CDFW Newshttps://wildlife.ca.gov/NewsCDFW Awards $14 Million for Salmon, Steelhead Habitat Restoration Projectshttps://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive/cdfw-awards-14-million-for-salmon-steelhead-habitat-restoration-projectsSalmonTue, 12 Dec 2023 16:04:32 GMTCDFW today announced the selection of 26 projects that will receive a collective $14 million to protect, restore and enhance the freshwater habitats of salmon and steelhead in northern California.<p>The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced the selection of 26 projects that will receive a collective $14 million to protect, restore and enhance the freshwater habitats of salmon and steelhead in northern California.</p> <p>Trout Unlimited, Inc. was awarded more than $2 million for the Duffy Gulch Fish Passage Improvement Project in Mendocino County. This project will remove a railroad stream crossing along the Mendocino Railway and restore fish access to nearly three miles of high-quality spawning and rearing habitat in Duffy Gulch, a tributary to the Noyo River. The new crossing will be a 45-foot diameter steel arch that will allow fish passage and is capable of handling a 100-year flood event.</p> <p>All projects were awarded through CDFW’s Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP). FRGP was first established in 1981 and since 2000, has included funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. The fund was created by Congress to reverse the declines of Pacific salmon and steelhead throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. This award also includes funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to help support the recovery, conservation, and resilience of Pacific salmon and steelhead.</p> <p>“California’s salmon continue to face the challenges of both past and present, through countless legacy impacts to fish passage and growing climate-driven threats to their seasonal cycles,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “In the face of these grim challenges, we find optimism and hope through projects like these, which will restore access to miles of river habitat and acres of floodplain, greatly improving the productivity and sustainably of fish populations.”</p> <p><strong>Other Awarded Project Highlights</strong></p> <p><strong>California Conservation Corps Watershed Stewards Program 2023</strong><br /> (Nearly $700,000 Awarded to California Conservation Corps Watershed Stewards Program in partnership with AmeriCorps)</p> <p>The California Conservation Corps Watershed Stewards Program in Partnership with AmeriCorps will enlist 44 Corps members throughout coastal California to enhance watersheds that support salmon, steelhead and other types of migrating fish through restoration and protection, community education and recruiting volunteers for hands-on projects.</p> <p><strong>Lagunitas Creek Coho Habitat Enhancement Plan</strong><br /> (Nearly $600,000 Awarded to the Marin Municipal Water District)</p> <p>This project will fully fund the design, permitting and environmental review for Phase 2 of the Lagunitas Creek Coho Habitat Enhancement Plan. Phase 2 consists of five enhancement sites located within Samuel P. Taylor State Park in Marin County. This project has also been funded through CDFW Proposition 1 and Proposition 68 grants in collaboration with Marin Water and California State Parks since 2020.</p> <p>In response to the 2023 Fisheries Habitat Restoration Grant Solicitation, CDFW received 35 proposals requesting more than $23 million in funding. The proposals underwent a thorough technical review involving subject matter experts from CDFW and NOAA.</p> <p>The complete list of approved projects is available on the <a href="/Grants/FRGP/Funded">Fisheries Restoration Grant Program</a> website.</p> <p>###</p> <p><em><strong>CDFW Photo: </strong>Fish passage structure to be replaced.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Media Contacts:</strong><br /> <a href="mailto:matt.wells@wildlife.ca.gov">Matt Wells</a>, Watershed Restoration Grants Branch, (916) 216-7848<br /> <a href="mailto:steve.gonzalez@wildlife.ca.gov">Steve Gonzalez</a>, CDFW Communications, (916) 804-1714</em></p> CDFW Announces $20.4 Million in Grant Funding to Protect Salmon Habitat and Other California Fish and Wildlife Species Statewidehttps://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive/cdfw-announces-204-million-in-grant-funding-to-protect-salmon-habitat-and-other-california-fish-and-wildlife-species-statewideSalmonThu, 25 May 2023 15:19:16 GMTThe California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is pleased to announce $20.4 million in awards to 15 projects to improve salmon habitat and support climate resiliency, wildlife corridors and wetlands restoration.<p>The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is pleased to announce $20.4 million in awards to 15 projects to improve salmon habitat and support climate resiliency, wildlife corridors and wetlands restoration. This is the third round of grant awards made in 2023 with funding made available last year under <a href="https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Restoration-Grants/Concept-Application">Drought, Climate and Nature-Based Solutions Initiatives</a>, bringing the total grant funding awarded to nearly $80 million.</p> <p>“As climate driven challenges to California’s biodiversity continue to grow and shift, our own strategies for new projects must adapt,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “Saving salmon and rebuilding their populations for Californians is the goal and we are meeting these challenges head on.”</p> <p>CDFW has developed a single set of General Grant Program Guidelines to get restoration completed faster. CDFW continues to accept applications for new projects and make awards on an ongoing basis. An overview of eligible project types, priorities and information is available at <a href="http://www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants</a>.</p> <p><strong>Protecting Species and Habitats Statewide</strong></p> <p>Projects awarded with Drought for Salmon Protection and Wildlife Corridors funds will support planning and implementation of projects to enhance habitat for salmon through removing barriers to fish passage, restoring flows and providing critical habitat for juvenile rearing salmonids.</p> <p>Within CDFW’s Inland Desert Region, two new projects supported with Addressing Climate Impact funds will also focus on the effects of climate-driven weather whiplash on both the arroyo toad and the desert salamander.</p> <p>Throughout central and northern California, Wetlands and Mountain Meadows funds will support projects to restore and enhance floodplains, wetlands and mountain meadows to benefit fish and wildlife species and their habitat. Work will include enhancing waterfowl habitat on Battle Creek in Shasta County. </p> <p><a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a2f521824768491392f94ab5113db452" target="_blank">View all projects awarded today online</a>.</p> <p><strong>Increasing Pace and Scale of Restoration</strong></p> <p>In the past 90 days, CDFW has awarded a total of just under $80 million to 53 projects statewide from the $200 million in new initiatives made available this year. CDFW has streamlined the processes for applying for funding, reviewing and finalizing awards, and getting agreements in place so projects can start without delays. Projects awarded in March and April of 2023 have agreements in place and are currently starting work.</p> <p><a href="https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Cutting-Green-Tape">CDFW’s Cutting the Green Tape Program</a> has streamlined the grant process and continues to improve permitting and environmental review of restoration projects statewide.</p> <ul> <li>The First Slough Fish Passage, Floodplain Restoration and Coastal Habitat Connectivity Project, awarded grant funds in this round, is moving forward with implementation with the support of a recent concurrence through <a href="https://wildlife.ca.gov/Cutting-Green-Tape/SERP">CDFW’s Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects</a> process.</li> <li>The Bull Creek Hamilton Floodplain Restoration Project, also awarded funding in this round, recently worked with the Cutting the Green Tape program to secure a streamlined <a href="https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Cutting-Green-Tape/RMP">Restoration Management Permit</a>.</li> </ul> <p>These two project efficiencies alone have saved an estimated $100,000 and countless hours which can now be diverted to more restoration.</p> <p>The pace and scale of CDFW grant funding has also been led by sister agencies including the Wildlife Conservation Board, who in the first two months of 2023 awarded just under $70 million in block grants and another $59 million to individual projects for the enhancement and protection of California biodiversity.</p> <p>###</p> <p><strong>Background</strong></p> <p>This grant funding supports key initiatives including conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 under California’s 30x30 initiative, Nature-Based Solutions and increasing the pace and scale of restoration through Cutting Green Tape.</p> <p>More information about these funding opportunities, including guidelines and how to apply, general information about CDFW’s grant programs, as well as a schedule for upcoming grant solicitations, once available, can be found at <a href="http://www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants">www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants</a>.</p> <p>###</p> <p><strong>Media contacts</strong>:<br /> <a href="mailto:Matt.Wells@wildlife.ca.gov">Matt Wells</a>, CDFW Watershed Restoration Grant Branch, (916) 216-7848<br /> <a href="mailto:Jordan.Traverso@wildlife.ca.gov">Jordan Traverso</a>, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352</p> CDFW Provides Nearly $36 Million for Projects to Save Salmon and Other California Fish and Wildlife Specieshttps://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive/cdfw-provides-nearly-36-million-for-projects-to-save-salmon-and-other-california-fish-and-wildlife-speciesSalmonThu, 13 Apr 2023 08:20:24 GMTThe California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced nearly $36 million in projects to benefit salmon and their habitats, and to further support climate resiliency, wildlife corridors and wetlands restoration.<p>The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced nearly $36 million in projects to benefit salmon and their habitats, and to further support climate resiliency, wildlife corridors and wetlands restoration.</p> <p>Saving salmon and rebuilding their populations for future Californians involves many key actions including investing in and restoring salmon strongholds as climate refugia, increasing partnerships, working with Tribes, doing more large-scale restoration at a faster pace, modernizing old infrastructure and creating fish passage around migration barriers. Today’s awards invest in those types of salmon projects.</p> <p><strong>Salmon Strongholds: the Klamath, Scott and Shasta Rivers</strong></p> <p>CDFW is awarding $20 million in Drought Emergency Salmon Protection Grants to 10 projects demonstrating support from and collaboration with Tribes and landowner interests in the Shasta and Scott rivers and their watersheds. These include habitat improvement, removal of barriers to fish passage and groundwater recharge projects. CDFW is also awarding $9 million from the same fund to Tribes in the Klamath River mainstem for post-McKinney Fire debris flow damage remediation, slope and sediment stabilization, and restoration for salmonids.</p> <p>“These projects will help us save our struggling salmon populations,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “The Klamath, Scott and Shasta rivers are historic salmon strongholds where this kind of restoration investment will make a big impact. Rebuilding these watersheds and reconnecting salmon within them is one step further toward salmon recovery. The investments to support these 10 projects is happening in parallel to the largest river restoration in America’s history now underway to <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/12/08/75829/" target="_blank">remove four dams on the mainstem Klamath River</a>.”</p> <p><a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ffb92ef638274580a9a58c1efb265c01" target="_blank">View these projects online</a>.</p> <p><strong>Climate Resiliency and Nature-Based Solutions</strong></p> <p>Additionally, CDFW is awarding $6.9 million to nine projects to further support nature-based solutions, climate resiliency, wildlife corridors and wetlands restoration.</p> <p>“Each week, each month that passes by on the calendar, California’s climate challenges increase, change and present a need to implement projects designed to keep pace,” Bonham said. “We are matching this pace with ongoing funding commitments to new projects, moving away from a once-a-year announcement of awards to fund more projects, toward sustained momentum.”</p> <p>Projects funded with these grants will go toward planning and implementation of wetlands and mountain meadows including expanding habitat for Lahontan cutthroat trout habitat on the Upper Truckee River, addressing urgent degrading water and habitat conditions due to climate change impacts in Shasta and Sonoma counties, and creating habitat connectivity through wildlife corridors funding for species such as Clear Lake hitch and newts, among other projects.</p> <p><a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/fe65083f824b4356b684219c1a4fc779" target="_blank">View these projects online</a>.</p> <p><strong>Next Steps</strong></p> <p>These projects will soon commence work. Meanwhile, CDFW will continue to accept applications for new projects and make awards on an ongoing basis with an emphasis on a strategic approach to rebuild salmon and other species by removing barriers to migration, improving water management and quality, restoring core salmon strongholds, taking substantial steps to modernize older infrastructure for salmon-friendly results and other actions.</p> <p><strong>Background</strong></p> <p>In late 2022 CDFW announced the availability of <a href="https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Restoration-Grants/Concept-Application">$200 million in new funding</a> for restoration, including $100 million in emergency drought funding for protecting salmon against drought and climate change. Funding under the Addressing Climate Impacts and Nature-Based Solutions initiatives provides grant funding for projects addressing water and habitat impacted by climate, as well as restoring wetlands and mountain meadows, and creating wildlife corridors. On March 7, 2023, <a href="https://wildlife.ca.gov/News/cdfw-announces-225-million-to-benefit-salmon-and-support-critical-habitat-projects-statewide#gsc.tab=0">CDFW announced its first round of awards totaling $22.5 million for 19 projects from this funding</a>.</p> <p>This funding also supports key initiatives including conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 under California’s 30x30 initiative, Nature-Based Solutions and increasing the pace and scale of restoration through Cutting Green Tape.</p> <p>California must get more restoration done at a faster pace. To achieve that goal, CDFW has developed a single set of General Grant Program Guidelines with an overview of eligible project types, priorities and information on the application process, available at <a href="http://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Restoration-Grants/Concept-Application">www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Restoration-Grants/Concept-Application</a>. Applications submitted under these new initiatives may also be considered for further evaluation under CDFW’s Proposition 1 and Proposition 68 Grant Programs, and a separate call for projects will also be released for these programs in Spring 2023.</p> <p>More information about these funding opportunities, including guidelines and how to apply, general information about CDFW’s grant programs, as well as a schedule for upcoming grant solicitations, once available, can be found at <a href="http://www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants">www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants</a>.</p> <p>###</p> <p><em><strong>Media Contacts:</strong><br /> <a href="mailto:Matt.Wells@wildlife.ca.gov">Matt Wells</a>, CDFW Watershed Restoration Grant Branch, (916) 216-7848<br /> <a href="mailto:Jordan.Traverso@wildlife.ca.gov">Jordan Traverso</a>, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352</em></p> PFMC Recommends Closure of 2023 Ocean Salmon Fisherieshttps://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive/pfmc-recommends-closure-of-2023-ocean-salmon-fisheriesSalmonThu, 06 Apr 2023 18:33:06 GMTToday, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) acted unanimously to recommend a full closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon season.<p>Today, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) acted unanimously to recommend a full closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon season. Options put forward by the PFMC last month for public review, which were developed by industry representatives, all proposed closure of both commercial and sport ocean salmon fisheries off California. This action follows recent projections showing Chinook salmon abundance off California is at historic lows.</p> <p>After reviewing the Council’s recommendation, it is expected that the National Marine Fisheries Service will take regulatory action to enact the closure, effective in mid-May. In addition, the California Fish and Game Commission will consider whether to adopt a closure of inland salmon fisheries at its teleconference on May 17.</p> <p>“This decision, while difficult, is intended to allow salmon to recover in order to provide future fishing opportunities, said California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham. “Salmon are an iconic species in California. We treasure them for their intrinsic, cultural, recreational and commercial values. The state is committed to ensuring long-term survival of our salmon runs and supporting our struggling fishing communities. We are looking into all possible options to bring relief as soon as possible to fishing businesses to addresses costs incurred to maintain their commercial licenses and lost revenue when the season is entirely closed.”</p> <p>Prolonged and historic drought, severe wildfires and associated impacts to spawning and rearing habitat, harmful algal blooms, and ocean forage shifts have combined to result in some of the lowest stock abundance forecasts on record for Sacramento River Fall Chinook and Klamath River Fall Chinook. The low ocean abundance forecasts, coupled with low 2022 returns, led the PFMC to recommend full closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries.</p> <p>In part, the low returns and abundance forecasts are due to difficult environmental factors faced by these salmon on their initial journey out to the ocean three years ago. Following a drought sequence, the 2016-2017 Sacramento and San Joaquin numbers were less than 135,000 returning fall-run Chinook. Three years later, after rains, it was over 200,000. Similar rebounds happened after 2010 had above average rainfall. Salmon returns three years later more than doubled from around 163,000 to around 448,000. These patterns indicate that salmon returning three years from now will benefit from the ample precipitation California has experienced this year.</p> <p>“This closure is painful,” said Director Bonham. “We deeply appreciate the fishing community in California voicing support for this serious step to help these stocks recover. We have worked with our commercial and recreational partners over the years to rebuild other fisheries following closures and now some of those, like some groundfish populations, are providing opportunities for fishing for the first time in years.”</p> <p>More information regarding the PFMC actions can be found on the PFMC website at <a href="http://www.pcouncil.org/" target="_blank">www.pcouncil.org</a>.</p> <p>Following the PFMC’s recommendation of a full closure, Governor Gavin Newsom announced his administration's request for a Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration to support impacted communities. <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/04/06/newsom-administration-requests-federal-fishery-disaster-ahead-of-salmon-season-closure/" target="_blank">Read Gov. Newsom’s news release</a>.</p> <p><em><strong>Media contact</strong>:<br /> <a href="mailto:Jordan.Traverso@wildlife.ca.gov">Jordan Traverso</a>, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352</em></p> CDFW Using Winter Storms to Help Increase Survival of Hatchery Released Chinook Salmonhttps://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive/cdfw-using-winter-storms-to-help-increase-survival-of-chinook-salmonSalmonWed, 15 Mar 2023 12:32:22 GMTAnticipating good conditions for the survival of hatchery-produced Chinook salmon throughout the Sacramento River and tributaries, CDFW will release both spring and fall-run Chinook during the historic rain and snowfall the state is experiencing.<p>Anticipating good conditions for the survival of hatchery-produced Chinook salmon throughout the Sacramento River and tributaries, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will release both spring and fall-run Chinook during the historic rain and snowfall the state is experiencing. Several releases have already happened, and others are planned over the next few weeks to utilize good in-river habitat conditions for these young salmon.</p> <p>On Feb. 23, with a series of late-winter storms building, CDFW staff released approximately 1.1 million fall-run Chinook salmon fry into the American River at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery in Sacramento County. These Chinook salmon are part of a pilot study testing new genetic based tagging techniques that if successful, will allow more flexibility in fish release strategies to take advantage of natural high flow events in the future.</p> <p>It was the first release of fall-run Chinook into the American River in more than three years. Since the spring of 2020, drought conditions have forced trucking of Nimbus Fish Hatchery juvenile salmon to points within the San Francisco and San Pablo bays. These 1.1 million fish are in addition to the normal 4 million smolts released annually from Nimbus Hatchery for mitigation and are also in addition to the 500,000 in increased production scheduled for 2023 to help offset losses to in-river production caused by drought.</p> <p>In the coming week, CDFW will release 250,000 fall-run Chinook salmon from the Feather River Hatchery. These fish are part of the 3.1 million fish that were raised above and beyond the hatchery mitigation requirement. They will be taken to the Sutter Bypass for release where they can directly enter rearing habitat resulting from rainfall the region experienced in early March. The expectation is these fish will be able to utilize this habitat to grow to smolt size before entering the Delta and heading toward the ocean. An additional 900,000 of these 3.1 million fish will be released in the Feather River in early April as pre-smolts when favorable conditions are expected to continue based on current snowpack and reservoir conditions. The remaining 2.9 million additional fish as well as the six million mitigation fall-run Chinook, will be trucked to the San Pablo and San Francisco Bays as smolts for release.</p> <p>This week will also be the start of the annual spring-run Chinook salmon releases in the Feather River from the hatchery. Over the course of the next few weeks approximately two million spring-run Chinook salmon will be released at several release locations along the Feather River. The favorable conditions in the Feather River and bypasses should provide good rearing habitat allowing these fish to grow and increase survival rates.</p> <p>“By putting these fish out into the river now, they are going to experience the natural environment of our rivers as natural-origin fish would and will be able to take advantage of the high flows we’re getting with these storms,” said Jay Rowan, who oversees CDFW’s Fisheries Branch.</p> <p>CDFW expects survival rates for these Chinook salmon to be very high given the increased flows and expects to see the benefits of these early releases three years from now when the adults return to complete their lifecycle.</p> <p>###</p> <p><em><strong>Media contact</strong>:<br /> <a href="mailto:Jordan.Traverso@wildlife.ca.gov">Jordan Traverso</a>, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352</em></p>