Posted on 06/26/2009 9:25:56 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
The longfin smelt today was declared a threatened species in California, officially adding another imperiled fish to the long list of problems affecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The California Fish and Game Commission in March declared there was enough evidence to protect the longfin under the state Endangered Species Act. That kicked off a review period, which concluded today with a formal vote by the commission to list the fish as threatened.
"It disappoints me for the conflict that it will create," Commissioner Daniel Richards said after the unanimous vote in Woodland. "It speaks to the failure of our state government that this has occurred."
The 5-inch longfin -- similar to its cousin, the Delta smelt -- is sensitive to water quality in the Delta that has been altered by urbanization, farming and water diversions. It has been in steep decline since 2000 as problems in the Delta have multiplied.
Today's action did not bring new Delta water restrictions.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
It also makes you wonder when enough folks will realize our gubamint is broke (in more ways than one) and it needs to get its priorities straightened out or there won't be anything but little fishies left.
I know , I know, this is just more carping from the right, Sacramental politicians and Judges don't care about people like they used to... and that is a real shame and reveals progre$$ive gubamint for the sham it has become, imo
is this the same smelt that o’reilly was talking with paul rodriguiz about a few nights ago putting farmers out of commission...
Follow the money. Who’s getting the kick backs and who stands to benefit from saving the fish? One thing for sure, if farmers move to Mexico, the state will get less tax revenue and then they will raise taxes on wages. More companies will move out of the state. But the key......who’s benefiting from saving the fish over farmers?
The inmates are running the insane asylum. This must be what the last days of the Roman Empire was like.
Unless you are of a certain Minority, or an illegal alien; you have no one representing your interests anywhere today.
Yup. This has been going on for a few years with lawsuits alternating between striper bass, salmon and smelt protection v. citizens.
and of what use to man is this longfin smelt...??...i just have to shake my head every day at the stupidity that goes on around us....
Is it too much to hope that the California Fish and Game Commission’s budget will be zero’d out? That we won’t have to pay our tax dollars to this group that will make our life miserable (water restrictions, higher food prices) for the sake of a little fish?
Wait, this is California. Plain thinking and common sense is to much to hope for.
Jeannine
That interview made a strong impression on me because Rodriguez, when he got into political matters at all, was always solidly left. And as Rodriguez admitted in the interview, he supported Obama strongly!
But now the proverbial rubber is meeting the road. Another liberal mugged by reality, i.e., a conservative? Here’s hoping.
ditto....but i just got an email from someone saying that he was on hannity not o’reilly...can anyone confirm this....if that is the case i stand corrected...i am getting old and don’t remember that well at times...lol..
Oh, that’s entirely possible. Actually, that sounds right (that Rodriguez was on HANNITY, not O’Reilly).
I often browse Fox News while exercise-biking but am not a dedicated viewer of any particular program there.
Sorry people no more farming or eating. We need to save the fish.
Is this another non-native fish?
These fish are not native to California. They were introduced in the 1940s during WWII. How did the ecosystem survive before then?
No. we got ‘em all over the place, they can handle anything from fresh water to highly salty water.. they go inland and upstream when it warms up..
http://calfish.ucdavis.edu/calfish/SpecShedlist.asp?specId=78
These are the watersheds where Longfin Smelt are found.
Click on a watershed to see all the fish within it.
Coyote
Lower Klamath
Lower Sacramento
Mad-Redwood
San Francisco Bay
San Joaquin Delta
San Pablo Bay
Smith
Suisun Bay
The longfin are not a very large fish, but the recipe below will still likely work. California does have larger smelt out there as well..
—
We used to use crushed-up crackers in place of the below recipe and toss the basil and oregano and pepper and salt away,, the rest of the recipe looks about right.
Smelt with Beer Batter
2 lbs dressed smelt
3 eggs
1/2 can cold beer
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1 dash Basil
1 dash Oregano
2 dashes Garlic Powder
Beat eggs until fluffy. Add beer and 1 tsp salt.
In separate bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, seasonings and remaining salt.
Dip fillets first into liquid batter then into dry mixture,
and back into liquid batter.
Fry in butter until light brown and fish flakes with a fork.
Serves 4.
"Babe,"
"I got you, babe"
"I got you, babe"
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