Page 1  2  3  4  5

Since landings of the trucked yearling fish showed that the pilot Salmon Stamp Program was a profitable investment for fishermen, PCFFA returned to the Legislature to expand the scope of the program to include habitat and other salmon restoration work. Senator Keene authored legislation, passed in 1982 and modified in 1986, increasing the base fee of the Salmon Stamp to $85 ($30 from each stamp sold is still directed to the rearing program). In addition, when prior-year commercial landings of salmon exceed 3 million pounds, the fee increases in $12.50 increments for each 250,000 pounds landed to a maximum fee of $260. In 1989, following the record harvest of 14 million pounds, the stamp fee was $260. Typical salmon trollers moored at Bodega Bay In 1992, following a mediocre season of 3.7 million pounds, the salmon stamp cost $110. Both vessel operators and crew members are required to purchase a stamp.

The commercial passenger fishing vessel fleet joined the program in 1987. The recreational industry, recognizing that their livelihoods also depended on salmon, wanted to do its part in helping to restore California's salmon fishery. Operators and crew members of commercial passenger salmon fishing vessels are now required to buy a stamp. The participation of this segment of the recreational fishery in the Salmon Stamp Program reflects the long history of cooperation and mutual effort to restore fisheries among the many harvesters of salmon in Northern California.

Current law provides that the program must be reauthorized every five years, insuring that the stamp fee will continue only so long as the program is supported by the commercial fishing and commercial passenger salmon fishing vessel industries.

<p>In addition, legislation in the mid 1990's provided that DFG could accept
donations, lawsuit settlements, bequeaths, or grants from almost any source,
for deposit into the Salmon Stamp Account. Approximately $500,000 in grants
have been deposited so far. To date, most of this money has come from
the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to assist in restoration of salmon
populations affected by operations of the federal Central Valley Project.
Another major contribution came through a grant of $150,000 from the U.S.
Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, for salmon
restoration projects employing displaced commercial fishermen on coastal
streams north of the Golden Gate. The Salmon Stamp Program is directed
and overseen by the Commercial Salmon Trollers Advisory Committee (Stamp
Committee), made up of four commercial salmon fishermen, their alternates,
one commercial passenger salmon fishing vessel operator, an alternate,
and a representative of DFG. By law, only the Stamp Committee may recommend
Salmon Stamp funding for a project to benefit salmon.

Page 1  2  3  4  5