Fishy business: Governor signs bill banning suction dredge mining
Traci Bue
Staff Writer
8/11/2009
Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill Aug. 6 to ban suction dredge gold mining temporarily on all California rivers and lakes.
Senate Bill 670, drafted by Senator Patricia Wiggins (D–Santa Rosa) and approved by the Senate 28-7 last month is an attempt to restore and protect California’s dwindling salmon populations and the multi-million dollar salmon fishing industry.
According to Wiggins that industry has been halted “while a small group of hobbyists are allowed to continue” to suction dredge mine, a practice she said was detrimental, not cost effective and a “minor, recreational activity.”
Proponents of the bill, including the Federation of Fishermen’s Association, a broad coalition of Native American tribes, the Institute of Fisheries Resources and others say the practice of vacuum dredging pollutes rivers and streams and threatens vulnerable fish and aquatic populations.
The moratorium on motorized suction dredge mining is effective immediately and remains in effect until the Department of Fish and Game finishes its court-ordered overhaul of regulations, a review that was to have been completed by July 2008, but the DFG has yet to begin.
In accordance with the bill, the DFG must cease the issuance of suction dredge permits, and all permits previously issued are invalid.
Also in effect is an injunction prohibiting the DFG from issuing suction dredge permits (Leeon Hillman et al. v. California Department of Fish and Game, Superior Court Alameda County, Case No. RG09-43444).
Suction dredging removes and returns material at the bottom of a stream, river or lake. The dredge sucks up streambed material, passes it up through a suction hose and runs it across a recovery system floating at the surface. Gold, which is very heavy, is separated, as the gravel and other material wash through the recovery system and back into the stream.
In a guest opinion to the Redwood Times, Wiggins, who also chairs the Joint Legislative Committee on Fisheries & Aquaculture, said King and Coho salmon have borne the brunt of the development in California and risk extinction.
In addition to the human-induced affects of water pollution and reduction, Wiggins said motorized vacuum dredges mounted on pontoons in the rivers suck up river material and young fish and cover emerging salmon in stream gravels.
“They are not just trophy and sport fish … but the backbone of California ecosystems, tribal cultures, local economies, a commercial fishing industry and a once-plentiful, wonderful food,” she wrote.
In 2006, commercial salmon fishing was severely restricted because of low numbers of salmon returning to the Klamath River.
Last year and again this year, the National Marine Fisheries Service placed a ban on all salmon fishing along the Pacific coast of California and Oregon due to the severe depletion of Chinook salmon, a staple of West Coast salmon fisheries. Wiggins called the fishing ban by itself largely ineffective in reversing the “long-term trend” of destruction to water quality, streambeds and salmon habitat.
“SB 670 is about equity. We simply cannot ask an entire fishing industry to stop their work … it is time for miners to give up their self-interest, too, to give these fish a moment to recover. And it’s high time for the Department of Fish and Game to go from protecting miners to protecting fish ... for all Californians.”
According to Wiggins, dredge mine permits generate from $150,000 to $200,000 annually in California—for a program that costs the DFG more than $1.25 million each year to enforce.
“In contrast,” she wrote, “California fishermen buy 2.4 million fishing licenses each year. The sport-fishing industry supports a total of 43,000 jobs paying $1.3 billion in wages and salaries annually. Fishing equipment sales total over $2.4 billion per year. And salmon, fish highly susceptible to the impacts from suction dredges, are traditionally the most important fish to Northern California commercial fishermen and native tribes.”
Some who oppose the bill say the ban on dredge mining is a blanket rule affecting all suction dredge miners whether mining on salmon tributaries or not.
Liz Blum and her husband, Eldon, of Quincy have been dredge mining the Hopkins and Nelson creeks near Sloat for more than 40 years. Liz called the ban a “bunch of bull,” and said the bill that started over salmon in Siskiyou County shouldn’t include the entire state. “Monitor that, but don’t lump everyone into one,” she said.
The Blums usually mine all summer from Memorial weekend through September and sell some of the gold to supplement their income.
Blum disputes opponents’ claims that suction dredge mining destroys fish habitat. She said miners are monitored and not allowed to mine when fish are spawning. She also said suction mining is a benefit to stream beds in that it removes mercury, lead and other metals from the water.
Still other opponents of the bill see an economic gain to what critics claim is long-term environmental pain if the practice of suction dredge mining continues.
Plumas County Supervisor Lori Simpson opposed the bill, a move she viewed as a revenue drain from an already cash-strapped county.
According to a letter Simpson faxed to the governor Aug. 4, the ban on suction dredge mining will siphon about $79,000 in revenue from the county, schools and special districts this year.
Simpson said the mining industry is already heavily regulated and numerous studies have found negligible impact to rivers and fisheries. In light of current record gold prices, the benefit to local merchants supported by miners, and lost revenue from the 1,727 mining claims in Plumas County, approval of the bill would be “another economic blow to Plumas County and rural California,” wrote Simpson.
Representatives of DFG did not return phone calls by press time.
The governor vetoed previous legislation restricting suction dredge mining in October 2007, but suction dredging opponents believed the urgency of the current salmon fishery crisis and the strong bi-partisan support for this bill prompted Schwarzenegger’s signature this time.
A violation of the moratorium is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and six months in jail.
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Remember when the dfg poisoned Lake Davis to get rid of the Pike? And the local town there sued dfg because there economy was devastated.Maybe towns like Downieville , Columbia and Happy Camp should do the same!
I love how this bitch tries to make it fisherman versus prospectors!How many of you fish too...Ive been fishing since I was a little kid.If I thought dredging was harmful to the fish, I'd be against it too.I say everyone just keep on dredging...screw them!
andrew hall > Ray ShultzAugust 13, 2009 at 12:53pm
many have, and are still working.mine still floats.but will post no more pics, or comments regarding such.prima facie evidence.
We went online last night, and paypal-ed our $50 donation to the PLP........ I challenge you all to do the same! If not a match, then whatever you can! Even 10 bucks could help make a difference..... Come on, get in there!
Hobbyist's miners my ass, this is a way of living and ends meat for so many miners in Ca. This senator patrica wiggins is so out of touch with us citizens it is not even close to being funny. Laws like this are also going to effect all americans in all aspectects of life. Start fighting now.
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