Fish and Game name change reflects the broader mission

Joshua offers was a passion for wild pigs, as shown here, in Mendocino County, in January 2012. Photo: Dan Schroeder

Jacob Katz arises a lunker rainbow trout on the river of the Trinity in November 2011. Photo by Carson Jeffres

By Joshua and Jacob Katz, UC Davis Center for Watershed science

The California Department of Fish and game is one of the few agencies of State with a name by sympathetic nature. Bent rods come to mind. Hunting and fishing adventures tickets outdoor and family liaison and licensed to literally bring home the bacon.

It is not surprising that Governor Jerry Brown set fur flying earlier this fall, when he signed a draft law replacing the "game" with "Wildlife" in name by the use of the Agency. The Association of California for recreational fishing, among other sports groups, that the Governor and the legislature have launched the hunters and fishermen in the van. They consider the change of name as a surrender urban environmental and animal rights activists determined to break with the traditional focus of the Department on the hunting and fishing.

Some environmentalists say the change of name, which shall enter into force on January 1, will help the Department move away from practices that promote interests "hook-and-bullet" at the expense of non-game species - those not hunted for sport or food.

In truth, the Department logo makeover is neither victory nor defeat and other. It reflects rather a continuous and long-term expansion in the responsibilities of stewardship of the Ministry of natural resources of California.

The expansion of the mission has multiple causes. They range from the increasing urbanization of California, the increasing complexity and the controversy in its ecosystems, advances in the science of the environment, of the Court of environmental decision-making and climate change. For more than 20 years, these and other factors have led constantly state fish and game managers to an "ecosystem" approach that enjoys a wide range of users species and resources, payment of license hunters for bird watchers.

Ecosystem-based management recognizes a wide range of interactions within biological communities, including the hunting, fishing and other human activities. The approach is consistent with the Department's mission statement: "to"manage fish, wildlife and resources and the habitats upon which they depend for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public of California."

In addition to issuing permits and hunting and fishing regulations, the Department draws up trout in hatcheries, fish stocks in lakes and rivers, fight against poaching, manages the reserves of the State and supervises the efforts of habitat preservation, among others. The new law does not change the name of the Gaming Commission, which adopts regulations of sport fishing and hunting, and defines the rights of licence and California Fish.

Certain policies of the Department are in contradiction with the best science and holistic management. For example, the use of lead shot - the traditional favorite for many hunters - is still permissible for some species of waterfowl such as doves and rabbits, but no other game like it poisoned pets. In addition, the Department's practice 80-year-old plantation of the hatchery historically Alpine Lakes trout contributed to the decline of frogs native and other wild animals. The money spent on the costly aerial drops of FRY of could go instead to the increase in fishing opportunities more accessible Lakes at low altitude and streams.

Legislation that triggers the change of name, 2402 AB by Assemblyman Jared Huffman, also reinforces the use of the Ministry of science in the development of policies that protect entire ecosystems instead of individual species.

The involvement of the Department in the restoration of the Cosumnes near Sacramento River is an example clear and effective advantages of science-based ecosystem management.

Since 1997, state fish and game officials have worked with landowners to restore habitat for the seasonal floodplain for threatened salmon and other species. The Ministry, the Nature Conservancy and a few breeders sewn together various parcels of land to form the Cosumnes River Preserve. The agreement paved the way for UC Davis researchers to show how ecological restoration can reach several victories of native fish and wildlife species, for the management of water and agriculture.

Research has shown that opening of sections of the levees of the river for the seasonal flooding produces multiple benefits: local aquifers for irrigation and drinking water, reduce the risk of flooding to landowners downstream and offering a superb for juvenile rearing habitat.

Most of the flood plains of the California was isolated behind the dams, which were built to protect the homes and crops of the flood. Before the dams were built, winter and spring flooding in the Central Valley has swept the young, ocean related to the salmon on the flood plains, where they find abundant food, slowly, water and few predators. Drained flood plains, the fish would return to the River, well fed, and worthy of their intense migration to the Pacific ocean.

Fish and Game involvement for Cosumnes River gave its managers and other resources, hands-on science-based organizations need to create Habitat in floodplains in the Central Valley and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Already, managers use research to support ecosystem restoration efforts in the Yolo bypass and San Joaquin River.

These efforts will give the Department more new uniform patches and paper to header to display the next year when the Agency officially became the "California Department of fish and wildlife."

Further reading

California Assembly Bill 2402

Cosumnes research group

CA Jeffres, DD Opperman, Moyle P. 2008. Ephemeral floodplain habitats provide better conditions of growth of juvenile Chinook salmon in a river in California. Biology of the environment of the fish. 83 (4)

Whitener P Moyle, PK Crain, k. 2007. Trends in the use of A restored California plain of inundation of native and exotic fish. The estuary of San Francisco and the Science of the watershed. 5 (3)

Fish and Game’s name change reflects broader mission

AppId is over the quota AppId is over the quota  Joshua Viers is an avid hunter of wild pigs, as shown here in Mendocino County in January 2012. Photo by Dan Schroeder

Jacob Katz lands a lunker steelhead on the Trinity River in November 2011. Photo by Carson Jeffres

By Joshua Viers and Jacob Katz, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

The California Department of Fish and Game is one of the few state agencies with an inherently likable name. Bent fishing rods come to mind. Fishing and hunting permits are tickets to outdoor adventure and family bonding, and a license to literally bring home the bacon.

It’s no surprise then that Gov. Jerry Brown set the fur flying earlier this fall when he signed a bill replacing “Game” with “Wildlife” in the agency’s time-honored name. The California Association for Recreational Fishing, among other sporting groups, say the governor and Legislature threw hunters and anglers under the pickup. They view the name change as a capitulation to urban environmental and animal-rights activists, bent on supplanting the department’s traditional focus on hunting and fishing.

Some environmentalists say the name change, which takes effect Jan. 1, will help the department move away from practices that favor “hook-and-bullet” interests at the expense of non-game species – those not hunted for sport or food.

In truth, the department’s logo makeover is neither victory nor defeat for either side. Rather, it reflects a long-term and ongoing expansion in the department’s stewardship responsibilities for California’s natural resources.

The broadening mission has multiple causes. They range from California’s growing urbanization to increasing complexity and controversy in its ecosystems, advances in environmental science, court environmental rulings, and climate change. For more than 20 years, these and other factors have steadily nudged state fish and game managers toward an “ecosystem” approach that benefits a wider range of species and resource users, from license-paying hunters to birdwatchers.

Ecosystem-based management recognizes a broad array of interactions within biological communities, including hunting, fishing and other human activities. The approach is consistent with the department’s mission statement: “To manage California’s diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public.”

In addition to issuing licenses and enforcing hunting and fishing regulations, the department rears trout in hatcheries, stocks fish in lakes and streams, fights poaching, manages state preserves and oversees habitat preservation efforts, among other duties. The new law does not change the name of the California Fish and Game Commission, which adopts hunting and sport fishing regulations and sets license fees.

Some department policies are at odds with best science and more holistic stewardship. For example, the use of lead shot – the traditional favorite load for many hunters – is still allowed for some game species such as doves and rabbits, but not other game as it poisons other wildlife. Also, the department’s 80-year-old practice of planting hatchery trout in historically fishless alpine lakes has contributed to the decline of native frogs and other wildlife. Money spent on the expensive aerial drops of fingerlings could instead go toward increasing fishing opportunities in more accessible, lower-altitude lakes and streams.

The legislation that triggers the name change, AB 2402 by Assemblyman Jared Huffman, also strengthens the department’s use of science in developing policies that protect entire ecosystems, instead of individual species.

The department’s involvement in the restoration of the Cosumnes River near Sacramento is a clear and successful example of broad benefits from science-based ecosystem management.

Since 1997, state fish and game officials have collaborated with neighboring landowners to re-establish seasonal floodplain habitat for threatened salmon and other species. The department, the Nature Conservancy and some ranchers stitched together various land parcels to form the Cosumnes River Preserve. The arrangement paved the way for UC Davis researchers to show how ecological restoration can achieve multiple wins for native fish and wildlife, for water management and for agriculture.

The research has shown that opening sections of river levees for seasonal flooding yields multiple benefits: recharging local aquifers for irrigation and drinking water, reducing flood risk to downstream landowners, and providing superb rearing habitat for young salmon.

Most of California’s floodplains have been isolated behind levees, which were built to protect homes and crops from inundation. Before levees were built, winter and spring floods in the Central Valley swept young, ocean-bound salmon onto floodplains, where they found plentiful food, slow water, and few predators. As the floodplains drained, the fish would return to the river, well nourished and fit for their strenuous migration to the Pacific Ocean.

Fish and Game’s involvement in the Cosumnes River research has given its managers, and other resource agencies, practical, science-based tools need to create habitat in floodplains elsewhere in the Central Valley and in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Already, department managers are using the research to support ecosystem restoration efforts in the Yolo Bypass and the San Joaquin River.

Such efforts will give the department more than new uniform patches and letterheads to show next year when the agency officially becomes the “California Department of Fish and Wildlife.”

Further reading

California Assembly Bill 2402

Cosumnes Research Group

Jeffres CA, Opperman JJ, Moyle P. 2008. Ephemeral floodplain habitats provide best growth conditions for juvenile Chinook salmon in a California river. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 83(4)

Moyle P, Crain PK, Whitener K. 2007. Patterns In The Use Of A Restored California Floodplain By Native And Alien Fishes. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science. 5(3)