Drought could impact salmon fishing opener

Moss Landing will be a hot spot this weekend withanglers and fisherman testing the waters and catching salmon for this weekend’s recreational opener.

“If the weather stays half way decent we do expect it to be busy,” said Steve Scheiblauer, City of Monterey Harbor Master.

But so far the forecast is not looking so good and California’s ongoing drought may be to blame.

“You know salmon are on a three year life cycle,” said Scheiblauer. “The drought very much affects the salmons spawning habits. “It’s just been very tough on the salmon not having a lot of water or the water being too warm in the river and creek systems.”

While they’re cruising the waters for salmon that may be hard to find, fishermen are being asked to do so at 5 miles per hour, a slower pace so they don’t strike animals while speeding in and around the Moss Landing Harbor and Elkhorn Slough.

“Going down an extra five minutes, the fish are still going to be there waiting,” said Angela Hains, public relations manager for the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

According to reports about 40 sea otters have died from boat strikes in California in the last decade, many of the incidents have been between Moss Landing and Santa Cruz waters.

“We’ve had anglers that have accidently hit some of the sea otters, some of the wounds have been fatal,” said Hains. “Others have been wounds and we’ve been able to help those otters and get them back out into the wild.”

Experts also say a slower pace will also help boaters avoid disrupting the sleep of sea otters.

They need their sleep so they have enough energy to hunt for food.

“If in any way shape or form boaters or kayakers are changing a sea otters behavior, then you know your too close,” said Hains.

ORIGINAL STORY: The 2016 recreational salmon season opens on Saturday, April 2. As anglers prepare, the Monterey Bay Aquarium wants to remind those anglers to be careful of sea otters.

The concern — accidental deaths caused by speeding boats.

Wildlife organizations, including the Aquarium, Moss Landing Harbor District, and Friends of the Sea Otter, are urging boaters to slow down for otters and other marine mammals and birds.

KION’s Maya Holmes will have more on this story Tuesday evening.