Really enjoyed reading the responses to this post. A testament to the caliber of people who read and contribute here.

Mike F has a great point that being an environmentalist does not equate to being anti-fishing. The two could, and should go hand in hand. What is ironic is that the Center for Biological Diversity claims on their webiste that, "Substantial proportions of our staffs, boards and memberships are avid anglers and/or hunters" and that, "well-managed fishing and hunting programs are compatible with the conservation of imperiled wildlife".

I can only hope that the avid anglers who support the Center for Biological Diversity understand what they are doing. The Center's entire premise revolves around this idea that just one more year of trout stocks could be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back for the 25 species they've identified as being affected by trout stocking. What they are not considering is that one year without trout at places like Coyote lake will turn loose a population of predators that has grown in numbers far beyond what the ecosystem would support without trout.

To my view, that one year without the trout could be far worse than the one year with. I know this because Nico and I have walked the shores of Coyote lake day and night, through the seasons. We've watched the cormarants push down the lake in November devouring everything they can grab. Watched the ospreys snatching trout and the blue herons wrestling them to shore. Caught the bass with distended stomachs that are plugged with fresh stocked rainbows.

We've also seen the California Newts at night in early spring by the tens of thousands. We've seen the overabundance of deer, and Nico has heard the mountain lions. Frogs you ask? Nico has seen the frogs too in spring. Hundreds and thousands of them. We're not sure of the species, but they are there in great numbers. This year I will be sure to look at them more carefully. The Coyote lake ecosystem is not broken, it is thriving!

So for some kids to sit in a classroom and theorize a means to biological diversity is great. But to use the legal system to make real changes to the environment without understanding what is being done is dangerous and foolhardy. The reality is that before the trout stocks are stopped, an EIR should be done to see what the impact of that change will be. Think about it.