Press Releases
Current and Archived Press Releases from SCS and Partners
For Immediate Release
May 14, 2025
Contact
Regina Chichizola, Save California Salmon,
541 951-0126, regina@californiasalmon.org
Save California Salmon Reacts to Newsom’s Budget Fast-Track for Delta Conveyance: Don’t Destroy the Bay-Delta
Sacramento, Calif. – Governor Newsom inserted significant streamlining provisions for the Delta Conveyance Project into his May Revise budget. The press release announcing plans to remove critical regulatory and judicial safeguards from this controversial project acknowledges that the State Water Project, which pulls water out of the sensitive Bay-Delta ecosystem, was built for a different climate era than the future California is facing. Nevertheless, the governor is doubling down on 20th Century thinking when it comes to managing water in the state.
“Governor Newsom’s efforts to force approvals for the Delta Conveyance Project ignores long standing objections from Tribes, Delta communities, and commercial fishing families,” said Regina Chichizola, executive director of Save California Salmon. “Moving this unpopular project forward has been subject to laws and public review for a reason. Californians oppose this project because it will cause irreversible harm to water quality, salmon, communities, and the fragile Delta ecosystem while providing marginal, and unreliable, benefits to the rest of the state. When the governor was elected, he promised to protect California’s environment. Now he calls for the stripping of critical public protections and selling our water to the highest bidder. It is getting harder and harder to see the difference between Newsom and Trump.”
“Making an end-run around essential processes won’t make destroying the Delta a better idea,” continued Chichizola. “This proposal continues to perpetuate a water rights system that lines the pockets of large agricultural producers while working people are left high and dry. Regular Californians deserve to have a say, and environmental protections, when it comes to our most important resource, clean water.”
For more information or to speak with Save California Salmon executive director Regina Chichizola, contact regina@californiasalmon.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2025
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Contact:
Regina Chichizola, Executive Director, Save California Salmon,
regina@californiasalmon.org, 541 951-0126
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Kasil Willie, Staff Attorney, Save California Salmon,
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Save California Salmon Responds to the Third Consecutive Year of California’s Commercial Fishing Being Shut Down
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Eureka, California- Yesterday the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (PFMC) recommended a full shutdown of all commercial fishing in California and extremely limited recreational ocean salmon fishing opportunities, through the end of 2025. This marks the third year in a row of no commercial fishing allocation in California and the state’s first recreational salmon season since 2022. Tribal subsistence fishing allocations will also be limited. This decision was made due to extremely low returns of fall, winter and spring run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento and Klamath Rivers for the third year in a row.
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While the reopening of recreational fishing offers a small ray of hope for salmon communities, the continued closure of commercial fishing underscores the ongoing, severe impacts on California’s salmon populations caused by water mismanagement, pollution, habitat degradation, and climate disruption. Many scientists have stated that California salmon runs are now facing an extinction level crisis and have little hope for recovery unless major management changes are made.
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“Three years without a salmon season is devastating, as is the prospect of California losing its iconic salmon runs. However, it’s not the end of the story,” said Regina Chichizola, Executive Director of SCS. “We know that salmon come back when we give rivers a chance to recover. Just last fall, we saw an unexpectedly strong response from spawning salmon just weeks after the completion of Klamath dam removal. Governor Newsom must act now to protect flows and support Tribal and fishing communities, jobs, and drinking water quality. This is a critical moment for real change.”
Kasil Willie, Staff Attorney at SCS, added, “For Tribes and fishing families, the loss of salmon fishing for another year is a total crisis, not just a closure. Salmon are collapsing because of water mismanagement, not overfishing. Closing the fisheries is a short term solution which doesn’t address California’s major water quality issues. We need more than temporary band-aids; we need a commitment to restoring our rivers.”
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Save California Salmon is calling for immediate and long-term solutions to protect and restore salmon habitats, prioritize sustainable water management, and support the communities that rely on healthy rivers and fisheries. The survival of salmon in California depends on decisive action to restore ecosystems and secure, clean, reliable water for all. The organization is also hosting trainings for Tribal communities and the public on how to engage effectively in water related decisions. These lessons and trainings can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@SaveCaliforniaSalmon/playlists
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Save California Salmon Responds to the Third Consecutive Year of California’s Commercial Fishing Being Shut Down
For Immediate Release: January 26, 2025
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Contact:
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Regina Chichizola, Executive Director, Save California California
(541) 951-0126, regina@californiasalmon.org
Kasil Willie, Staff Attorney, Save California Salmon
(415) 300-7453, kasil@californiasalmon.org
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Save California Salmon Statement on Trump’s California Water Executive Orders and Impacts on California Water and Wildfires
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Los Angeles, CA - Today, President Trump issued executive orders regarding increasing water diversions and withholding aid to California two days after visiting fire-impacted areas in Los Angeles where he tied disaster relief for California to overriding critical California water quality, Endangered Species Act and Bay Delta protections.
“There is no question that this is a manufactured crisis and water grab for the agricultural sector, who are mainly growing crops for export,” stated Regina Chichizola from Save California Salmon. “Save California Salmon strongly opposes any federal actions that prioritize private interests over protecting millions of peoples’ drinking water quality, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, salmon, and jobs in the fishing industry.”
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Kasil Willie of Save California Salmon added, “These orders taken in conjunction with the myriad of actions taken this week show that Trump intends to attack the environment in any way that he can. California has been placed on the chopping block, and Governor Newsom must do everything he can to protect our beautiful state and all who live here.”
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Southern California water districts and leaders have been very clear there is no water crisis in Southern California and that the climate induced weather conditions and other factors hampered initial firefighting efforts. Southern California reservoirs are at above average levels. Meanwhile, California’s salmon fishing industry is facing its third year of commercial and recreational salmon fishing shutdowns due to water policy with devastated salmon populations under the previous Trump administration.
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The Sacramento Bay Delta, which is fed by California’s largest rivers, is the West Coast's Largest freshwater tidal estuary. It is known as one of the most over-allocated and degraded waterways in the west. Experts have warned that weakened protections would hasten the decline of California's salmon, which are essential to our ecosystems, cultures, and economies.
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“The challenges of wildfire recovery and water management demand thoughtful, science-based, and community-driven solutions—not political strong-arming that disregards Indigenous rights, possible solutions, and essential environmental protections,” stated Josa Talley from Save California Salmon. “President Trump has placed an unacceptably high cost on these potential federal emergency funds. We urge California to enact state laws to help Californians prepare for fires, safeguard the drinking water quality, and ensure adequate water flows in our rivers.”
Talley continued, “Disaster relief for the second biggest city in the United States should not be held hostage by Trump's unreasonable water demands.”
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Save California Salmon remains committed to protecting clean water, healthy rivers, and sustainable ecosystems. We will not stand silent in the face of policies that harm salmon, waterways, or the communities that depend on them.
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For Immediate Release: Jan. 21, 2025
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Save California Salmon Statement on President Trump’s Memorandum Regarding Water Transports to Southern California and Big Ag
For more information, contact:
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Josa Talley, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, Save California Salmon
josa@californiasalmon.org, (707) 672-9866
Regina Chichizola, Executive Director, Save California Salmon
regina@californiasalmon.org, (541) 951-0126
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January 21, 2025 - Yesterday, President Trump signed a memorandum titled Putting People over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California. The title suggests a water scarcity that does not exist and by prioritizing increased water diversions from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California's economy, waterways, salmon populations, and Indigenous communities are seriously threatened. Statements from Southern California water agencies, Tribes, and the governor demonstrate no water shortage in So. California, but there are serious infrastructure considerations.
“The new Trump administration is picking up where it left off four years ago. This new memorandum continues a pattern of prioritizing industrial agriculture above the needs of urban water users. Under the last Trump presidency, his policies led to a 50%-90% decrease in salmon populations and serious pollution issues in California’s largest watersheds. California’s waterways are still feeling the impacts of these policies. The commercial and recreational salmon harvest has been shut down for the last three years. This has been devastating to Northern California economies,” said Regina Chichizola of Save California Salmon.
“The notion that water flowing into the Pacific Ocean is ‘wasteful’ ignores the livelihoods of Tribal and rural communities in Northern California. Salmon are more than simply wildlife. For Tribes, salmon are central to cultural identity, food security, and Traditional Knowledge. Salmon survival is tied to our health and the health of our rivers,” said Josa Talley of Save California Salmon.
Protecting water quality, Delta smelt, salmon, and other species is not "radical environmentalism"—it is a matter of protecting water supplies and economies. Rivers must have enough water to sustain businesses, prevent toxic algae blooms, and ensure clean water for downstream communities.
We can prepare for fire and to protect reliable water supplies. We urge the President to:
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Modernize urban and agricultural water use: Incentivizing conservation, reuse, and efficiency measures can reduce waste and lessen the strain on Northern California's rivers and enhance Southern California water storage.
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Support wildfire resilience through cultural and prescribed burns: Traditional fire practices by Indigenous Tribes have proven to reduce wildfire risk, protect homes, and maintain healthy forests without endangering waterways.
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Fund Emergency Preparedness and Response: The water supply issues in the LA fires were based on fire hydrant pressure, scheduled maintenance, and electricity. Due to the climate crisis, every town and city in California needs to have funded community preparation plans and localized water and power supplies.
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Collaborate with Tribal Nations: Consulting with Tribes is critical to understanding the cultural, ecological, and economic impacts of water policy.
Read the order here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/putting-people-over-fish-stopping-radical-environmentalism-to-provide-water-to-southern-california/
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December 10th, 2024
Environmental and Tribal Groups Respond to Governor’s Press Conference Highlighting Sites Reservoir
November 25th, 2024:
Students Witness History: Field Trip Highlights Historic Return of Klamath Salmon
September 23rd, 2024
Conservation Groups Statement on Sites Court Ruling
September 4th, 2024:
California Land Back Special Report Released
July, 2024
River Communities Comes Together to Clean Up Trinity River, One of the Nation’s Most Endangered
June 10th, 2024:
Tribes, KRRC & Save California Salmon Finish Off Spring Public Dam Removal Field Tribes and Events with Indigenous Science Camp at Iron Gate Dam
June 5th, 2024
Conservation Groups Undaunted by Court Ruling: Sites Reservoir is a Bad Deal for Rivers, for Fish, and for California
April 25th, 2024:
Fishermen, Tribal Members, and Residents Ask California Water Board to Support Science-Based Water Plan, Deny Voluntary Agreements
April 16th, 2024
Trinity River named among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2024
March 14th, 2024:
Coalition Asks Gov. Newson to Amend Salmon Strategy to Add Flows Needed By Ailing Salmon
January 17th, 2024
Organizations Petition the CA Water Board to Set Permanent Instream Flow Requirements for the Shasta River, a Critical Klamath River Tributary
December 20th, 2023:
Sites Lawsuit: Huge California Reservoir Proposal Threatens River, Climate, Fish
December 13th, 2023
New Documentary Series Seeks to Amplify the Voices of Black, Indigenous People of Color and Their Fight for Environmental Justice in California
December 8th, 2023:
Save California Salmon Statement on Release of the Delta Conveyance Project Final EIR
November 17th, 2023
PG&E PLANS TO REMOVE EEL RIVER DAMS IN 2028
Draft Surrender and Decommissioning Plan Offers Two Paths to Freeing the Eel - Soon to be California’s Longest Free-Flowing River
August 9th, 2023:
EPA Accepts Civil Rights Complaint Against California State Water Board
December 16th, 2022:
Civil Rights Complaint Seeks US EPA Oversight of CA State Water Board: Bay-Delta ecological crisis harms California Tribes and Delta EJ communities
November 17th, 2022:
Federal Regulators Green Light Largest River Restoration Project in US History
November 15th, 2022:
COP27: Groups Warn of Severe Climate and Human Rights Risk of New Hydropower Dams and Schemes
August 26th, 2022:
Largest Dam Removal Project in History. FERC Staff Finalizes Recommendation to Remove Lower Four Klamath Dams
August 18th, 2022:
Tribes and Youth Organizations Host Indigenous Science Camp for Youth at Sue-Meg State Park
July 24th, 2022:
Native Teens Preparing to Kayak an Undammed Klamath Set Off from Hoopa in Trinity River Community Float, Will Arrive in Klamath on Tuesday
July 11th, 2022:
Hoopa Valley Youth and Families Participate in Trinity River Clean Up, Learn About History of Protecting the River
July 8th, 2022:
Local Hoopa Valley Youth Fights for the Klamath and Trinity Rivers Featured in Vogue Magazine
January 5th, 2022:
More than 50,000 People Join Tribes and Fishermen to Express Opposition to Sites Reservoir
December 8th, 2021:
Tribal Communities Organize to Stop Sites Reservoir, Provide Clean Water to Salmon and the Delta
November 1st, 2021:
Tribes, Fishermen, Conservationists Demand Action to Restore Flows in Klamath Tributaries
October 21st, 2021:
Request to Establish Instream Flows for the Scott and Shasta Rivers