California secretary outlines five‑part salmon strategy and early wins

Secretary Wade Crowfoot opened the forum's State of the Fishery section by framing the salmon strategy around five priorities: remove barriers, restore habitat, protect and restore flows, modernize hatcheries and deploy technology and innovative management. He said the state has set measurable actions and is holding agencies accountable for delivery.

"When there is a challenge, he shows up," Chair McGuire said in introducing Crowfoot. The secretary told the committee that California's investments include more than $24 million by the Department of Fish and Wildlife in habitat restoration to complement dam removals. He pointed to the Klamath removals as an example of what coordinated action can deliver and noted early signs of fish returning to newly accessible habitat.

Crowfoot also warned of mounting pressures: warming oceans, catastrophic wildfires that degrade watersheds, and federal regulatory changes that could undercut protections. He said the state is assessing how to backstop federal rollbacks and invited continued legislative engagement to protect flows and habitats. The committee followed with questions about coordination with the Bureau of Reclamation and the state water board’s role on Sacramento River flows.