News Story - Game Wardens NO More -
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Published on: 11/2/2003
Last Visited: 9/5/2004
Fish and Game Capt. Dennis DeAnda said he and others are trying to "do the best we can," but he concedes the staff reductions are hard to paper over.
"It is going to be very, very difficult for us to maintain any level of visibility," DeAnda said.
And reduced visibility leads to increases in illegal fishing, hunting and dumping.
"They don't see you.There is not a concern you are going to be there," DeAnda said.
DeAnda recalls a family camping trip a couple of years ago at a Tahoe-area campground when the attendant told him they could fish out of season because "there are no game wardens in South Lake Tahoe."
There still isn't a full-time warden working from Lake Tahoe, DeAnda said.
With the number of wardens at his disposal dwindling, DeAnda said he can't justify stationing one there.
He's down to 15 wardens to cover Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Alpine, San Joaquin and portions of Solano and Contra Costa counties.When he took over in 2002, he had 20 wardens at his command.
Beyond being short-handed, tight budgeting makes keeping wardens in the field difficult.
The Schwarzenegger administration's recently requested budget reductions have DeAnda worried that he'll run out of gas money in June. He may have to send out two wardens per vehicle to get by.
Overtime restrictions also present a problem.
In late March, DeAnda had three successive calls about turkey
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There is not a concern you are going to be : there," DeAnda said. : DeAnda recalls a family camping trip a couple of years ago at a : Tahoe-area campground when the attendant told him they could fish : out of season because "there are no game wardens in South Lake : Tahoe.": There still isn't a full-time warden working from Lake Tahoe, DeAnda : said. : With the number of wardens at his disposal dwindling, DeAnda said he : can't justify stationing one there. : He's down to 15 wardens to cover Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado, : Amador, Calaveras, Alpine, San Joaquin and portions of Solano and : Contra Costa counties.When he took over in 2002, he had 20 wardens : at his command. : Beyond being short-handed, tight budgeting makes keeping wardens in : the field difficult. : The Schwarzenegger administration's recently requested budget : reductions have DeAnda worried that he'll run out of gas money in : June.
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