URGENT, Karuk Tribe in California Calls for Letters of Support by May 3, 2007 for Bill to Halt Mining and Dredging Activities Threatening Subsistence Fish!

April 30, 2007

Sample support letter provided.

Honorable Lois Wolk
Committee on Natural Resources
Post Office Box 942549
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: (916) 319-2192

Re:: Support for AB 1032 (Wolk)Assemblywoman Wolk:

The (insert your Tribes name) writes in support of assembly bill 1032, and wishes to thank you for your authorship of this legislation that is of tremendous significance.

This bill has tremendous cultural implications as salmon plays a significant role in the diet of Karuk Tribal members and plays a significant role in cultural life of the Tribe. We believe that this is reason enough to support this bill. But there are other compelling reasons.

AB 1032 would close Heritage Trout waters to instream mining, unless authorized by a permit approved by the Fish and Game Commission, subject to specified findings. In addition, the legislation would allow the Department of Fish and Game to close waters otherwise opened to instream mining to protect native aquatic species listed as either “threatened” or “endangered” under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), or “species of special concern” under the Fish and Game Code, by incorporating all waters which CESA-listed aquatic species and species of special concern occupy throughout their lifecycle this bill will address the negative impacts of instream mining.

Research studies have shown that in stream mining for gold can adversely affect or harm the reproduction of spawning fish, spawning and rearing habitat for juvenile fish, particularly trout and salmon and degrading essential fish habitat. We also believe instream mining can adversely affect sturgeon and lamprey for the above reasons. Our Tribe believes that the department should be allowed to close waters otherwise opened to instream mining operations to protect CESA-listed aquatic species and species of special concern.

We firmly believe the state’s fish populations deserve better protection from the harm that can be caused from instream mining. The Department of Fish and Game should also have the flexibility to close waters to prevent harm or “take” of threatened or endangered aquatic species like Coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, river lamprey and sturgeon.

For these reasons, our Tribe strongly supports AB 1032.

Sincerely,