BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 1201 (Salas) - Fish and wildlife: Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta: predation by nonnative species.
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|Version: August 17, 2015 |Policy Vote: N.R. & W. 9 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: August 17, 2015 |Consultant: Marie Liu |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: AB 1201 would require the Department of Fish and
Wildlife (DFW) to develop a plan by June 30, 2016 to reduce
predation by nonnative fish species upon salmon, native species,
and threatened and endangered species.
Fiscal
Impact:
One-time costs of at least $750,000 to the General Fund to
develop the predation reduction plan.
Unknown cost pressures, likely in the millions of dollars to
the General Fund to implement the plan.
Background: The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) aims to protect
all species of plants and animals, and their habitat, which are
threatened with extinction or are experiencing a significant
decline which, if not halted, would lead to a threatened or
AB 1201 (Salas) Page 1 of
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endangered designation. DFW is responsible for the
implementation of CESA.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the largest estuarine system
on the west coast. It serves as important and unique habitat for
native wildlife, including Chinook salmon, steelhead, and
numerous CESA listed species such as the Delta smelt. The Delta
also serves as the "switching yard" for the state's water
distribution system.
The Delta is also the home of many introduced, non-native
species, including striped bass, which prey upon salmon and
other fish. Parties with interest in the Delta disagree on the
extent that predation is responsible for the decline of
CESA-listed species, such as the Delta smelt, relative to lack
of instream flows and loss of habitat.
Proposed Law:
This bill would require DFW to develop a science-based plan by
June 30, 2016 to address predation by nonnative species upon
CESA-listed and unlisted species that live in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta, including a reduction of predation of all Chinook
salmon. The plan may include prioritization and phasing of
approaches that are the most practical and effective in
addressing predation issues. The plan would be required to
include DFW's existing predation research.
In developing the plan, DFW would be required to actively
solicit the input of the scientific community, including the
Delta Independent Science board and all interested stakeholders.
DFW would only be able to implement the program if funding is
made available.
Related
Legislation: AB 1253 (Fuller, 2009) would have removed the
existing restrictions on the commercial possession or sale of
striped bass, and on the taking of striped bass with nets. AB
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1253 was later amended to deal with another subject.
AB 2336 (Fuller, 2010) would have required the Delta Stewardship
Council, in the course of developing and implementing the Delta
plan, to direct the Delta Independent Science Board to conduct
an assessment of the other stressors on populations of native
species in the Delta. AB 2336 was held in the Senate Natural
Resources Committee.
Staff
Comments: To develop the predation reduction plan, DFW
anticipates needing at least six new staff positions including
three environmental scientists, one senior environmental
scientist supervisor, one senior environmental scientist
specialist, and an associate governmental program analyst at an
annual cost of approximately $750,000. There is limited
information on recommended actions that can be taken to reduce
predation, thus these costs can be seen as a minimum because DFW
may find it needs additional staff to identify and prioritize
actions that can be taken to address predation issues as
required by the bill. These costs would come from the General
Fund.
DFW estimates that to implement the plan, would necessitate a
total of 10 staff positions and approximately $5 million in
one-time costs for boats, vehicles, contracts and equipment.
Because this bill states that DFW would not be responsible for
implementing this plan unless funding is made available, these
costs would be cost pressures.
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