CDFW Response To Fish Stocking Case Decision

Sorry I didn’t share this yesterday, but we were getting out the December magazine to press. But here is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife response to the dismissed case of fish stocking and potential pollutants added to the state’s waters:

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham made the following statement after Judge William Orrick of the U.S District Court, Northern District dismissed a case regarding CDFW’s fish stocking program:

“In an era in which some prefer to litigate instead of pursue decision-making through the public process, I’m encouraged by this legal victory. Though we expect an appeal that could jeopardize our legacy statewide fish stocking program, it’s a big win for today.”

The court found that CDFW’s practice of stocking fish into lakes in California does not amount to adding a pollutant to the water in violation of the Clean Water Act, as alleged by two nongovernmental organizations, one from Montana and one from Oregon.

The dismissal order can be found at www.courthousenews.com/2013/11/08/fish.pdf.