NCGASA 2018 - 2024 Accomplishments

In 2021-2022, NCGASA worked to reinstate the Fry Program at the Coleman National Fish Hatchery in Anderson, CA. It was a three-year study where a minimum of 2 million Fry were unfed to test survival rates rather than euthanizing them per biological opinion. The mandated max was 15%+- from the 12 million production goal.
NCGASA worked with Coleman National Fish Hatchery on their Fry Program to develop a 10-year release strategy (2025-2035) for 7-14 million fry.
Release areas:
– 1/3 in Battle Creek
– 1/3 in downstream Sacramento River main stem, 30-50 miles from Coleman Hatchery
– 1/3 in rice fields in the Yolo Bypass area that drain into upper delta
Plans were to start in 2023, but moved to 2025 because of low fish returns in 2023.
Following the Oroville Spillway Crisis in 2018, NCGASA worked with CDFW to raise 2 million additional hatchery fish. This was the start of the future long-term implementation.
NCGASA worked with CDFW to raise 5 million additional hatchery fish in 2020, 2021, 2022 at the Feather, Nimbus, and Mokelumne hatcheries. An additional 10 million hatchery fish were raised in 2023.
NCGASA worked with CDFW on a three-year PBT (Parental Based Tagging) study on the American River. Goal is to raise 1 million fry salmon in 2022 to be released in 2023, and 2 million in 2023 to be released in spring 2024.
NCGASA created the FLAME app (Fishermen Led Assessment Monitoring Experiment) with Dr. Cynthia Ledoux-Bloom and Cal Poly Humboldt. The data was analyzed by Carrie White and used to compare real time data on Sturgeon and Striper.
NCGASA is a founding member of the Salmon Industry Coalition, formed in 2019. We advocate together and represent the commercial, charter fishermen and inland guides. (The entire salmon industry outside of bait shops, marinas and other interests.)
NCGASA was instrumental in permanently changing access hours to the Oroville Wildlife Area in 2019. This was essential for hunters and fishermen to access 30 minutes prior to sunrise to help get in, setup, and launch boats before start time.
NCGASA worked with CDFW to change the bag limit for salmon on the Feather River from two fish to three fish in 2020. This change was based on the return of 2 million extra hatchery fish and CDFW giving them back to the anglers rather than killing them unspawned.
In 2020, released the Unspawned-managing salmon into extinction on YouTube
In 2024, released the Long Live The King on YouTube
NCGASA took the lead for the Salmon Disaster relief effort in 2023 and 2024 working with the Dept of Commerce and CDFW.
In 2023, NCGASA fought to get funding for inland sector valued over $3 million dollars. Secured over $1 million in relief in 2024.
NCGASA was a key part of the Salmon Recovery Efforts, attending meetings and advocating for more survival and returns to inland hatcheries as well as in-river returns to the Central Valley and Klamath basins. Other partners included CDFW, USFW, NOAA, NMFS, PFMC, and California Advisory Committee on Salmon and Steelhead Trout (CAC).
NCGASA was part of the Sturgeon state committee in 2023 advocating for angler rights to retain sturgeon.
From 2019-2024, NCGASA was part of a coalition of angling groups (Striped Bass State committee) fighting for slot limit regulation changes to protect larger stripers.
In 2021, NCGASA was appointed to the Steelhead State Committee to vote on the distribution of funds from the Steelhead Report Card for monitoring and studying of wild fish. NCGASA remains part of the committee in 2024.
In 2019, NCGASA was appointed to the PFMC Salmon Advisory Subpanel for two three-year ending in 2024. The SAS travel to four states fighting for proper ocean management and inland returns for salmon.
NCGASA played a large role in fighting to keep ALL fisheries open to anglers during COVID 2020 crisis.
As part of the PFMC and FMP (Fishery Management Plan) NCGASA worked for an amendment advocation to the floor escapement levels in both Sacramento and Klamath rivers. Raising floor escapement reduces ocean exploitation and has more fish inland for river anglers and escapement spawning for salmon.
In 2021, NCGASA was involved in the Sediment Removal Advocacy where a $5 million dollar grant was awarded to the Sutter Butte Flood Control for stage 1 removal of 67,000 cubic yards of sediment from mouth of Yuba River where it meets the Feather River in Yuba City. In 2024, as part of stage 2, we are advocating for $15 million to complete the job and remove an additional 200,000 cubic yards sediment.
In 2023 NCGASA was part of the restoration project, receiving a $5 million dollar state grant for the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency to restore Robinson riffle in Low Flow Channel
From 2018 to 2021, NCGASA supported the Rowdy Creek Hatchery to help raise more chinook salmon and steelhead. Support was done both financially as well as through the annual Rowdy Creek Steelhead Derby.
In 2017, began advocating individual counties to clean up and open boat ramps during high water years from the Delta to Redding.
In 2020, NCGASA started the Mad River Hatchery Steelhead Derby, with some of the proceeds going towards helping the CDFW volunteer angling broodstock program.
In 2017, 2018, and 2023, NCGASA advocated NGO’s (non-Government Agencies) to lobby three times for gravel augmentation to be added to Sacramento, Feather and American rivers. This resulted in adding thousands of yards of spawning gravel to these rivers.
In 2023, due to NCGASA’s advocacy with the Bridge Group, volunteers returned over 2,000 carcasses from the Coleman Hatchery to the Sacramento River. The dead, spawned fish were taken to riffles in the river where fish once inhabited, spawned, and died prior to this salmon fishery collapse.
In 2023, NCGASA helped bring and unite the Bridge Group between Northern California farmers and water districts with the three sectors of the salmon industry, PCFFA, NCGASA, GGFA Golden Gate Fisherman’s Association. This collective group was instrumental in fighting to raise more fish at all the hatcheries, including winter and spring run salmon.
NCGASA has attended all CDFW Commission meetings on all anadromous fish species to fight for sustainable and liberal seasons, for more time on the water, and access to the fisheries backed by science.
NCGASA helped volunteer-run boat ramp cleanup projects in 2018,2019, and 2022.
NCGASA has been advocating and supporting the Dept. of Water Resources (DWR) to secure a $5 million state grant for a new launch ramp facility at the Oroville Outlet Hole. The land is owned by CDFW and DWR, with construction now slated for 2025.
Beginning in 2018, fought to change management practices which euthanized steelhead Kelts and having them returned to the river from Coleman Hatchery.
In 2021, NCGASA stopped the practice of state and federal hatcheries killing unspawned fish, allowing more fish to spawn below the hatchery areas.
Starting in 2018, NCGASA starting working with CDFW Wardens (Law Enforcement Officers) on fishing guide and poaching issues.
From 2017 through 2023, NCGASA advocated the Lower Feather River Corridor Management Plan for sediment cleanup of nine million cubic yards of sediment from Verona to Marysville on Feather River. Was Successful in putting the first dredge in the river for this type of clean up since 1972.
NCGASA lobbied and was successful in getting the Klamath River Jack Salmon size changed from 22” – 23” to the 21”- 24” range in the Initial Statement of Reasons (ISOR) for the CDFW Commission In 2019.
NCGASA Advocated in 2019 for the removal of Homeless Camps on the Feather and American Rivers.
NCGASA proposed legislation to fight for Sportsmen’s rights to hunt and fish on over forty pieces of legislation from 2020. These included hunting bills, lead weight ban, gun right protection and conservation bills.

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