84 



for his testimony. Roger Thomas is President of the Grolden Gate 

 Fishermen's Association. And he will be followed by Pliny McCovey 

 representing the Hoopa Valley Tribe, and then Stuart L. Somach 

 representing the law firm of De Cuir & Somach, and I believe he 

 represents the Northern California Water Users Association. So 

 with that, Mr. Thomas, the time is yours. 



STATEMENT OF ROGER THOMAS, PRESmENT, GOLDEN GATE 

 FISHERMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



Mr. Thomas. Good afternoon. Chairman Doolittle and members. 

 My name is Roger Thomas. I am President of the Golden Gate 

 Fishermen's Association representing the commercial passenger 

 fishing vessel owners in northern and central California. GGFA 

 represents some 70 vessels carrying approximately 200,000 rec- 

 reational anglers yearly to the bays and offshore fishing areas. 



In addition, our fleet is deeply involved with beneficial activities 

 such as San Francisco Police Department Children's Fishing Pro- 

 grams, donated trips to the Leukemia Society of America, and trips 

 to disabled and handicapped organizations and veterans. We are an 

 affiliate member of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's As- 

 sociation. 



In addition, we are a charter member of the Central Valley Fish- 

 ermen's Coalition which represents six of California's largest com- 

 mercial and recreational fishing organizations, two farming organi- 

 zations, one waterfowl organization, and two environmental organi- 

 zations. 



The CVPIA was signed into law in 1992 and provided the first 

 real reform in 50 years of this massive reclamation project. The 

 CVPIA is aimed at reforming operations of the Central Valley 

 Project which decimated salmon runs of the Central Valley and 

 Trinity River. 



Some examples of the past destruction done by the CVP include: 

 Sacramento winter-run stocks fell from a spawning population of 

 120,000 fish in 1969 to only a few hundred today as a direct result 

 of the CVP operations from delta pumping and blockage of fish at 

 the Red Bluff Diversion Dam. This run of salmon are now listed 

 as endangered under the ESA. 



The listing of the winter-run fishery has caused a large financial 

 loss to commercial and recreational fishermen, many small busi- 

 nesses, and the economy of coastal communities. This resulted be- 

 cause of the severe season regulations and restrictions imposed be- 

 cause of the event of the ESA listing. 



The once plentiful San Joaquin spring-run salmon are now ex- 

 tinct as a direct result of the construction and operation of Friant 

 Dam on the San Joaquin River. This spring-run of salmon at one 

 time was the largest run of salmon in California. San Joaquin fall- 

 run salmon are at extremely low levels and possible candidates for 

 listing under ESA. 



Millions of baby salmon from all runs are lost each year at the 

 CVP pumping plant in the delta. Trinity River salmon and 

 steelhead have declined as much as 85 percent following construc- 

 tion and operation of the CVP's Trinity unit, diverting most of the 

 flow of that north coast river from running west to the ocean to 

 east through the mountains to the Sacramento River so that power 



