Striped Bass Growers Association

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Aquaculture producers have long known that fish meal wasn’t going to be a sustainable or economical ingredient for fish diets in the long-run. But events over the last four months have proven just how fragile that ingredient source is.

An earthquake in Chile in late February destroyed 20 to 30 percent of that country’s fish meal production capability and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is threatening another leading production area for Menhaden fish meal. And then there’s the impact from increased demand to feed an ever growing aquaculture industry worldwide.

“All of these factors affecting feed prices are out of your control,” Rick Barrows told aquaculture producers during the Idaho Aquaculture Association’s annual meeting in Twin Falls. Barrows is a nutritionist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service who is based at both Bozeman, Mont., and Hagerman. He has led efforts to find alternative protein sources for fish diets for many years.

Plants provide protein for many livestock rations but unlike cows or pigs that are used to a plant-based diet, fish — especially trout — are carnivorous. Their systems have not evolved to utilize plants and that’s one reason Barrows has been so excited about using fungal modification to convert low value plant carbohydrates into proteins.

Unfortunately, several years of work have shown that while fungi are excellent at concentrating plant proteins, fish won’t eat the resulting concentrate. Researchers also tried yeasts and found that in addition to being unpalatable, the concentrated protein had mold issues.

Of the protein alternatives Barrows has studied, locally grown barley continues to be one of the most promising alternatives. Barley meal, 19.55 percent protein, is available, but Barrows is more excited about barley protein concentrate that is 55 percent protein. He likes barley protein concentrate because it does not contain anti-nutrients that either harm fish growth or make the product unpalatable to fish.

However, producers are still waiting for a processing plant to be built in Idaho. Once barley protein concentrate is commercially available, Barrows believes locally grown barley could replace up to 45 percent of fish diets.

Corn protein concentrate is commercially available and a good protein source, but pigment must also be fed to keep the filets from turning brown. Soybean meal also has potential but Barrows calls it the “poster child for anti-nutrients.” Including soybean meal can lead to enteritis in fish, but breeders are working on soybean varieties with fewer anti-nutrients that may offer greater potential for fish diets.

One of the problems with feeding grain based diets is that the fish manure is looser than when fed diets containing animal byproducts. Another problem is that diets must be supplemented with specific minerals and vitamins that animal-based proteins carry but plant proteins do not.

Recent feeding trials at Hagerman demonstrated that fish grew equally well on the ARS-plant based diet when it was properly formulated as fish fed a diet where poultry byproducts were used to replace fish meal or those fed a traditional fish meal based diet.

“All the formulas were more expensive than the reference (fish meal) diet, but it proves that you can go fish meal free and still get good weight gain,” Barrows said.

The rise of aquaculture is driving an increase in soy use for aquaculture fish feed.

Currently, the top demand for soy use in aquaculture is driven by China, which generates 63 per cent of global aquaculture. The Chinese aquaculture industry uses as much as 6.5 million tonnes of soybeans, according to estimates.

“The amount of soybean meal used for aquaculture in China exceeds the soybean production of Indiana,” said Joe Meyer, United Soybean Board (USB) director and a soybean farmer from Williamsburg, Indiana. “The soybean checkoff continues to work to expand the aquaculture industries in other areas, such as Southeast Asia, Central America and the Middle East.”

Currently, 18 countries are using soy-based feeds and production technologies created in China as well as via collaborative research with the soybean checkoff, reports Penton Media.

“The whole fish-feeding industry is in its infancy, and we’re still determining soy inclusion levels in diets and market opportunities for many species,” said Meyer. “Global demand for seafood continues to increase, with the US consuming about USD 15 billion worth of seafood annually.”

“At the same time, the wild catch of seafood is leveling off or decreasing, so there is a large opportunity for aquaculture,” he added.

Due to higher costs of fish meal and other plant ingredients, like canola meal and cotton meal, this year more soy products will be used in aquaculture.

The increased use of soy protein concentrate (SPC), which has higher protein levels than soybean meal, will enable more feeding of soy to fish and shrimp. Estimated SPC production for 2010 is about 30,000 tonnes, according to the US Soybean Export Council.

“Protein levels for fish nutrition are much higher than what we would expect for poultry and livestock, so SPC allows us to develop aquafeeds that meet the nutrient requirements of a number of species of fish and shrimp that have a limited tolerance for soybean meal,” Meyer commented.

State soybean checkoff boards from the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, South Dakota, Ohio and Minnesota have all joined USB to finance aquaculture-related research and international marketing initiatives.

“The work on soy in aquaculture has only begun,” Meyer noted. “We expect to see continued expansion of the aquaculture industry in Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Thailand, India and other markets.”

The Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health for a 2-year period. The purpose of this Advisory Committee is to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on means to prevent, conduct surveillance, monitor, control, or eradicate animal diseases of national importance. In doing so, the Committee will consider public health, conservation of natural resources, and the stability of livestock economies. (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-14659.htm)

Through its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA is soliciting nominations for membership on this Committee. Nominations are solicited from interested organizations and individuals, and an organization may nominate individuals from within or outside its membership. Appointments to the Committee will be made by the Secretary of Agriculture. Consideration will be given to nominations received on or before August 2, 2010. (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-14660.htm)

For information on the APHIS mission to protect and improve the health, quality, and the marketability of our nation's animals (including various wildlife), animal products, and veterinary biologics, see http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/index.shtml

ON THE final day of the AquaVision conference in Stavanger, Norway, Professor Frank Asche said he expected aquaculture to become the dominant seafood supplier within a decade or two.

Professor Asche, who reached his conclusion by drawing together results from worldwide market research, said: “The potential for increased production seems larger for aquaculture than other food-producing technologies.”

Professor Asche, who was the co-author of an article on sustainability and global seafood in Science earlier this year, said he expected aquaculture to achieve its dominance through long-term growth without damaging the ecosystems in which it operates.

“There is nothing inherently unsustainable with aquaculture, as long as the producers choose to operate on a sustainable basis,” he said.

Also on the conference’s last day, the AquaVision Innovation Award was presented to Australian firm Marine Inspector & Cleaner for their revolutionary new method for cleaning fish farm nets.

Marine Inspector & Cleaner’s totally new cleaning device for nets, easily operated by one person, is a longed-for invention for fish farmers, it was said, as clean nets contribute to better health, fewer parasites and better fish growth.

Due to the speed and ease of operation, nets can be cleaned on a regular basis, resulting in minimal fouling growth, said Dr Robert Kirschbaum of DSM, which set up the prize.

Bringing the conference, attended by 340 delegates from 26 countries, to a close, Knut Nesse, executive vice-president of the Nutreco Aquaculture/Skretting Group, said: “Aquaculture is a winning industry, there is no doubt about that. Aquaculture is the blue revolution. We are able to supply a growing population with healthy food, but our industry is also fantastic if you look at value created.”

The EPA has issued a Federal Register notice on the Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Pesticide General Permit for Point Source Discharges From the Application of Pesticides. There have been concerns that this new regulation may apply with some use of pesticides in commercial aquaculture ponds and recreational ponds. There is no reference to aquaculture in the Draft, but the permit includes the use of pesticides for aquatic weed and algae control in waters of the US. The need and impact of a new permitting requirement will likely be determined on a site-specific basis. Comments must be submitted on or before July 19, 2010. The full Federal Register notice can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-13468.htm.

Interested parties in the aquaculture community should review the Draft and provide any desired comments to EPA regarding commercial aquaculture facilities that specifically address categories or circumstances for potential inclusion. Below is a copy of the Fact Sheet and a web link to the Proposed General Permit. Please note that the EPA will be holding 3 public meetings, a public hearing, and a webcast on the PGP (see below). All of this information can also be found at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=410.

On June 2, 2010, EPA announced the public availability of a draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for point source discharges from the application of pesticides to waters of the United States. This permit is also known as the Pesticides General Permit (PGP). The PGP was developed in response to a decision by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals (National Cotton Council, et al. v. EPA). The court vacated EPA's 2006 rule that said NPDES permits were not required for applications of pesticides to U.S. waters. As a result of the Court's decision, discharges to waters of the U.S. from the application of pesticides will require NPDES permits when the court's mandate takes effect, on April 9, 2011. Any use patterns not covered by this proposed draft permit would need to obtain coverage under an individual permit or alternative general permit if they involve pesticide application that result in point source discharges to waters of the United States. This general permit will provide coverage for discharges where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority. For discharges in NPDES authorized states, state NPDES authorities will be issuing their permit. EPA estimates that the Sixth Circuit's ruling will affect approximately 365,000 pesticide applicators nationwide that perform 5.6 million pesticide applications annually.

EPA's PGP regulates discharges to waters of the U.S. from the application of (1) biological pesticides, and (2) chemical pesticides that leave a residue. The following pesticide use patterns are covered under the PGP: mosquito and other flying insect pest control, aquatic weed and algae control, aquatic nuisance animal control, and forest canopy pest control. The PGP does not authorize coverage for (1) discharges of pesticides or their degradates to waters already impaired by these specific pesticides or degradates or (2) discharges to outstanding national resource waters (also known as Tier 3 waters). These discharges will require coverage under individual NPDES permits. Also outside the scope of this permit are terrestrial applications to control pests on agricultural crops or forest floors.

The following documents include the Pesticide General Permit, the Pesticide General Permit Fact Sheet, Federal Register Notice and other information:

Regulations.gov Docket (The Docket number for this proposed permit is EPA-HQ-OW-2010-0257.)

Public comments on EPA's draft pesticides general permit will be accepted for 45 days (through July 19, 2010).

EPA intends to issue a final general permit by December 2010. Once finalized, the PGP will be implemented in six states and the territories, Indian Country lands and federal facilities where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority (PDF) (4 pp, 45K). In the other 44 states, the state NPDES authorities will issue the permits. EPA has been working closely with these states to concurrently develop their permits.

During the comment period EPA will hold three public meetings, a public hearing, and a webcast on the PGP. At the meetings, any person may provide written or oral statements and data pertaining to the draft permit. The date, time, and location of these events are as follows:

Albuquerque, New Mexico: Public meeting on Monday, June 14, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the CNM Workforce Training Center, Room 101, 5600 Eagle Rock Avenue, N.E., Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Boise, Idaho: Public meeting on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Bureau of Reclamation, rooms 206 & 219, 1150 North Curtis Road, Boise, Idaho.

Boston, Massachusetts: Public meeting on Monday, June 21, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., at EPA Region 1, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Conference Room 1529, Boston, Massachusetts.

Washington, D.C.: Public hearing on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the EPA East Building, Room 1153, 1201 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.

If you would like to present a statement at the public hearing, please contact Virginia Garelick at 202-564-2316 to register your intent to provide a public statement. Speakers will be given up to three minutes (or as time allows) to provide their comments on a first come first served basis. Any additional comments will need to be provided in writing. EPA will consider all comments received and will include copies of such in the Administrative Record.

Webcast - EPA Draft NPDES Pesticides General Permit (PGP): EPA has scheduled a Webcast to provide information on this draft permit and to answer questions for interested parties that are unable to attend the public meetings or hearing. The webcast will be broadcast on June 17, 2010, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

USDA has announced solicitation for nominations to fill 9 vacancies on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board. The deadline for nominations is July 9, 2010. To see more information, go to http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-13799.htm or see the full Federal Register announcement below.

Notice of Solicitation for Members of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App., the United States Department of Agriculture announces solicitation for nominations to fill 9 vacancies on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board.

ADDRESSES: The nominee's name, resume, completed Form AD-755, and any letters of support must be sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Office, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 321-A, Whitten Building, Washington, DC 20250-0321.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Kelly, Acting Executive Director, National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 321-A, Whitten Building, Washington, DC 20250-0321, telephone: 202-720-4421; fax: 202-720-6199; e-mail: david.kelly@ars.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1408 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123) was amended by the Food, Energy and Conservation Act of 2008 by deleting six members of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board, to total 25 members. Since the inception of the Advisory Board by congressional legislation in 1996, each member has represented a specific category related to farming or ranching, food production and processing, forestry research, crop and animal science, land-grant institutions, non-land grant college or university with a historic commitment to research in the food and agricultural sciences, food retailing and marketing, rural economic development, and natural resource and consumer interest groups, among many others. The Board was first appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture in September 1996 and one-third of its members were appointed for one, two, and three-year terms, respectively to allow for approximately one-third of the Board to change each year. The terms for 8 members who represent specific categories will expire September 30, 2010. Nominations for these and other vacant categories are sought. All nominees will be carefully reviewed for their expertise, leadership, and relevance to a category. Appointments will be made for two- or three-year terms to maintain the approximate one-third change in membership each year dictated by the original legislation.

Category G. National Crop, Soil, Agronomy, Horticulture, or Weed Science Society

Nominations are being solicited from organizations, associations, societies, councils, federations, groups, and companies that represent a wide variety of food and agricultural interests throughout the country. Nominations for one individual who fits several of the categories listed above or for more than one person who fits one category will be accepted. In your nomination letter, please indicate the specific membership category for each nominee. Each nominee must fill out, sign, and return a form AD-755, ``Advisory Committee Membership Background Information'' (which can be obtained from the contact person below or may be printed out from the following Web site:

Nominations are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical handicap, marital status, or sexual orientation. To ensure that recommendations of the Advisory Board take into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

Appointments to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board will be made by the Secretary of Agriculture.

Ind. man lands 39-pound striped bass,

shattering state record for the sport fish

ROCKVILLE, Ind. (AP) — A western Indiana man who shattered a state fishing record by landing a 39-pound striped bass says he caught the whopper in a spot where he and his fishing buddies previously had little luck.

Thirty-nine-year-old Jonathan VanHook hauled in the big fish May 25 at Cecil M. Harden Lake in Parke County. It measured 42.25 inches long with a 30-inch girth.

VanHook's 39-pound catch broke the previous record of a 35.4-pound striped bass that an angler caught in 1993 in the Ohio River

New Jersey anglers oppose plan that would

give them more striped bass to catch

New Jersey anglers find themselves in the strange position of opposing a regulation that would give them more fish to catch.

The issue is striped bass, a game fish that migrates between North Carolina and Maine.

A proposal from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, or ASMFC, would allow greater commercial catches all along the East Coast.

Recreational fishermen, or anglers, normally oppose greater commercial catches amid worries there will be fewer fish for them to catch. Recreational and commercial fishermen have fought such battles for decades.

But New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut do not allow a commercial catch of striped bass. New Jersey's Legislature banned the sale of striped bass years ago, and the state's annual commercial allocation, which was 321,750 pounds last year, is given to recreational anglers. The fish are doled out to anglers through a bonus tag program.

The proposal from the ASMFC would boost commercial catches in New Jersey, but they would go to recreational fishermen. So why do they oppose it?

Part of the reason, said Tom Fote, of the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, is that most of the bonus tag fish are never caught. New Jersey gets about 300,000 pounds per year but catches a small fraction of them.

In 2008, only 7,345 pounds were landed under bonus tags, which give anglers an extra fish per day. The catch in 2007 was just 13,615 pounds and in 2006 it was 23,656 pounds.

"The bonus tag would be increased if the increase goes through, except we never catch all the bonus tags anyway," Fote said.

Anglers, meanwhile, are concerned with striped bass stocks. Catches have been great in recent years, but they are older fish, Fote said. Stocks of juveniles are down, and stripers in the Chesapeake Bay region are suffering diseases possibly from lack of baitfish to eat. The Chesapeake is a prime breeding ground for striped bass, which migrate up to New Jersey, mixing with stocks from the Delaware Bay and Hudson River. Fote said anglers are worried about taking more fish out of the system.

"The concern here is the Chesapeake Bay stock is not in good shape. There're a lot of strong feelings that we shouldn't be doing this," Fote said.

The ASMFC will host a public hearing on the proposal July 22 at the Toms River Township Clerk's Office, 33 Washington St. in Toms River. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.

The Galloway Township-based Recreational Fishing Alliance, or RFA, plans to attend the meeting and oppose any commercial increase. RFA member Adam Nowalsky said more research needs to be done before any quotas are increased.

"Anybody from the recreational side is not happy about it. There are no significant numbers of juveniles entering the stock. The larger, older fish are holding up the stock population. We shouldn't increase the harvest until that is addressed," Nowalsky said.

There are no striped bass harvests allowed in federal waters, which run from 3 to 200 miles offshore. Since 1981, the ASMFC has coordinated harvests inside the 3-mile range.

From 2003 through 2008, the annual commercial catch has averaged 7,091,769 pounds per year, compared with 25,403,865 for recreational anglers. The total catch has averaged 32,495,634 pounds.

Of the 7 million commercial pounds harvested each year, more than half is from the Chesapeake Bay area. The rest of the fish are called the coastal commercial catch, which averaged 2,947,337 pounds from 2003 through 2008.

The problem, the ASMFC says, is since striped bass stocks have bounced back from historic lows, the recreational landings are outstripping commercial catches. Since 2003, the recreational catch has risen by 13.7 percent while the commercial catch has declined by 3.6 percent.

The ASMFC says it wants to increase the commercial quota to "improve equality" between commercial and recreational industries. The exact percentage increase has not been determined.

New Jersey anglers do not catch the bonus tag fish and generally oppose taking any more stripers out of the water.

Nowalsky said the importance of striped bass was clear during most of May when regulations prevented catches of fluke, black sea bass, tautog and scup.

"This year it was the only recreational fishery we had available," Nowalsky said.

New Jersey commercial fishermen for years have battled to get their commercial quota returned to them. Marty Buzas, a gillnet fisherman out of Wildwood, addressed the ASMFC earlier this year trying to get the quota back. Buzas said it "upsets the balance of fairness and equity" while creating hostilities between commercial and recreational fishermen in New Jersey. Buzas said the charter of the ASMFC, which is a compact of East Coast states that regulates migratory fish, says fishery resources should be "fairly and equitably allocated."

"New Jersey commercial fishermen know that they are not getting treated fairly with the way their quota was taken from them. They feel the recreational community did an end-run by making contributions to politicians in order to have laws enacted that banned a commercial harvest and then used their quota to create the bonus tag program," Buzas said.

The good news about stripers is the stock of spawning females is huge. The target is to have 37,500 metric tons of spawning females, and a 2009 stock assessment estimated there are 55,500 metric tons of them.

The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) and the United Soybean Board have teamed up with local hosts to sponsor an important one-day workshop, “The Four P’s of a Safe and Sustainable Aquaculture Industry: Practices, Presentation, Promotion and the Press” at ten locations across the United States. The workshop will provide fish and shellfish producers with the knowledge and skills to market their products more successfully, grow their businesses, help shape the public’s perception of aquaculture at a local level, and work with government decision-makers.

Buyers are increasingly concerned about sustainability, but many are unaware that the traditional definition of sustainability calls for policies and strategies that meet society’s present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. To fit that definition, the U.S. aquaculture industry must address environmental concerns on a long-term, global scale; meet the public’s need for a safe, wholesome, healthy, yet affordable food supply; and respond to the socio-economic challenges of the 21^st century.

Current federal and state regulations help to ensure the sustainable growth of the U.S. aquaculture industry, the use of environmentally friendly practices, and product safety. Buyers and the public need to understand that U.S. producers adhere to strict federal and state regulations that have the force of law and are a definitive proof of industry standards.

U.S. growers are increasingly challenged by inexpensive imports, environmental advocates who don’t fully understand aquaculture, and negative media attention. The goal of the workshops is to help producers meet these challenges by arming them with accurate information to respond effectively to government decision-makers, buyers, the general public, environmental groups, and the media.

Farm visits are a great way to help educate people about aquaculture - what visitors see

can be more influential than what is said. Strategies to make those farm visits more effective will be a highlight of the program.

Workshop presentations include farm practices that demonstrate the absence of exotic diseases and invasive species, as well as regional perspectives of the environmental soundness and sustainability of aquaculture. Environmentally sound practices are

increasingly important as both large institutional and small regional buyers actively search out eco-friendly growers and develop purchase specifications that include a sustainability component.

Tough questions about product safety, imported seafood, risk/benefit studies, the advantages of actual seafood consumption versus fish oil capsules, feed concerns, best management practices, and environmental impact will be answered. Proactive strategies that anticipate negative stories before they emerge will be discussed and stakeholders will be equipped with the tools necessary to reshape negative messages before they spin out of control.

Workshops will provide aquaculture producers with the tools to help ensure that they can provide positive, upbeat, scientifically accurate information to help spread the good news about U.S. aquaculture. In addition to the actual workshop, each participant will receive a toolbox containing handy references and important information.

Workshop instructors include Dr. Andy Goodwin and Dr. Nathan Stone of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), Linda O’Dierno, NAA Outreach Coordinator, Betsy Hart, NAA Executive Director, and a local speaker. To help ensure the free exchange of ideas and concerns, workshop participation will be limited to the aquaculture industry.

For those interested in registering or sponsorship opportunities please see below a listing of currently scheduled workshops.

For more information, please contact the NAA office at naa@thenaa.net or 870-850-7900.

Date	Location	Associate Sponsors
May 20	Madison, WI Contact: Cindy Johnson cindy@wisconsinaquaculture.com 715-373-2990	Wisconsin Aquaculture Association University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility University of Wisconsin-Madison/Department of Animal Sciences University of Wisconsin-Madison/Aquaculture Program University of Wisconsin Extension Coolwater Farms

June 18	Columbus, OH Contact: Geoff Wallat wallat1@ag.osu.edu 740-289-2071 ext 146	Ohio Department of Agriculture Ohio State University Extension OSU Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) Ohio Aquaculture Association Fish Farmers of Ohio

August 13	Twin Falls, ID Contact: Gary Fornshell gafornsh@uidaho.edu 208-734-9590	University of Idaho Extension College of Southern Idaho

September 16 (tentative)	Lonoke, AR Contact: TBD	University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

September 24	Seattle, WA Contact: Pete Granger pgranger@u.washington.edu 206-685-9261	Pacific Aquaculture Caucus Washington Sea Grant Washington Fish Growers Association.

September 28	Harrisburg, PA Contact: Jennifer Reed-Harry jrharry@pennag.com 717-651-5920	PennAg Industries Association

October 8	Fort Pierce, FL Contact: Megan Davis Mdavi105@hboi.fau.edu 772-242-2298	Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University Florida Aquaculture Association

October 22	San Diego, CA Contact: Dr. Michael McCoy execdirector@caaquaculture.org 916-915-1151	California Aquaculture Association

December 4	Plymouth, MA Contact: Joseph Buttner jbuttner@salemstate.edu 978-542-6703	Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition

December 14	Annapolis, MD Contact: Noreen Eberly EberlyNL@mda.state.md.us	Maryland Department of Agriculture University of Maryland Extension

IGFA Approves 51lb 5oz World Record Striped Bass

I am pleased to announce another approved IGFA World Record from Virginia waters!

Richie Keatley of Norfolk was approved today as the newest World Record holder from Virginia. The 51lb, 5oz striped bass he boated on the fly at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel on December 17th, 2009 topped the existing 43lbs, 12oz record previously held by another Virginia resident, Harry Huelsbeck.

Richie was fly fishing in his 22-foot boat at the Bay Bridge Tunnel using a hand-tied 3/0 Clouser blue-tinted fly. After a nerve racking battle and three netting attempts, once again Virginia fishing history was made! Congratulations Richie!!

The Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee will hear AB 2336, the "striped bass eradication bill" sponsored by Assemblywoman Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield), on Tuesday April 13th at 9:00 am in Room 437 on the Assembly side of the State Capitol. Everybody who cares about striped bass and other collapsing fish populations on the embattled California Delta should attend this hearing and write letters to show their opposition to this bill.

"Here we have another back door attempt by corporate agribusiness to bypass the state regulatory agencies," said Mike McKenzie of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA). "If they are successful using these tactics, they will soon be after every game fish in the state. As an angling community that does not support this bill we need to, once again, pack the hearing room and the hallways with as many people as we possibly can."

Assemblymember Fuller has introduced AB 2336 to "terminate the management and protection of the public’s striped bass fishery" that inhabits the Bay-Delta estuary, according to John Beuttler, CSPA conservation director. The bill mandates the elimination of all regulations that govern the legal harvest of the fishery thereby eliminating its sport fishing protective status. Even though this would virtually destroy the fishery, the author alleges this is necessary to reduce striped bass predation on salmon and Delta smelt protected by the state and federal Endangered Species Acts.

"This bill is similar to the one the Fuller introduced last year that was defeated by a coalition of anglers who care about the fishery and that acted in concert with sportfishing and environmental groups lead by CSPA," said Beuttler. "That bill was killed in its first committee hearing because the false arguments used by the author significantly overstated the impact of striped bass predation. Scientific testimony provided during the hearing made it clear that striped bass rarely, if ever, eat Delta smelt and that predation on listed salmon is so low that it does not impact the population level of the listed salmon."

Beuttler noted that this bill is different in that it calls for the elimination of “the program enhancement, expansion or improvement of the fishery."

"Ironically, such programs do not exist!" said Beuttler. "It also requires that the Delta Stewardship Council to establish programs to discourage the promotion of the Bay-Delta striped bass as a sport fishery. It further requires the Stewardship Council to evaluate predator suppression options and make recommendations to remedy these problems."

"CSPA finds it absolutely arrogant that Fuller and her bill’s supporters would advocate the destruction of this valuable public resource again!" continued Beuttler. "Why should they be allowed to usurp the professional management and legal authority the government has given the Department of Fish&Game and the federal fishery agencies to protect listed species? The fishery agencies and their scientists know a great deal more about the striped bass fishery and the impacts it has on species of concern. They also understand and what it means for fisheries to co-exist in a dynamic estuarine ecosystem."

Beuttler asked, "So, why are the bill’s proponents focused on destroying the striped bass fishery instead of dealing with the huge problems caused to all the fisheries dependent on the estuary for survival? Why aren’t they fixing the problems cause by the state and federal water projects that have destroyed the estuary’s natural hydrology and the resiliency of its ecosystem? Why aren’t they immediately reducing the significant over allocation of the public’s water exported out of the Delta?"

The bill’s supporters all appear to be agribusiness interests dependent on water exported from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the largest estuary on the West Coast of the Americas. This attack is simply another cynical way to misdirect the government away from the real causes of the Central Valley salmon and Delta smelt collapse - massive water exports to corporate agribusiness and southern California, declining water quality and the failure of the state and federal governments to install state-of-the art fish screens at the Delta pumps.

The striped bass eradication bill was introduced as one of series of recent attacks by corporate agribusiness and their allies against Central Valley salmon and Delta fish populations. These include Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign to build a peripheral canal and new dams and Senator Dianne Feinstein's sponsoring of an amendment to bypass Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for Sacramento River chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, green sturgeon, Delta smelt and southern resident killer whales.

The Coalition for a Sustainable Delta, an "Astroturf" organization that is comprised of San Joaquin Valley water agencies linked to agribusiness tycoon Stewart Resnick, has also launched a lawsuit against the California Department of Fish and Game to remove fishing regulations that protect stripers supposedly to "protect" Central Valley salmon and Delta.

Striped bass have successfully coexisted with salmon and Delta smelt since being introduced to the estuary from the East Coast in 1879. Stripers, rather than being a "cause" of the Delta smelt and Central Valley salmon population crash, are victims of the same massive water exports and agribusiness pollution that have resulted in the collapse of salmon, Delta smelt, longfin smelt, threadfin shad, green sturgeon and other Delta fish populations. An alarming report released by UC Davis Professor David Ostrach in 2008 documented the maternal transfer of pollutants to striped bass fry in Central Valley rivers and the California Delta, resulting in stunted and deformed fry (http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/12/08/18554034.php).