42-Year-Old Salmon Rearing Program Forced To Close Doors At Romberg Center For Environmental Studies Effective July 1

TIBURON, Calif., June 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tiburon Salmon Institute (TSI) announced today San Francisco State University's Romberg Center for Environmental Studies (RTC) run by Director Karina Nielsen has ordered the 42-year-old salmon education program and rearing project to be closed and removed from the property by July 1, 2015.

In a letter sent to the Tiburon Salmon Institute, San Francisco State University (SFSU) said, "We have since reviewed TSI's history on the RTC property and determined it is not in the best interest of the Owner of the RTC (i.e. the Board of Trustees of the California State University) to allow further use by TSI."

Brooke P. Halsey, Project Manager and Executive Director of the Tiburon Salmon Institute says he's baffled by the cease-and-desist order, as TSI helps to advance the mission of RTC, a multi-institutional center for marine and coastal research, education and public outreach; and has safely operated at RTC for over 40 years.

"What the director of RTC wants is what we want, i.e. a documented rather than a verbal agreement between TSI and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for partial use of a warehouse at RTC for TSI's office, a few aquariums, educational supplies and some equipment, which with RTC's support we can obtain," responded Halsey. "Although we are fully permitted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife under informal agreements to help in the conservation of salmon, these agreements cannot be formalized until SFSU provides us with a lease for our salmon rearing pens. It's a 'chicken-or-the-egg' situation."

"Because a clear reason for termination of TSI at RTC has not been provided, we suspect the expulsion might have something to do with the listing of RTC with the commercial real estate agency Cassidy Turley. Since January 2015, RTC has been seeking partners to develop and lease the 36-acre land; perhaps they're cleaning house for office buildings," added Halsey.

Best known for its annual KISS AND RELEASE Salmon Event at Blackie's Pasture in Tiburon, TSI teaches San Francisco/Bay Area children and students how to protect and save the Pacific salmon fishery. For the last 11 years, hundreds of students in San Francisco and Marin have raised fish eggs in the classroom, learning about the salmon habitat and life cycle, then released the salmon at local lakes. In May, high school students of the United Anglers of Casa Grande from Petaluma, CA meet over 1,000 younger students and children in Tiburon to release an additional 2,000 salmon fingerlings into the San Francisco Bay. It's commonly known that it's salmon release time in Southern Marin when wooden salmon signs appear along roads in Mill Valley, Tiburon and elsewhere.

TSI also raises and releases salmon fingerlings at its rearing pens at RTC on behalf of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Since its start over 42 years ago the salmon rearing pens at RTC have been responsible for the release of more than one million salmon back into the local fishery.  In 2011 on two occasions, vandals destroyed the rearing pen nets, prematurely releasing young salmon into the Bay; although investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other local law enforcement the vandals were never caught.

Regulating agencies such as the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission have allowed the project to go forward realizing that the project is older than the agency and provides a vital role in connecting youth to the Bay environment. "All we need to continue is SFSU's support, which we are not receiving and do not know why," added Halsey.

Located on the Tiburon Peninsula, RTC also houses SFSU's art studio and ceramic facilities, a private bioscience company recently acquired by DuPont USA, and storage for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.   

TSI counts among its accomplishments to date and many supporters and partners:

• An 11-year elementary school salmon education and rearing program which culminates in a free annual event known as the SALMON KISS AND RELEASE at Blackie's Pasture in Tiburon.  Over 2,000 students have participated in the classroom and 10,000 people have attended the community event. Most residents know the program from the temporary appearance of red and green wooden salmon signs along local roads. To date, 20,000 salmon fingerlings have been released at the annual event.
• The protection, rearing and release of over a million salmon fingerlings on behalf of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for 42 years at its rearing pens at RTC. 
• Salmon "Sampling" trips that show students how a balanced eco-system leads to a balanced harvest
• An internship program for middle and high school students interested in marine biology and restoration, and the availability of community service hours for many middle and high school students
• Participation in annual California Coastal Cleanup Days
• U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman
• Town of Tiburon Mayor Frank Doyle
• Dr. John McCosker, Chair of Aquatic Biology at the California Academy of Sciences
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife
• United Anglers of Casa Grande
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
• California Academy of Science

If you'd like to see TSI remain at RTC, please write or email the President of San Francisco State University Leslie Wong and request that a lease be provided to TSI in order to retain its fish rearing program and office at RTC – [email protected], or write SFSU – 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA 94132, or call (415) 338-1111.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150608/221421

SOURCE Tiburon Salmon Institute

Related Links

http://tiburonsalmoninstitute.org