What happened to "Occupy the Delta"? Dan Bacher's report on the DFG meeting held in Rio Vista on the striped bass reduction plan can be read here.
The DFG proposed changes include raising the daily bag limit for striped bass from two to six fish, raising the possession limit for striped bass from two to 12 fish and lowering the minimum size for striped bass from 18 to 12 inches as well as establishing a “hot spot” for striped bass fishing at Clifton Court Forebay and specified adjacent waterways at which the daily bag limit will be 20 fish, the possession limit will be 40 fish and there will be no size limit.
Their press release states, "The proposal is supported by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and is intended to help recover several fish species listed under the California and federal Endangered Species Acts. The proposed changes affect the striped bass bag, size and possession limits."
Bacher's report recaps the meeting and describes the public sentiment.
Dawn Gulick, owner of Eddo's Harbor, echoing the theme of the Occupy Wall Street protests taking place throughout the country, said Stewart Resnick and the big water contractors were waging "class war" against the people of the Delta.
"This is a class war and they're winning," she stated, followed by a person next to her shouting, "Occupy the Delta!" Others joined in shouting, "Occupy the Delta."
"It's our Delta. Big Money has big influence over our government and it's time to take our government back!" she continued as people in the crowd applauded.
Sep Hendrickson, host of the California Sportsman Radio Show, urged everybody in the room to deluge the Fish and Game Commission with letters opposing the striped bass proposal. "If you don't all stand up now against this proposal, the water contractors will roll over us!"
Within the report, readers will find a video shot by Cal Kellogg of the Fish Sniffer that shows a portion of the DFG meeting in Rio Vista this month.
Those interested can also find organizations that can be joined in the fight against the new regulations the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and California Striped Bass Association and the contact info to send letters of opposition.
More information from the DFG can be read here.
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