Businesses sue California over salmon

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Timber, cattle and other business interests are suing California over the state's protections for coho salmon, a legal fight that could determine how river ecosystems are managed across much of northern California.

The lawsuit alleges the California Fish and Game Commission did not have sufficient data on coho populations before enacting the protections and that the rules unnecessarily duplicate federal law.

The commission added coho salmon from San Francisco to Punta Gorda in Humboldt County to the state's "endangered" list last August. Coho from Punta Gorda to the Oregon border were listed as "threatened."

Commission spokesmen had no immediate comment Wednesday.

In filing the lawsuit late Tuesday, the California Chamber of Commerce joined a coalition of groups representing ranchers, farmers, timber interests and other forest landowners.

The California Forestry Association estimated that the regulations likely to accompany the state listing would cost timber forest land managers more than $30 million a year.