Southern Sierra Think Local First group begun.

On Thursday, June 4, Sierra Business Council held an organizing meeting in the Kernville Community Room led by SBC President Steve Frisch and Sahara Saude. 21 people attended the meeting and agreed to take steps to create a local steering committee and set up a Southern Sierra Think Local First Program, much like 4 others set up in other part of the Sierra.

Next Meeting: 7pm, Monday July 6
Kernvillle Community Room (Next to the Kernville Chamber's office)
Sierra Way at Kernville Road, Kernville

Click here to watch a quick video about the Think Local First program

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Think Local First Program is a Sierra Business Council program that fosters increased support for local organizations. This program, which SBC is piloting in four other communities throughout the Sierra Nevada, supports locally-owned independent businesses that sustain our communities and give our towns unique character.

Join Sierra Business Council’s President Steve Frisch and Sahara Saude to see how you can become a part of this program.  This meeting is a follow-up to a workshop held during Living Green in the KRV in March.

Co-sponsored by Kern River Valley Revitalization and Sierra Business Council

in cooperation with the Kern River Valley & Kernville Chambers of Commerce

& the Wofford Heights Community Association.

INFO: Nikki Streegan; SBC Think Local First Coordinator - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sierra Business Council’s Think Local First page

Kern River Hatchery volunteers planting trout in the Kern River.

Consistent with its mission: facilitating the social, natural, and financial health of the Kern River Valley for this and future generations, KRVR included the Fish Stocking Issue on the agenda for its monthly Community Meeting held on 12-3-08. This standing room only meeting was well reported by KRVR Board Member Mike Ludiker in the Kern River Courier on 12-5-08: Meeting addresses river fish stocking concerns.

Maria Rivas with a hatchery-raised Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) which had been planted in the N fork of the Kern River by the Kern River Hatchery. Riverside Park, Kernville with the Long Beach Casting Club on 11-4-06. Photo: Guy Jeans.

KRVR posts the following information to inform residents of the Kern River Valley about this issue. KRVR has not taken a formal position on this issue as yet.

The situation as we understand it:

• In 2006, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pacific Rivers Council filed a lawsuit against California Department of Fish & Game (DFG) claiming that DFG's fish stocking operation did not comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
• In May 2007 the Sacramento Superior Court ruled in favor of the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pacific Rivers Council against the DFG that stocking hatchery fish has a “significant environmental impact on native species of fish amphibians and insects”.
• The DFG was ordered to conduct an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by the end of 2008. In October, 2008, the DFG told the court that they would not be able to complete the EIR until January 2010. In response, the Court ordered DFG to work Center for Biological Diversity and the Pacific Rivers Council to negotiate an agreement by November 24, 2008 where stocking can take place until DFG’s completion of the required EIR.
• As of November 24, 2008, the DFG was temporarily ordered to stop stocking hatchery trout in 175 streams, lakes and reservoirs across California, including most of Kern River (see map & list at the bottom of this article). See Sacramento Superior Court's Tentative Ruling PACIFIC RIVERS COUNCIL, et al., v. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME, Case No. 06 CS 01451.
• The plaintiffs had a list of 25 species (below) which, if present, they would not agree to allow stocking of trout. This was the basis for the list of waters that were allowed or not allowed to be stocked.

• There are exceptions. Stocking will be allowed in reservoirs larger than 1,000 acres, which includes Isabella reservoir (surface area: 11,000+ acres), and smaller lakes or ponds not connected to rivers or streams including Ming Lake, Truxtun Lake and River Walk Lake in Bakersfield, Woollomes Lake near Delano & Hume Lake in Tulare County. This may change over time. Current information on the lists of waters and new developments are available on the DFG website: www.dfg.ca.gov including Fish Stocking Program Will Continue Following Court Order & Bodies of Water that will be stocked by DFG 11/24/2008 thru1/1/2010.
• The Kern River is currently not allowed to be planted because it contains one of the 25 sensitive species on the list, the Hardhead Minnow (Mylopharodon conocephalus). The Kern River above Kernville and below Isabella to the mouth of the Canyon also contains hardhead, and the court order for not stocking also includes that entire portion of the river.
• Dr. Peter Moyle of UC Davis is recognized as the foremost authority on inland fishes in California. He supports taking the Hardhead Minnow off the list of species that are negatively impacted by trout stocking. He is working with DFG representatives in negotiations with the plaintiffs in this case. Dr. Moyle researched & wrote CalTrout’s excellent report SOS: California's Native Fish Crisis, released 11-18-2008. Formed in 1970, CalTrout is the nation's 1^st statewide conservation group supported by trout fishermen with an altruistic goal: to protect & restore trout and the beautiful places where they live.
• DFG has plans to raise the Kern River Rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss gilberti) at the Kern River Hatchery. They would be allowed to plant that fish, if it were available now. BUT, that program is 3 to 5 years away from happening. The fish currently being planted by DFG are generic hatchery raised Rainbow Trout.
• The DFG is still fighting to get the Kern River back on the list of waters to be stocked.
• If the N fork of the Kern River is not restocked, it will be ‘fished out’ very quickly according to DFG fish biologists & local KRV fishing experts.
• A local Kern River Valley ad hoc committee on the Fish Stocking Issue is headed by Jim Hunt of the Friends of the Hatchery, PO Box 901. Kernville, CA 93238-0901. Jim can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (760) 376-2895.
  
• Jim Hunt’s Letter to Friends of the Hatchery 12-8-08
• The Friends of the Hatchery circulated a PETITION which has now been forwarded to elected officials.
• IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING - Write a letter! For a list of names/addresses, click on FISH STOCKING ISSUE ACTION ALERT 1-23-09
  

John Davis, owner of Kernville’s River View Lodge, speaking to Assemblymember Fuller; DFG Staff Fisheries Biologist Jim Starr standing.

Staff Fisheries Biologist Jim Starr standing, Assemblymember Jean Fuller seated; KRV resident This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , speaking.

On Friday, April 17, Assemblymember Jean Fuller, (R-Bakersfield) hosted a public forum to discuss fish stocking of the Kern River by Department of Fish and Game. Many people spoke, including This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , President Friends of the Hatchery, Sherian van Matre, and John Davis, owner of Kernville’s River View Lodge, who stated that his business is down 30% due to the impacts of the fish stocking ban in the Kern River. As a direct result of the meeting:

2009 KRV TROUT FESTIVAL CANCELED

Kern Valley Sun 4-21-09: Fish & Game tagged, 'disingenuous'

At the 5-6-09 KRVR Community Meeting, Friends of the Hatchery President Jim Hunt made an update & gave out this 17 page detailed handout, including e-mails with plaintiffs.

5-14-09 Press Release: DFG Announces Changes to List of Water Bodies to b Stocked Kern River No good news: South Fork (Kennedy Meadow in Tulare County) added to the list of waters that will NOT be stocked. No change on N Fork of the Kern River (still not being stocked).

DFG is currently developing a joint EIR/EIS that is anticipated to be finalized by January 2010. Check DFG Hatchery Operations EIR/EIS Page for information. DFG staff indicates that a Draft EIR/EIS is scheduled to be available in early June 2009. You can e-mail DFG’s Fisheries Branch Sacramento James A. Starr This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to ask to be notified about the Hatchery EIR/EIS process.