San Juan River Issues
Over the last few weeks, some very serious and completely untrue allegations have been leveled at Trout Unlimited here in New Mexico regarding the San Juan and New Mexico House Bill 51, which failed in the New Mexico Legislature last month after it ran out of time in the short legislative session.
It is obvious to those of us who fish the river that the San Juan has been in decline over the last decade and is in serious need of restoration efforts. Because of this decline, last year TU and several other state-wide sportsmen’s groups asked the state Game Commission, Governor Bill Richardson and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to investigate silting issues on the river and develop a mitigation plan.
The New Mexico Council of Trout Unlimited, local chapters and national staff all believe the San Juan is a fine fishery that has incredible recreational and economic value for our state. Disappointingly, the Game Commission not done the research on the river that could result in a meaningful plan for mitigation.
In fact, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has not yet updated their management plan for the river, which was developed in 2004 and expired in 2008. It seems only prudent that NMDGF update their management plan and identify how potential funds would be spent before asking for valuable sportsman’s dollars.
The rumor that TU would like to remove Navajo Dam is completely untrue. No one at TU has or would advocate the removal of Navajo Dam. In fact, TU wrote extensive comments in support of adequate flows for the San Juan fishery during the re-operation process in 2002. If those comments had been heeded, we would likely not be facing many of the problems we are today. TU has advocated for dam removal on rivers in other parts of the country where spawning runs of salmonids have been interrupted, and where those dams have had a negative impact on the cold water fishery – that is obviously not the case with the San Juan.
Regarding HB51, we asked for some simple amendments that would have made the bill more workable. The bill only had one committee hearing and only one member of the public who commented on the bill. None of the bill’s supporters attended the hearing.
As you many of you know, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish does not receive general fund allocations and instead relies on license dollars and matching federal funding for their entire budget. Because of this, NMGF must go the state legislature and ask for license fee increases any time they need additional funds for projects or merely to keep up with inflation.
In years past, legislative requests for license fee increases were contentious and difficult to pass. Adding additional fees, be they river specific or not, is highly likely to complicate and make raising general fishing license prices more difficult in the future. Besides hindering efforts to raise license fees, HB51 could have obstructed efforts to raise additional funds for other important New Mexico fisheries.
We as a state are faced with some tough decisions regarding fisheries. The Red River suffered a severe fish kill two years ago from a land slide and no additional monies have been allocated to do restoration there. The Cimarron has problems with fish holdover due to low flows. The Rio Grande has a variety of problems that could use additional funds, the Pecos is nearly as popular a fishery as the San Juan and it is in dire need of restoration efforts. Plus, Gila trout are a federally listed species and Rio Grande cutthroat are likely to become a federally listed species in the next couple of years. None of these other issues have received additional funding in recent years and are unlikely to see new funding if a San Juan specific stamp is put in place.
With this in mind, we asked for some amendments to the legislation. One option we asked legislators to consider was a 3-year sunset, which would have ended the fee at the same time NMGF projected they would need to raise general license fees and would have generated a minimum of $750,000 for the San Juan. Another option we asked the sponsor to consider was a bill that would have created a more general “Quality Waters” designation that would have allowed to the State Game Commission to designate a fishery as “Quality Waters” through a public process and charge a fee.
This option would have given the public a better chance for input and could have been used to raise funds for other important New Mexico fisheries in the future had sportsmen felt such funds were needed. Unfortunately, HB51 was not vetted publicly by the state game commission and the bill was not discussed or available for sportsmen consideration until the first week of the legislative session, by which time it was too late to build consensus.
In even years, the New Mexico State Legislature has a short, 30-day session. Because of the state’s general budget shortfall and the short session, HB51 did not have sufficient time to pass the legislature this year.
Furthermore, HB51 was not universally supported by the guide industry. Many fishing guides from around New Mexico, including some on the San Juan, questioned the idea of asking non-residents to buy a one-day fishing license for the San Juan that would cost $31 ($12 license, $5 Habitat Improvement Stamp, $4 Access and Validation Stamp, $10 San Juan Stamp.)
Finally, we find it extremely disappointing that these untrue allegations are being levied at Trout Unlimited by a few individuals. Trout Unlimited is committed to finding ways to improve New Mexico fisheries including the San Juan and has the conservation track record across New Mexico to prove it.
TU is ready and willing to work together with all interested parties on a bill for 2011; however, it is imperative that any New Mexico license fee bill consider statewide impacts to fisheries and fund raising. Even more important, a fee increase bill must have statewide sportsman consensus.
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TU,
This article seems to indicate that TU would let the San Juan River suffer in order to get more money for TU’s pet projects.
I’m sorry, but TU’s credibility is going down hill with me by the lack of actual TU action on the San Juan River and allowing failure to happen. There is a lot of talk about action and working with others, but all I see is no action, “Stall” tactics and unrealistic demands.
I thought I would let you know this since many anglers perceive what I just said. I would hope that TU gets involved with actual short-term and long-term action for the San Juan River.
Sincerely,
Vince Villavicencio
Vince,
Along with individuals like yourself, TU was among the first to call attention to the Juan’s decline and push for mitigation efforts to restore and maintain the fishery.
TU is committed to working for improved habitat and fishing on the San Juan but we know from our long experience that planning is essential.
We believe that before valuable sportsman dollars are spent on the river, it is only prudent that game and fish do some meaningful research and develop a plan for mitigation instead of using a piecemeal approach.
Sincerely,
Greg McReynolds
Vince,
Thanks for you comments.
I guess I’m a little unclear on what you mean by “pet projects.” Frankly, I’m pretty proud of what TU has been able to accomplish in NM in 10 short years with a hand full of volunteers. Be it protecting the Valle Vidal from energy development, to trying to save the Red from mine damage, to raising $360k to restore Gla trout habitat. And also trying to deal with Endangered Species Act listing on our 2 native trout.
I’m also unclear on how asking the state to raise $750k over 3 years to do work on the San Juan could be considered stalling.
Let’s be real though. This state is going to face massive problems with its fisheries once the Rio Grande cutthroat gets listed. Locking in this license fee solely for the San Juan for 10 years is going to make it very difficult to get license fees to save all the other fisheries in northern NM. This bill was never going to get out of the legislature this year (30 day session, massive budget problems). I think is in the best interest on NM anglers that we give some serious thought to our fisheries issues and and come back with a strong bill next year.
TU is a volunteer based organization, and is truthfully spread very thin for a state with our resources. I would love nothing more than to get a chapter started in the Farmington area to deal more closely with the issues on the San Juan.
Greg and William,
Thanks for responding to me. I’ll drop the subject on what has happened over the past, which has resulted in many organizations and anglers having different opinions on the San Juan. However, I would like to see where we go from here.
In all my dealings with anglers who fish the San Juan, every one of them agreed that something has to be done about the Rex Smith Wash (Kiddie Hole). Do you think TU would fund money, along with other organizations, to come up with a “Short-Term” solution to the Rex Smith Wash to minimize the amount of sediment coming into the river? What I mean by “Short Term” is a “Good” fix until a better “Long-Term” solution can be paid for.
Another possible way of action would be for groups funding a study on the Rex Smith Wash to determine a “Good”, “Better” and “Best” solution (including cost).
I know other organizations want an overall study of the San Juan fishery, but I was wondering if something can be done now to prevent any damage to the river.
Sincerely,
Vince Villavicencio
All Concerned San Juan Anglers,
The 2003 Fish & Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA) Report for the BOR‘s low flow plan, established the mitigation goal for the trout fishery as “no net loss of in-kind habitat.” This goal will be a challenge and will require comprehensive habitat mapping, erosion control, silt transport/deposition, etc. studies. However, this unique and irreplaceable fishery deserves no less.
NMG&F’s recent trout stamp bill (HB 51) stalled in the legislature because it was flawed on several levels. The bill ignored the FWCA mitigation goal and, in fact, prescribed no recovery goal at all. Further, NMG&F had not properly vetted the specifics of their plans for the stamp monies with New Mexico sportsmen. Clearly, before another stamp bill is considered, New Mexico sportsmen deserve to hear a lot more from NMG&F about their vision for the fishery, mitigation goal, methodology, and collaborative efforts with the BOR and BLM.
The awful low-flow and silting problems are the direct result of BOR and BLM projects and practices. To blame TU and others who are calling for real solutions only deflects attention from the BOR and BLM, who can really do something about cleaning up this mess. The future of the fishery will be much brighter if we all join forces with TU to persuade NMG&F to join in collaborative efforts with the BOR and BLM on comprehensive long-term solutions that will meet the FWCA mitigation goal.
Laddie Mills
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