Klamath River Spring Chinook Salmon Emergency Fishing Closure 2024
Summary
SCH Number
2024050785
Public Agency
California Fish and Game Commission
(CDFGC)
Document Title
Klamath River Spring Chinook Salmon Emergency Fishing Closure 2024
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/17/2024
Document Description
The proposed project would amend subsection (b)(50) of Section 7.40, Title 14, California Code of Regulations to close Klamath River spring Chinook salmon (KRSC) fishing on the Klamath and Trinity rivers to minimize impacts to the KRSC stock
Contact Information
Name
Melissa Miller-Henson
Agency Name
California Fish and Game Commission
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Sacramento
Regions
Northern California
Other Location Info
Klamath and Trinity rivers
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15307
Reasons for Exemption
This exemption applies to agency actions to protect natural resources.
Closing the Klamath River spring Chinook salmon (KRSC) fishery is necessary to minimize the impact of fishing on the KRSC stock and the magnitude of potential harm during this crisis situation.
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
21080(b)(4), Public Resources Code and Section 15269(c), Title 14, CCR
Reasons for Exemption
The exemption applies to agency actions to prevent or mitigate an emergency.
To protect the Klamath River spring Chinook salmon (KRSC) stock in California, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) requested that the Commission take emergency action to close recreational KRSC fishing on the Klamath and Trinity rivers. Current regulations allow harvest of one salmon on the Klamath and Trinity rivers. The Department recommended a complete closure to recreational KRSC fishing on these waters effective immediately. The Commission adopted the emergency regulations as recommended by the Department.
This emergency action is prompted by critically low abundance forecasts for Sacramento River and Klamath River fall Chinook salmon (SRFC and KRFC). The significant decline of SRFC and KRFC stocks led fishery agencies to completely close KRFC and SRFC ocean and river fisheries for 2023 and ocean fisheries for 2024. Under this crisis situation, it is critical that the KRSC stock also be protected from fishery impacts. Any additional take of KRSC on the Klamath and Trinity rivers will harm this important recreational fishery.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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