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A petition lobbying for more funding for fish hatcheries turned contentious between Del Norte County Supervisor Chris Howard and one of his constituents Tuesday.

Branden Bieber, a frequent public commenter, balked at the idea of spending $100 million on salmon restoration. Standing at the podium in the Flynn Center, the Smith River resident implied that the Golden State Salmon Association — the advocacy group behind the petition — was responsible for closing the salmon season for the second year in a row and demanded to know what Howard’s connection with the organization was.

“I’m not sure where you have your meetings, Mr. Howard, for the Golden State Salmon Association. Redding? Sacramento?” Bieber said. “I know you guys put on good dinners and probably have good raffle prizes. But what are they doing? Shutting down our salmon fishery.”

Before he and his colleagues approved signing the petition minus Board Chairman Dean Wilson, who was absent, Howard sought to “circle back on the ineptness of some people in the audience” and provide context to the issue.

According to Howard, fish hatcheries have “been unfunded for quite some period of time” with many states including California choosing to leave it to outside groups to operate them. Howard referred to the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, which operates the Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery.

With Bieber attempting to talk over Howard from the audience, the District 3 Supervisor continued. Howard pointed out that the Klamath River dams are in the process of being dismantled and he and his colleagues support of the Golden State Salmon Association’s petition seeking to rebuild the river’s salmon stocks.

“I am unfamiliar with this organization and have never attended an event by them,” Howard said as Bieber continued to talk away from the podium. “But I am willing to support movements that help put money into this infrastructure.”

The GSSA lobbies lawmakers and policymakers at the state and federal level for legislation that supports habitat conservation and restoration and the productivity of fish hatcheries.

According to the petition attached to the Board of Supervisors’ Tuesday agenda, the organization is urging California lawmakers to invest at least $100 million in hatchery infrastructure.

The GSSA’s petition refers to the 2023 closure of the commercial and recreational salmon season in California and much of coastal Oregon because of “crashing Central Valley and Klamath fish populations.”

The petition also mentions the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s decision in April to close the 2024 California salmon season due to the low estimated 2024 population of adult Central Valley salmon in the ocean.

Earlier this month, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to close in-river salmon sport fishing in the Klamath River basin and Central Valley.

The GSSA petition mentions a comprehensive assessment of the need to upgrade fish hatcheries in California, which is expected to be finished in 2025. It also refers to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Salmon Strategy.

“The Governor’s Salmon Strategy also calls for increases in fall-run chinook salmon hatchery production, improved juvenile release practices, new, upgraded and expanded hatcheries and implementation of genetic methods to monitor success,” the petition states. “Implementing these ambitious recommendations will require significant state bond funds.”

Though the microphone at the Flynn Center didn’t catch his comments, Bieber continued to talk over Howard, prompting Board Vice Chair Joey Borges to say “that’s enough.”

Howard continued to address Bieber.

“And that’s why people don’t pay any attention to you, Branden,” he said.

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