One of the joys of fishing is the quiet solitude of being in nature. But a California Fish and Game Commission meeting on Thursday to discuss the spring fishing season was anything but calm.
The meeting, which was held by teleconference, never officially started after many callers disrupted it. One man quoted scripture. Others urged fellow callers to be quiet. All the while, members of the public, the news media, and commissioners themselves couldn’t call in because the phone system was at capacity.
The commission had wanted to discuss giving the California Department of Fish and Wildlife director, Charlton Bonham, temporary authority over fishing seasons.
That decision would’ve likely resulted in the postponement of the trout season opener in the eastern Sierra Nevada.
The commission says it will try to convene again next week.
Fishing groups are hoping the state doesn’t cancel various seasons outright — but fear that it might.
Counties like Mono and Inyo have asked the state for help changing the dates of the seasons. They say they are worried thousands of visitors could spread the virus and overwhelm their small hospital systems.
Bonham and commission president Eric Sklar issued a statement expressing frustration that members of the news media and the public were not able to join Thursday’s video conference, and those who were behaving in an orderly fashion could not be heard.
"It is clear that the call volume was overwhelming and the technology wasn't ready,” the group said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom tried to assuage anglers’ fears during Thursday´s COVID-19 briefing.
“We deeply care about addressing your anxiety and just know we’re not ending the season. We just want to delay it a little bit,” he said.
Newsom said the state has been “inundated by people that are concerned we canceled the fishing season. That is not the case.”
The governor called the fishing in the eastern Sierra some of the best in the world, and said he understood the concerns of both anglers and also health officers.
Only the commission can postpone a season. Giving the director the same ability on a temporary basis would allow the state to act more swiftly.
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