A coalition of fishing and environmental groups is alarmed that an executive order by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued earlier this year could further threaten imperiled populations of Central Valley and Klamath River salmon. The order, made during the budget impasse between the Governor and Legislature, terminated temporary help positions from the state’s payroll.

Jeff Shellito of California Trout, Kim Delfino of Defenders of Wildlife, Zeke Grader of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and Paul Mason of Sierra Club California say they believe this freeze may have adversely affected the ability of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to conduct salmon surveys. These surveys are needed to forecast appropriate levels of commercial, sport and tribal harvest of these fish in 2009.

In a letter to Arnold Schwarzenegger and staff dated October 30, they noted that the layoff and hiring freeze required the DFG to leave 31 temporary positions unfilled in the Klamath/Trinity River basin that would normally conduct surveys of spawning salmon in that region.

"We are concerned that additional temporary staff positions may have been vacated or left unfilled in other areas, even though federal salmon funds were available to the State of California to fund all these positions, alleviating pressure on the General Fund," they said. "It is unclear whether the freeze on temporary help positions also affected salmon return counts at state and federal fish hatcheries in the Central Valley."

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