Salmon Supporters, we need to rally. On April 1st an event will take place that may be your best chance ever to fish for salmon again. Several congressional and state political leaders will assemble in San Francisco to attend the first ever California "Salmon Summit". The event will focus on the devastating cost of the recent salmon fishing closures that are impacting fishermen, fishing businesses restaurants and hundreds of communities along the coast and in the valley. Congressmen George Miller and Mike Thompson will lead the program.

This is the best opportunity in years for salmon fishermen and other supporters to join in a unified statement that we support salmon, salmon fishing and the water and habitat needs that will allow the stocks to rebuild. This is our opportunity to demonstrate that salmon have a huge constituency in California and that we are not going to stand by while others take the water salmon need for their own profits. To do this, we need a large crowd of vocal supporters with signs and banners and willing to speak up for what they believe in.

Make your plans now. The event will take place on Thursday April 1st at Fort Mason in San Francisco from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Following the program, some of the top seafood restaurants in the Bay Area will host a free seafood reception for everyone attending. The Fort Mason Conference Center is located at the intersection of Buchanan Street and Marina Blvd. West of Fishermen's Wharf. Free parking is available in the area or you can pay the Fort Mason.

We want to prevent another catastrophic salmon fishing closure like the last two years. We want robust salmon stocks that will support full sport and commercial salmon seasons. Salmon-dependent communities, jobs and families are at stake in the tug of war for California water, along with our priceless fishing heritage.

Show up and make a statement. Show our leaders that salmon are important in both California and Oregon and deserve a fair share of California water. Let's stop the water grab.

Please let us know if you can participate so we can plan. Log into www.Water4Fish.org/salmonsummit and fill out the card. You can indicate if you wish to speak in the public session. You can also sign up at the door if you wish.

Event Sponsors: Coastside Fishing Club, CSPA, Earthjustice, Golden Gate Fishermen's Assn. NorCal Federation of Fly Fishers, Northern California Guides Association, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, PCFFA, SalmonAid, Salmon Water Now, Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fishermen's Association, The Fish Sniffer, USAfishing.com, Water4Fish, Monterey Fish Market, The Fish Restaurant, Scoma's, Hayes Street Grill, Foreign Cinema Restaurant.