In California’s water wars, fishermen and farmers have long been enemies. But now that federal and state regulators have closed the salmon commercial fishing season for an unprecedented third year in a row to protect declining populations, at least one major commercial fishing group is shifting its alliances. The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations teamed up with farmers for a first-ever joint Washington, D.C., lobbying trip in early May. They met with members of Congress and federal officials to ask for more money for salmon hatcheries, which breed, raise and release young fish. … For the Fishermen’s Associations, which have sued for decades to keep water in California’s rivers for fish instead of being diverted to farmers, the trip is part of a larger pivot amid growing desperation as high temperatures and low water levels kill their business.

Other fishery news:

• Western Outdoor News: The combination of spectacular weather and hungry salmon create ‘epic’ ocean salmon opener
• San Joaquin River Restoration Program: News release: Record-Breaker! Salmon return in droves for 2025
• California WaterBlog: Are spring-fed rivers key to long-term persistence of salmon and trout in California?
• Outdoor Life: Fish kill at California fish hatchery will impact stockings for years
• The Aspen Times (Colo.): How angling closures help Colorado’s stressed fish populations