Monterey Bay Salmon & Trout Project

By Allen Smith, Board Chairman

In March 2002 the MBSTP completed planting of over 43,000 steelhead smolts which were spawned in early 2001. We are all extremely pleased in that this season we had the best year of our 26-year project history in capturing the largest number of adult coho salmon for our spawning program. Depending upon yield from the hatching process, this may result in well over 40,000 coho fingerlings, the largest number of coho we have ever produced in one year. The steelhead spawning has been good this season considering low rainfall for this past mid and late winter. We expect the steelhead hatch results to be a bit greater than the 2000/2001 season.

I reported in our June 2001 newsletter that interbasin and intrabasin transfers of salmonids from our spawning activities, which have been authorized for the past 25 years, are no longer allowed at this time (i.e. releasing smolts spawned from Scott Creek and San Lorenzo River adult fish into the Pajaro River Watershed system and into the Arroyo Seco River system). This indefinite "moratorium" on our activities prevents us from performing our historical steelhead restoration and supplementation efforts in these streams. It is also affecting our ability to perform some of our Salmon & Trout Education Program (STEP) class activities in these streams. Hopefully, planned studies of genetic effects on salmonid transfers to these streams by NMFS & CDF&G will alleviate these issues.

After several years in "process", we have finally received a revised Section 10 Permit from NMFS (under the Endangered Species Act) for continued rearing of coho salmon. We are in the process of working out the details and various provisions of the Permit revision with NMFS.

MBSTP, NMFS, & CDF&G are continuing to work jointly to put together a coho captive adult brood-stock rearing program to be implemented in the future. Its purpose is to turn around the severe decrease in our local coho populations occurring frequently now in many of the year-classes of these salmonids.

Over the last few years a change has been evolving in the emphasis of our rearing of coho salmon vs steelhead trout. This emphasis change comes from CDF&G & NMFS direction based upon the further demise of Central Coast coho populations and to a lesser degree the improvement in steelhead populations for many streams of our region. Although there is not complete agreement with this emphasis or change, the fact remains that it is a reality that MBSTP needs to deal with. Our present hardware and equipment arrangement in our hatchery building is based upon our original steelhead restoration mission. Now with a heavier emphasis on coho restoration and preservation, it is becoming necessary to replace some of our steelhead fry rearing troughs with new ones more suitable to the rearing of coho salmon fry. As a result of this new need, we are asking you great supporters to help us with contributions to enable us to procure at least four (4) new "deep troughs" for our coho salmon fry rearing activity. Each new trough will cost about $3,000. Any support that you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Last fall proved to be another good albacore tuna fishing season in our area. Some of this harvest provided great eating at our 24th Annual Albacore Feed last November, and your attendance and participation in our raffle and silent auction helped us to have one of the better fund fundraisers in its history. For your future calendar planning, our next Albacore Dinner fund raiser will be on Saturday, November 9, 2002.

As I am preparing this article we are in process of assembling our sea pens in Monterey and Santa Cruz Harbors for the annual Chinook Enhancement Program. The new pens, which we obtained early last year, were modified by some of us in the fall of 2001 in order to make the handling and assembly of the large components much easier. This May and June, in the 11th year of this Program, we expect to acclimate, rear, and release into Monterey Bay waters approximately 240,000 chinook salmon smolts. Over the 10 year history of this Program to-date we have released approximately 953,500 chinook salmon into the Monterey Bay, and from overwhelming public feedback it is an extremely successful and beneficial program. Our special thanks go to the Santa Cruz County and Monterey County Fish & Game Commissions and to the many private individuals, organizations, and companies whose financial grants and contributions have made the installation of these sea pens possible. Also we give our special thanks to the Monterey Harbor and Santa Cruz Port Districts for their outstanding cooperation and assistance in providing facilities for our chinook sea pens.

We at MBSTP offer our continuing gratitude to the following organizations, groups, businesses, and individuals for their financial support of the ongoing restoration and operation of our fish rearing facilities: David & Lucile Packard Foundation; Fish & Game Advisory Commissions of Monterey, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties; Commercial Salmon Stamp Committee; Scott Creek Watershed Council; and the many individuals, businesses, schools, and community organizations who continue to provide their outstanding support.

The MBSTP continues to have an urgent need for your financial support and your volunteer help in order for us to continue spawning, rearing, and planting salmon and steelhead in our local streams and in the Monterey Bay region. Thank you most sincerely for your support in the past and hopefully in the future as well.

Finally, our 8th Annual "Big Fish Derby" fund raiser is coming up on July 5th, 6th, & 7th. I'll be working at the Santa Cruz Upper Harbor Weigh-in Station, so if you're in the area stop by and say hello.

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