Salmon Resurgence Amongst a Fisheries Collapse!

Imagine my complete fucking surprise when I found an article in today's San Francisco Chronicle by staff writer, Peter Fimrite titled, "Salmon Resurgence in Butte County." What an amazing story.

[from the article]

The number of spawning fish returning from the ocean to Butte Creek increased 10 percent from 2006 to 2007, Harthorn said. By the look of things, he said, even more fish are returning this year.

But the most dramatic resurgence occurred over the past 10 years, when an average of almost 10,000 salmon a year swam back up the creek, according to Harthorn, who co-founded Friends of Butte Creek in 1999 after years battling farming interests and Pacific Gas and Electric over its DeSabla-Centerville plant.

It is a minor miracle that there are any salmon at all wriggling their way up Butte Creek, given that only 14 fish returned to spawn in 1987.

This information leads to many unscientific conclusions:

It should be investigated that it is mostly habitat destruction in rivers and streams and not so much the ocean that has lead to the destruction of the salmon runs. It is well known the quick destruction, reduction, and often complete extinction of salmon in many rivers and streams on the west coast are due directly to dams. Dams divert water, warm water, and create conditions that are unhealthy for salmon. Hydroelectric dams are known to kill thousands of smolts as they head to the sea to spend several years before returning.

Horrific logging practices by, let's use the common clear cutter...Georgia Pacific. The logging practices done by such major corporations to fill the coffers of the already too wealthy often compromise the spawning grounds of salmon with debris that makes it difficult to say the least for salmon to spawn.

Grazing cattle on US Forest Service and BLM land often leads to similar erosions and destruction of spawning grounds.

Fluoride and tailings from aluminum factories, closed or otherwise (mostly closed), have left horrific damage to the habitats of salmon on the West Coast of the United States.

There are also nuclear facilities that have polluted our rivers since the time those horrific monsters have been built.

That said, with some effort on those who love the salmon, they can be saved when such destructions can be controlled. The U.S. government, however, is controlled by the monied classes and the monied classes make their wealth by destruction of the environment. "They make a killing," it could be said.

Since it is obvious that something CAN be done, may we get out there and do something not only about the salmon issue, but about the war issue, the poverty issue, the health issue, the genocide issue, the homophobia issue, the racism issue, etc., etc., etc. It is OBVIOUS that we can, indeed, in the face of monsters and adversity, triumph over them and create a world that is good beyond outselves.

Get out their and do it. I believe in you!