Mono County moves to postpone Eastern Sierra fishing opener
Supervisors move to postpone fishing season opener; Public Health extends lodging order to end of May; Public land sites are closed; ESAC…
Supervisors move to postpone fishing season opener; Public Health extends lodging order to end of May; Public land sites are closed; ESAC suspends avalanche forecasting
UPDATE April 9 at 1 p.m: Just hours after DFG meeting debacle, Gov. Newsom announces a delay to fishing opener. “I’m passionate about fishing. We have not canceled the fishing season, but we are delaying it, not denying it. We don’t want these counties to be overwhelmed with people with cabin fever…”
UPDATE April 9 at 10 a.m.: After total mayhem ensued at this morning’s meeting, the California DFG commission rescheduled for next week because the “call volume was overwhelming and the technology wasn’t ready.” You can still send comments for the record to: fgc@fgc.ca.gov
Commission President Eric Sklar and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham made the following joint statement: “We also want to make it crystal clear that today’s proposed decision was not about banning fishing statewide or locally. We are not contemplating statewide closure. The decision is to help prepare us to work with counties and tribes to make those decisions based on their requests.”
UPDATE April 8: The California Dept. of Fish and Game is holding a special meeting tomorrow morning to discuss giving the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife the authority to make changes to fishing regulations in response to public health concerns.
By Monica Prelle
MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — The Mono County Board of Supervisors moved to postpone fish stocking and fishing season opener in unanimous vote yesterday. While the county cannot change state regulations, the board approved and sent a formal request to the California Natural Resources Agency and Department of Fish and Wildlife to delay the opener until the state’s stay-at-home order is lifted.
Mono County Public Health also extended the lodging order to May 31 in the county’s ongoing effort to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus
“Fishing season draws too many people here,” Public Health Officer Dr. Boo said, “which is not consistent with the governor’s stay at home order or our efforts to reduce visitation and gatherings.”
Despite the state and county orders there are still visitors hiking, climbing, ski touring, camping, and recreating in the Eastern Sierra, the request explained. Fishing opener will draw significant numbers of people to the region, which could promote transmission of COVID-19 and put additional strain on the region’s already taxed health care services.
No fish for you. Maybe. Season openr might be delayed.
The annual fishing season opener, affectionately known as “Fishmas” in the Eastern Sierra, is onthe last Saturday of April each year, however four area waters area currently open year-round. There are no proposed changes to fishing regulations for the West Walker, East Walker, Hot Creek, or Upper Owens, which are open for catch-and-release barbless-hook fishing with zero limit.
However fishing is still open on the Owens River, LA Department of Water and Power closed parking lots that access the water in the Owens River Gorge, including Control Gorge, and Middle and Upper Gorge parking areas; LADWP also closed the parking areas on Chalk Bluff Road at the Happy and Sad Boulders.
Many fishing businesses agreed that postponement was the best way to discourage tourism to the area. Mammoth-based fly fishing guide Chris Leonard expressed support in delaying the opener. “Many anglers feel they are exempt from the mandated governor’s order,” he said.
Ernie’s Tackle Shop in June Lake, Crowley Lake Fish Camp, and Convict Lake Resort also wrote the board to support postponement, but a few residents expressed concern.
“Many of the people in North County have been out of work for five months and are eagerly waiting for fishing and camping season to generate income,” Bridgeport resident Misty Sullivan said. “People need a place like the Eastern Sierra to visit without going to crowded areas.”
Other residents asked for “locals only” regulations, however, Counsel Stacy Simon suspects that would not be possible. DFW could limit licenses to a lottery, like it does with hunting permits, but that would have to be random and could not be exclusive to residents of a particular county.
“The government cannot enact a regulation that will treat certain citizens more favorably than others simply because of their area of residence,” she said.
Mono County Public Health also extended its short-term lodging order to May 31 to deter tourism. The order supports the stay at home directive Gov. Gavin Newsom issued on March 19, which effectively prohibits travel for leisure or recreation purposes.
According to Counsel Simon, the short-term lodging order does not prohibit rentals, but further clarifies the governor’s order for essential services only.
Fishing is not considered essential, she said.
All developed recreation sites on public lands including hot springs, campgrounds, and day-use areas are closed until further notice. Both the Inyo and Humboldt Toiyabe national forests postponed hiring summer seasonal staff until the end of May, however hiring is still considered fluid in both districts, according to district supervisors. It will take two to three weeks to open Forest Service recreation sites once seasonal staff is hired.
Seasonal fire staff is still scheduled start April 16.
With no lodging available to visitors, “It will create utter chaos if we have fishing opener still as scheduled,” Sherriff Ingrid Braun said. “We will have thousands of people wandering around Mono County with no place to go and in this time in physical distancing that is not going to work.”
Mono County’s economic development manager Jeff Simpson said that the DFW would not make any changes to fishing regulations without the county input and they could not tell him how long it would take to re-open fishing season once the stay-at-home order is been lifted.
The board voted unanimously to move toward postponing opener and sent their recommendation to the state agency immediately.
Mono County is currently reporting one death from the coronavirus, 18 positive cases, 62 negative, 14 tests pending; a total of 84 tests have been administered. Inyo County, which includes Toiyabe Indian Healthcare Project, is currently reporting no deaths, 10 confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus, 69 negative, 30 tests pending, and 109 total tests administered.
Also in recreation: The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center suspended forecasting for the season. Watch President Nate Greenberg’s statement: