Comments on: Fish Restocking Ban: Which of Your Favorite Mountain Lakes Are Affected?

By: Lori Anderson

Lori Anderson — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:38:45 +0000

Has the DFG and the environmental alarmists ever considered that they are going to radically change whole eco-systems that have been established for years. This will cause considerable havoc on other species. I usually see a pair of bald eagles catching trout at these lakes that are stocked with trout.
The extremely successful comeback of the Eagle is attributed to (besides banning DDT) to a large supply of food being provided. I recently saw a pair of Golden Eagles in a valley south of Marysville, CA. I really think this is a bad idea, and I want some of my fishing license money back!!!
And not only that, is it such a good idea to being putting a financial burden on communities that rely on fishing tourism at a time when small communities are financially hurting.

By: John Soares

John Soares — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:47:36 +0000

Brian raises an important point. Who can address whether or not low-level stocking of non-native fish would harm the mountain yellow-legged frog?

By: Brian Curtis

Brian Curtis — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:06:33 +0000

As an avid high lake angler this is a topic that interests me greatly. There is a lot of research showing impacts from non-native fish in high lakes. But the common thread in almost all those studies is that the lakes had very high populations of fish, Typically, they are full of naturally reproducing, stunted fish. Both amphibian and zooplankton populations are adversely impacted. But a long term study in the North Cascades National Park found that lakes where fish were stocked in low densities did not show the negative impacts seen in lakes with high densities of stunted fish. That is a very important finding. Careful stocking in low densities of fish that are not able to naturally reproduce can yield a high quality fishery and preserve native high lake biota.

But there is a key difference in native amphibians between the North Cascades and the Sierras. That is the mountain yellow-legged frog. The MLY frog needs the same deep water habitat that fish do. That contrasts with the most vulnerable amphibian in the North Cascades which is the long-toed salamander. The LT sally prefers productive, shallow, even seasonal ponds. I don’t know if low density stocking will work in MYL frog waters.

Losing the high lake fishery in California would be a major loss. It would be especially tragic if more careful stocking could preserve both the fishery and native species.

By: John Soares

John Soares — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:24:28 +0000

I’m interested in the long-term health of ecosystems. And I also want to know what the scientific consensus is about the impacts of human actions on ecosystems.

If that means fish stocking needs to stop at some lakes, then it needs to stop. I do think that should be balanced by continuing to stock lakes where the introduced fish will have only a minimal impact.

By: Scott Kruse

Scott Kruse — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:55:19 +0000

Several peer-reviewed published studies over the last 30 years have found that fish stocking actually decreases the number of fish and increases human impact to land adjacent to streams and lakes – resident fish are diplaced and move downstream. Introduced fish are not residents and eventually move downstream. Introduced fish, among other direct causes, repeatedly introduce diseases toxic to amphibians. Lakes once “barren” (of fish) that supported robust populations of native amphibians, now have stunted fish and few amphibians. I do not purchase a fishing license (nor fish) precisely to protest DF&G’s antiquated approach to ecosystems.

By: California Fish Stocking Order Raises Rural Hackles — The Trout Underground Fly Fishing Blog

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:01:05 +0000

[...] haven’t heard from anyone in Siskiyou County yet, John at the Northern California Hiking Blog put together a list of area waters that won’t be stocked with non-natives, and we’ll see how that sits with the locals (the statewide “no-stock” list can [...]

By: R.L. Schaefer

R.L. Schaefer — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:43:12 +0000

I saw the writing on the wall when they stopped stocking Sespe Creek in 1998 because of this non-native species nonsense.

Environmentalism has become simply Neo-Paganism – An old religion with a new set of clothes.

They control politicians, the media, schools and the bureaucracies of government. It is too late to rid ourselves of this “State Religion”.

Their creed is simple;
“All forms of human endeavor are evil.

The only permissible interaction between man and nature is restoration, conservation, preservation and veneration.”

Unless you subscribe to their creed they simply don’t you in the out of doors.

Whenever my kids ask why they can’t fish or hunt in places we once did – Or why they don’t stock fish in streams and close more roads and campgrounds every year. I simply say to them, “They just don’t want you out there… There’s no “real reason” or logic. They only want folks in limited areas who will simply worship nature and nothing else is acceptable”

Get used to the locked gates and fences folks – It’s the future…

Their creed is simple