Valerie Cassity

Special to the Sun

The Southern Sierra Fly Fishers Club met on July 14 at the Kernville Methodist Church to discuss the litter problem along the river and lake and listen to a presentation about the impending crisis that The Department of Fish and Game is facing and what can be done to help. In addition to club members, Zack Scrivner, Field Representative to Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy came to hear the group's concerns and suggestions. To commence the meeting, members shared various "fish stories" from recent trips they have taken both locally and across the country. Local fly fishing guide Guy Jeans had a good tip for local fishermen.

"We have Chinook salmon coming from the lake. The fishery began stocking them in 2002, and people are catching them in [Riverside] Park."

After fishing tales were traded, the club began to discuss the daunting problem of the litter left by tourists and locals alike along our river and lake shorelines.

According to Jeans, a book sold internationally about fly fishing in the Sierra Nevada only mentions the Kern Valley to say that the author won't fish the area because he doesn't like to wade through dirty diapers. "There are people who think the Kern River is a trashed place, so they won't come here," said Jeans.

Forest Service River Ranger Brian Cosgrove said he believes the problem is due to understaffing. There are only two river rangers for the entire Kern River, and although he and his partner write more citations than any other rangers, he reasons that sometimes it's just not worth it because in the time it takes to write one citation, he can make five people pick up their trash.

Only one ranger covers the Kern River from Kernville to the Johnsondale Bridge, and Cosgrove said is just not enough. "The Forest Service has a limited budget, and every year the recreation portion shrinks, which means less dumpsters and toilets," he explained.

Some members of the Fly Fisher Club offered to look into sponsoring some trash cans and ensuring that they are emptied regularly in order to help the Forest Service with the litter problem. Other suggested solutions ranged from organizing a task force, using local teens as paid labor to pick up trash, putting a stop to free random dispersed camping, and utilizing the young men of Camp Owen.

The next order of business was a presentation by Gary Densford, State of California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Warden. The DFG is facing a grave problem at the moment because there are less than 200 wardens to cover the 155,959 square miles that comprise California, and 50 of those wardens will be retiring in 2008, according to Densford.

He said DFG is having a problem recruiting and retaining wardens because the job requires more education than any other branch of law enforcement, and yet pays $2,000 less each month than officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). As a result, Densford said, almost half of the warden positions available in California are currently vacant.

Densford explained that wardens are an important part of protecting California's resources, and while most people equate them with only covering hunting and fishing infractions, wardens do much more to keep California safe.

Game wardens respond to oil spill pollution, illegal dumping in California's waterways, policing the timber industry and mining operations, and home land security, he said.

"We are the special forces of law enforcement," said Densford. "We get to places the other law enforcement agencies can't and handle problems that most people wouldn't connect with wardens, such as drug labs and domestic violence."

According to Densford, the DFG's solution to the recruitment and retention problem is to increase the wardens' monthly salary by $2,000, thus giving the wardens parity with CHP. Densford said this will cost $30 million annually. He repeatedly called the figure "budget dust," meaning the amount is insignificant in the face of our state's budget.

Densford posed the questions, "Are the people going to allow us to lose our resources over budget dust? Is it worth it for our grandkids to have fishing in the Kern River?"

Densford asked those who are concerned about protecting California's natural resources to write a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger (State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814) and Secretary of Resources Mike Chrisman (Resources Agency, 1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1311, Sacramento, CA 95814), asking that they support the $30,000 budget increase to DFG for recruitment and retention of game wardens.

"This isn't about getting a pay raise for myself, although I won't turn that down. I am here asking you folks to write a letter because I care about California and about leaving a beautiful state for my kids and grandkids to inherit when I'm gone," said Densford.