The California Department of Fish and Game has completed a record-breaking year by placing 20.2 million young salmon in acclimation pens for release.

The number released is the most ever by any state agency on the West Coast for a single stock of salmon in one year. The young salmon were released this spring into San Pablo Bay and are expected to return to the Sacramento River system in two to four years.

“Ramping up the effort to raise, transport and acclimate 20.2 million smolts was an all-hands effort involving three major hatcheries and acclimation pens operated by the Fishery Foundation of California,” said Neil Manji, DFG Fisheries Branch Chief. “We put in nearly twice the normal amount of smolts into the acclimation pens with the goal of increasing both their survival and the return of adult salmon.”

On June 17, the last tanker load of 250,000 tiny fall run central valley Chinook salmon — called smolts — were released into the Foundation’s acclimation pens in San Pablo Bay and towed out into the bay and released in the out-going tide.

DFG’s increased effort is in response to the collapse of the fall run of central valley Chinook salmon stocks. The collapse resulted in the unprecedented closure of all commercial and recreational ocean salmon seasons and the closure of most river salmon seasons.

The only salmon fishing available in California during 2008 will be on the Klamath River and a very limited season on the Sacramento River. From Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, the Sacramento River will be open for salmon fishing only between Knight’s Landing and the Red Bluff diversion dam.

The Klamath River is expected to have a normal season for fall Chinook salmon. There may be other limited exceptions.

Biologist Kari Burr, a project manager for The Fishery Foundation of California, said, “An exceptional coordination effort combined with improved net pen design enabled us to successfully receive 100 percent of the fish in acclimation pens this season. We hope for excellent survival rates this year.”

The acclimation pens provide safe haven for the 3- to 5-inch long salmon when they are flushed out of the tanker trucks into the bay waters. The salmon will adjust to their new surroundings inside the safety of the net pens as they are towed out into the bay for final release.

The acclimation net penning is paid for out of the Bay Delta Sports Fishing Enhancement Stamp purchased by sports anglers fishing Bay-Delta waters.

The acclimation is done by The Fishery Foundation of California at a cost of $98,000 this year.

A new net pen was donated by Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Marketing Association and modified by the Fishery Foundation.

The salmon smolts were raised in hatcheries managed by DFG on major rivers in the central valley of California. The hatcheries were constructed to replace the loss of salmon due to dams.

Key hatcheries rearing the salmon smolts were the Nimbus Salmon Hatchery on the American River, the Mokelumne River Hatchery and the Feather River Hatchery.

“Rearing and moving fish is expensive and intensive,” said Bob Burks, Nimbus Salmon Hatchery manager in Rancho Cordova. “Gas costs alone nearly doubled. We rent tanker trucks at $500 a week and filling those big gas tanks cost over $500 each. It costs $1,250 a week just for pallets of ice to cool the waters inside the transport tanks when the fish are transported from Nimbus.”

The careful planning and coordination between the hatcheries, The Fishery Foundation of California and the utilization of two release sites combined to make this year’s releases successful. In previous years only one site was used for release of 8 to 12 million smolts.

The addition of a second site made additional releases possible on different tides and decreased potential losses to predatory fish and birds.

Relay For Life Napa

The Napa Relay For Life event will be held this Saturday, July 26 at the Napa Valley College track. This year’s event is dedicated to the memory of George Carl and his courageous battle with leukemia.

Relay For Life is an overnight event that brings our community together to help support the American Cancer Society and its lifesaving mission to eliminate cancer. The Society works to prevent cancer and save lives by supporting groundbreaking research, affecting public policies that protect us from cancer, and educating people on how to prevent or detect cancer early.

It’s a true inspiration to walk the track beside a cancer survivor wearing the distinctive purple T-shirt. As daylight dims, the night is brightened by the glow of lighted bags called “luminaria,” each of which has a special meaning.

Some luminaria celebrate the survivorship of people who have battled cancer and lived to tell the tale. Others commemorate the lives of those who have been lost to the disease. All represent a person who has been profoundly affected by cancer, and the family and friends who continue to be touched by that experience.

The event begins at 9 a.m. Saturday and runs through 9 a.m. Sunday.

All are welcome to come out to the college and show your support. For more information or to make a donation, visit the event’s Web site: www.relayforlife.org.

Skyline Park Correction

A correction to last week’s column — the daily admission to Skyline Park is $5 per automobile, not $4 as previously reported.

There is also an additional fee of $1 per bicycle or horse.

Guy Carl is a CPA and partner with BDCo Accountants and Advisors in St. Helena (www.bdco

cpa.com). Contact Guy at GC.outdoors@sbcglobal.net.