BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2063
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2063 (Huffman)
As Amended August 17, 2010
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |74-0 |(April 22, |SENATE: |23-11|(August 19, |
| | |2010) | | |2010) |
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Original Committee Reference: W., P. & W.
SUMMARY : Designates the Chinook salmon as the official state
anadromous fish, and proclaims and reaffirms goals for salmon
recovery.
The Senate amendments :
1)Modify the legislative findings to reference Coho salmon and
other salmonid populations, to update findings regarding the
2010 salmon season, and to reflect the range of estimates of
economic impacts.
2)Modify the intent language to state legislative intent that
the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) use best available
science in determining where to focus and prioritize
conservation planning efforts for recovery of Chinook salmon
and other salmonid species, including but not limited to, an
integrated management approach to ensure the health of the
ecosystems salmonids depend upon, a life cycle analysis,
conservation of salmonid genetic diversity to promote
population resilience, and sufficient data collection efforts
to support and adaptively manage scientifically defensible
hatchery operations.
3)Add a legislative finding regarding previously enacted state
and federal laws calling for a doubling of natural salmon
production, restoration of salmon to historic levels where
possible, and requiring salmon and other marine fisheries to
be managed for sustainability.
4)Strike the goal to restore Chinook and Coho salmon populations
to sustainable levels within a decade, and instead proclaim
and reaffirm a state goal to restore salmon populations to
AB 2063
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sustainable levels and to make substantial progress within the
next decade toward meeting this goal.
EXISTING FEDERAL LAW establishes, under the Central Valley
Project Improvement Act, a goal of doubling natural salmon
production.
EXISTING LAW establishes:
1)The Golden Trout as California's official state fresh water
fish and the Garibaldi as the state marine fish.
2)A state policy to significantly increase the natural
production of salmon by the end of the century, and directs
DFG to develop a plan and program to double the natural
production of salmon.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill proclaimed a goal to
restore Chinook salmon to sustainable levels sufficient to
support viable recreational, commercial and tribal fisheries
within a decade, stated legislative intent that DFG use best
available science, a life cycle analysis, and scientifically
driven hatchery operations in determining where to focus and
prioritize conservation planning efforts for recovery of Chinook
and other salmonid species, and declared the Chinook salmon the
official state anadromous fish.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : The Senate amendments modify the legislative findings
in this bill, clarify that this bill's goal to recover salmon
populations reaffirms existing goals for salmon recovery
previously established by the Legislature and Congress, and
eliminate the deadline in the Assembly-approved version that
called for the goal of recovery to sustainable levels to be
achieved within a decade, and instead call for substantial
progress to be made toward that goal within that time frame.
The Senate amendments also added specificity as to the factors
to be considered in applying best available science to focus and
prioritize salmon recovery efforts. The Senate amendments while
substantive are consistent with the Assembly-approved version of
this bill.
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Opposition arguments included the argument that achievement of
the goal of restoring salmon to sustainable levels was not
feasible within a decade. The Senate amendments instead
proclaim and reaffirm the goal of restoring salmon populations
to sustainable levels and to make substantial progress within
the next decade toward meeting that goal. Arguments were also
raised with regard to some of the legislative findings on
economic impacts. Those provisions were amended in the Senate
to reflect the range of economic impact estimates.
This bill seeks to promote public education of the unique values
and benefits of Chinook salmon to the state by designating
Chinook salmon as the official state anadromous fish. It also
proclaims and reaffirms a state goal of recovering salmon to
sustainable levels, sufficient to support viable recreational,
commercial and tribal fisheries, recognizes the importance of
collaborative efforts to recover Chinook salmon, and states
Legislative intent that DFG use best available science,
including a life cycle analysis, an integrated management
approach, and adaptively managed scientifically defensible
hatchery operations in determining where to focus and prioritize
conservation planning efforts for salmon recovery.
Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096
FN: 0006193