[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6284373,"mediaKeyId","2581209-55e621e367bf4452fa1a193f0cb83381","parentId",2581209,"title","Tolowa Dene Nation petition seeks no-take protections for surf smelt at Pyramid Point","audioSeconds",3383,"startMs",332000,"endMs",3715000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2581209-55e621e367bf4452fa1a193f0cb83381&start=332&end=3715","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2581209-55e621e367bf4452fa1a193f0cb83381/thumbnail_332000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6284373/Del-Norte-County/California/Tolowa-Dene-Nation-petition-seeks-no-take-protections-for-surf-smelt-at-Pyramid-Point","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284373-ab5059af46968b01a16e1a759073e354/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154163&Signature=RR5EpUhfzrwENK160kP5uVxxgT5FtT5vR-dxyuClTdlFo8ySImhz61K-6j0M~SYIViKqx-Ghvdlz~xhMNjbsMyu-LF34Qdt9rIIBOrkb7NMnYhLxen7zn~dNJpC4rtUgdKZI-FDvb7LaQW4EYGMJb2~15VAPLx98NF7Gox8rSHG5~acDjRJvT6VUIyQIl1~Tn9YTP3K30MgNnBy5DvPxyFNoUXflyvOI52MCbc6BTttWoovi5j6HryTy6ZsDskknnyw4AMtHdRsgPkYcizJ4Kf2HYfaNltXyeP~ETiQuN6OXMlMoCw~pjYB3uFjcdmjWt5Yo~I~lS-tZQjOQ2brjMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Del Norte County CA","date","2025-03-11T14:24:48Z","article","Dozens of local residents and tribal representatives told the Donner County Fish and Game Advisory Commission on Monday that a regulation petition before the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) seeks to stop recreational surf‑smelt take at Pyramid Point while retaining tribal exemptions.

The petition, submitted by the Tolowa Dene Nation, would remove the current regulatory allowance for surf smelt taken by dip net or a Hawaiian‑type throw net and reclassify the Pyramid Point area as a no‑take State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) while preserving tribal harvest exemptions for the Tolowa Dene Nation, Roseanne Lahuchi, Marine Division Manager and marine biologist for the Tolowa Dene Nation, told the commission. \"Our petition will be to remove the allowance for surf smelts by dip net or Hawaiian type throw net and it will change into a no take SMCA, with tribal exemptions for Tolowa Dene Nation,\" Lahuchi said.

Why it matters: Surf smelt (a locally called traditional food) support a seasonal fish‑camp practice the Tolowa Dene say has declined since the late 2000s. Petitioners and allied environmental groups told the commission they view a no‑take designation as an added layer of protection for the species, the local ecosystem and tribal cultural practices.

Background and process: Lahuchi outlined the state’s petition review steps. CDFW and the Fish and Game Commission completed a Decadal Management Review (DMR) in 2023 and in early 2024 the commission referred 20 MPA modification petitions to CDFW for evaluation. CDFW divided petitions into near‑term and long‑term “bins” in Phase 1, then plans to separate petitions into discrete action items (Phase 2) and run an adaptive management evaluation (Phase 3). Lahuchi said the Pyramid Point petition is currently in CDFW’s Phase 2 (bin 2) pending further analysis of policy and data needs.

Support and local concerns: Josefina Barrantes, an environmental advocate with the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), said the Power Nature coalition and more than a dozen local groups support the petition. \"We believe that creating a highly protected area will have increased benefits for protecting biodiversity, confer resilience, and benefit species and ecosystems,\" Barrantes told the commission. Janelle Koval, a Del Norte County resident, also spoke in favor.

Local practical issues surfaced during questions: commissioners and residents asked whether the change would restrict general beach access (it would not), how often surf‑smelt runs occur, who enforces existing MPA rules, and whether the petition includes a mechanism to reopen recreational take if populations recover. Lahuchi explained the decadal review process can lead to future changes: MPAs that recover can be reexamined in later reviews.

Enforcement and signage: Lahuchi said existing MPA rules already restrict most take at Pyramid Point except for the dip‑net exemption; wardens have issued fines in some cases and there are two signs at public access points that list regulations. County commissioners and residents suggested outreach to Airbnb and vacation rental hosts to reduce inadvertent violations and improve public awareness.

What the commission did: The presentation was informational. Lahuchi said she was invited to present and that commission members could submit individual comments or a group letter to CDFW or the Fish and Game Commission; Jackie (commission staff) was asked to record contact information for the petition lead so commissioners could send comments.

Looking ahead: The petition remains under CDFW review in Phase 2. Commissioners discussed the option of submitting a support letter or comments but did not take a formal vote during the meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fish & Game Advisory Commission 3-10-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of local residents and tribal representatives told the Donner County Fish and Game Advisory Commission on Monday that a regulation petition before the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) seeks to stop recreational surf‑smelt take at Pyramid Point while retaining tribal exemptions.","taxTitle","Del Norte County, California","taxId",15614,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6284363,"Advisory commission approves minutes, adds two letters to Feb. 25 minutes and conducts officer elections",5865,230000,6095000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2581209-55e621e367bf4452fa1a193f0cb83381&start=230&end=6095","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2581209-55e621e367bf4452fa1a193f0cb83381/thumbnail_230000.jpg","/articles/6284363/Del-Norte-County/California/Advisory-commission-approves-minutes-adds-two-letters-to-Feb-25-minutes-and-conducts-officer-elections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284363-511cf93089b4dfbfe546d7d4c991564c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154163&Signature=TjCz1X-DPl00wdDWeoTIoNbVn-Ghfp6pqu~ylPE21H3ZAyMh~ahZKh2XDQZ~lY7FnLk4krDHvD~5hBx1zYlhmQ4xNBEysIjy5CJZCcort6r~~9eq0rJ8xGJZ~cWg68HQzxTXXRIehrk8pjarJi~kAUBLMuIribGVQmVx-Sr1vy2GI8oalAfkyED2lIVmN6-H3xED3~M0UbH7p4xFasiFOm0-07nxHB8djQ3QkA1FPmJML6V09cyKrKnhPcz7oAKQSSpY8Yqz988uirPvd6ReVMd3yv8DBOMBwQG8xYMfWXECLG0NHzZ9FNQ9enNjBlUsaIsuHPXWqSam~dWP0oCe5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the start of Monday’s meeting the Donner County Fish and Game Advisory Commission approved two sets of minutes and took routine officer selections.

Minutes: The commission voted to approve the minutes of the Dec. 9 meeting and the Feb. 25 meeting. Commissioners then voted to include copies of two letters that had been read at the Feb. 25 meeting (one on elk issues and one about the Lake Earl Wildlife Management Plan) into the Feb. 25 minutes. The chair called for the ayes and recorded that \"the ayes have it.\" The meeting record does not show a roll‑call tally or the names of the mover and seconder for these specific motions.

Elections: Commissioners nominated and approved the slate of officers. Rob Miller was nominated and accepted the chair position. A vice‑chair was identified (recorded as \"Job it is\" in the transcript) and commissioners agreed on that appointment; the transcript indicates the selection but does not include a formal roll‑call vote in the minutes provided.

Other routine business: The commission received public comment and informational presentations and adjourned after routine motions. There were no ordinance, resolution or contract votes recorded during this session.

","The Donner County Fish and Game Advisory Commission approved minutes from December 9 and February 25, voted to include two letters read at the February meeting into that meeting’s minutes, and confirmed officer selections for the coming term.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6284368,"Commissioners press for clearer plans on elk counts, hoof‑rot testing and wildlife‑area management",903,2652000,3555000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2581209-55e621e367bf4452fa1a193f0cb83381&start=2652&end=3555","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2581209-55e621e367bf4452fa1a193f0cb83381/thumbnail_2652000.jpg","/articles/6284368/Del-Norte-County/California/Commissioners-press-for-clearer-plans-on-elk-counts-hoofrot-testing-and-wildlifearea-management","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284368-43da2201269871d014ae7cb052b0d693/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154163&Signature=DASMUHrbOiVGZMr~SDH4FUNrxjYmqnQvC0B6ypw99dkn2vXhUmmCdZmMthK6FS5xBqjp1bsjxXH-ATYijZnQXA~R7TToDuD~YHxTEc14ZOte52wrnEvAwYAzvbiitv~WaL9I9tnmi54OD630ZCGto7Z2ufW2qV0x7Ou1b52n13A6x-JCktFEV-FjfyQHQh1gOvyyQH~g1whazjhsk3Lt2cPtj~NrzuszbHbNHKiK0RgjYWtMfAppoH0hOxKbCdE5B4m1fUrZ1o~xKpfIZ~X37DXnK1dthV2BP83v2pHPDGgxTa1qhErun7pPVxdQq3KzyRMy4L1~M-xTejR-Lh2Z0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Donner County Fish and Game Advisory Commissioners spent a lengthy portion of Monday’s meeting pressing state wildlife staff and each other for clearer information on elk numbers, disease testing and management of state wildlife lands after large wildfires.

Commissioners and residents described growing elk presence along the coast and inland, and they said recent wildfire burn severity has altered forage and may be influencing elk movement. \"After the fire is a premium, a year or two after the fire is premium food time at property for wildlife. Everything sprouts back,\" one commissioner said; other commissioners countered that some local burns were so hot they left little regrowth and that elk are increasingly visible in valleys and near roads.

Disease testing and lab work: Commissioners noted that CDFW has redirected some tests to Washington State labs rather than the state lab that experienced long delays. A county speaker said the Washington State laboratory has an expert on hoof rot and that sending tests there should speed analysis. The commission asked for continued follow‑up and data sharing on the diagnostic work.

Wildlife area management and lake levels: Commissioners discussed long‑standing concerns about management of Fish and Wildlife lands, lake‑level targets and the need for updated, local input into state wildlife area management plans. Lisa (a CDFW land management staffer named during discussion) was reported to have eight pending management plans statewide; commissioners asked for a local Zoom meeting with CDFW to give direct input and for the commission to draft an outline or sections for a local plan to submit to Sacramento. \"I would like to see an outline, at least outline a plan that we can have the supervisor send to Sacramento,\" one commissioner said.

Counts and tags: Commissioners noted perceived undercounts in official elk estimates and asked whether the county could secure more resources for population surveys. One commissioner suggested the commission ask for a 30‑day update from CDFW after recent site visits; another commissioner volunteered to draft a letter of thanks and a request for follow‑up information.

Coordination with federal agencies and local management: Commissioners urged stronger coordination between CDFW, the U.S. Forest Service and other state agencies for habitat restoration and management; specific tactics discussed included controlled burns and pasture management. Several commissioners emphasized funding constraints at state agencies and recommended local documentation (video evidence and written reports) to build a case for funding and prioritized action.

What the commission decided: Commissioners agreed to request an update from state wildlife staff in roughly 30 days and asked for a draft letter of thanks and a request for progress reporting to be prepared for committee review. They also discussed preparing a locally informed outline to submit to CDFW land‑management staff; no formal motion with roll‑call votes was recorded during the meeting.

","Advisory commissioners discussed rising elk presence, hoof‑rot testing, wildfire impacts to forage, lake‑level management and a desire for more coordinated state and federal action; commissioners asked for a follow‑up from state staff and proposed drafting a letter asking for updates.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Tolowa Dene Nation petition seeks no-take protections for surf smelt at Pyramid Point

Advisory commission approves minutes, adds two letters to Feb. 25 minutes and conducts officer elections

Commissioners press for clearer plans on elk counts, hoof‑rot testing and wildlife‑area management