SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – The San Francisco Bay became host to 200,000 new guests on Sunday – baby salmon.
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The slew of little fish was transferred to the bay from the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, to save them from the worsening drought in the area.
"Baby salmon are lousy swimmers," John McManus, President of the Golden State Salmon Association told KCBS Radio on Monday. "They typically don't swim down out of the central valley and out to the ocean. They've evolved to hitch a ride on snowmelt in the springs but these days when we dammed every single river in the sierras we might not get snowmelt making its way all the way to the ocean."
Along with the San Francisco Bay, some of the fish were also released into the San Pablo Bay, facilitated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Golden State Salmon Association.
The move is part of the department's goal to help the salmon survive their migration cycle to the ocean.
In the past, fish were released around Vallejo, but this year Richmond was determined to be the best spot to release the baby fish because it's closer to the ocean, giving the salmon a better chance at survival.
The little 5-inch babies were released at 9 p.m., when the tide was receding and the sky was dark enough that nearby birds wouldn’t spot them, the paper reported.
This way, the fish will have a much easier time reaching the ocean than they would in the low water levels caused by recent drought.
Kids from the Richmond Police Athletic League, a local nonprofit, were able to observe the release in a chartered boat, the Salty Lady, nearby.
All have been tagged to monitor their journeys.
"And we think that in a couple of years when these fish return as adults, there will be more of them to supply the fishery," said McManus.
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