Happy Camp, CA–..The New 49ers’ petition to Fish and Game comes in retribution to the Tribe’s recent effort to restrict suction dredge mining in areas that serve as critical habitat for ESA listed coho and other fish listed as ‘species of special concern’ under the California ESA. This includes Pacific lamprey and green sturgeon.

Sacramento, CA – The Karuk Tribe, California Trout, and Friends of the North Fork have formally petitioned California Fish and Game to restrict the controversial gold mining technique known as suction dredge mining.

Sacramento, CA – Last month, the Karuk Tribe, California Trout, and Friends of the North Fork formally petitioned California Fish and Game to restrict the controversial gold mining technique known as suction dredge mining.
... However, today the agency decided to not act on the petition, allowing the fish killing hobby to continue unabated..

Oakland, CA – Today taxpayers filed suit against California Fish and Game for using taxpayer dollars to fund an illegal recreational gold mining program in Alameda County Superior Court..

Recent studies by the Delta Tributary Mercury Council indicate that runoff and erosion from gold mines in the Sierra are a significant source of mercury to the Sacramento Delta..

Mercury losses and recovery during a suction dredge test in the south fork of the American river..

Suction dredging for gold in river channels is a small-scale mining practice whereby streambed material is sucked up a pipe, passed over a sluice box to sort out the gold, and discarded as tail- ings over another area of bed. Natural resource managers should be concerned about suction dredging because it is common in streams in western North America that contain populations of sensitive aquatic species..

"I have been asked to provide my expert opinion on the potential effects of suction dredging on fishes of the Klamath River and tributaries, on behalf of the plaintiffs in Karuk Tribe vs California Department of Fish and Game.."

The Karuk Tribe of California, California Trout (aka “CalTrout”), the Friends of the North Fork, and the Sierra Fund (collectively “Petitioners”) hereby petition the Department of Fish and Game (“Department”) to add to the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sections 228.6 and 228.7, as provided herein..