steelhead trout, and anadromous fishery
resources of the state.