Kern Valley Canyon Connection Community Forums

Here's the latest for our readers. Make your voice heard. Mike

Fish Stocking Ban Could Continue

The Visalia Times Delta reports that the Environmental
Impact Report Draft recently completed by California
Department of Fish and Game indicates that the fish
stocking ban for the Kern River could be extended two
years or indefinitely. This no-stocking ban has already
had a significant negative impact on fishing in the Kern
and on the local economy and could only serve to make the
situation worse.

Since this report is at the draft stage, the Department
of Fish and Game has scheduled a meeting on Oct 28th,
from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Double Tree Hotel in
Bakersfield and is seeking public comment. This meeting
is an opportunity for valley residents to offer comments
that may affect a change in the proposed outcome.
Department of Fish and Game will also hold a community
meeting to provide updated information about the fish
stocking issue. This meeting will be held on Oct 13th,
from 9:00 am to 10:30 am at the Lake Isabella Senior
Center.

These two upcoming Fish & Game meetings related to
non-stocking of trout in the Kern River are quite
possibly the most important current issue related to the
future of the Kern River Valley. Attendance to these
meetings is an opportunity for your input.

What happened at the DFG meeting on Oct.13?

It was just a general F&G information release. Not much more than claiming they're working on it and announcing that comments could be submitted at the Bakersfield meeting or the F&G website. F&G claims they MUST submit the report, that is the cause of the non-stocking issue, by January, apparently to keep their boss out of court. Guess the public and local economic concerns are not as important as keeping themselves out of legal proceedings.

For more information about the EIR and the issue and comment procedures goto:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news09/2009092101.asp

Written comments may be submitted, either by e-mail at dfghatcheryeir@dfg.ca.gov or by regular mail sent to:
Jim Starr
California Department of Fish and Game
830 S Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

All comments must be postmarked by November 16, 2009 (CEQA) and November 30, 2009 (NEPA).

The important meeting is tonight, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Double Tree Hotel in Bakersfield. We'll get some info for you on this one. Try and make it if you can.

Thanks for the info. Wonder if contacting the area state reps. would be the way to go. Is Roy Ashburn still the main rep? Who is the assembly rep?

It is Jean Fuller for our district. She is fully aware of the issue and doing her best to help solve it. She arranged, and was at the "info" meeting at the Senior center a couple of weeks ago because our area wasn't even scheduled for one of these fiasco sessions. Her field rep, Bryan Willams was at the Bakersfield meeting and read a letter from her addressing the issue. I asked for a copy of the letter to post here with a review of the session and Bryan said it would be coming soon. I've also been asked to do an article for the Kern River Courier. Hope to get enough time.

Website: http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/32/
A email form is accessible on the site.

District Office for Jean Fuller
» Constituent Services Director - Treva Elliott
» District Director - Zack Scrivner
» Press Secretary - Dana Culhane
» Senior Field Representative - Bryan Williams

Bakersfield Office
4900 California Avenue, Suite 100-B
Bakersfield, CA 93309
661-395-2995
661-395-3883 fax
Capitol Office
» Capitol Director - Jennifer Franklin
» Legislative Aide/Scheduler - Madeline Hoe

State Capitol, Room 3098
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-319-2032
916-319-2132 fax

Thanks again for the info. and your hard work on this problem. I hope the business people in the Valley appreciate and support your efforts. I think the loss of business next year will be much greater than the current year. Many people did not know about the non-stocking until they arrived in the Valley this year. Next year they won't be back if the non-stocking continues. I am one who is already looking at alternate areas which will continue to be stocked in 2010.

But Kernville will be my no.1 choice, as it has been for the past 30+ years, if stocking is resumed.