OUTDOOR NOTES / RICH ROBERTS : Possible Shake-Up Stirs Controversy

A confidential internal memo detailing a proposed massive shake-up of top-level personnel in the California Department of Fish and Game has upset employees throughout the state.

The memo was sent June 8 to new Director Boyd Gibbons by Karyn Meyreles, the deputy director for administration. It was obtained by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Assn., which represents commercial fishermen, and reprinted in the organization’s newsletter, which called it “a major purge” and “the worst nightmare ever for (the people) in California’s commercial fishery, as well as for sport fishermen, wildlife enthusiasts, family farmers and the environment.”

The proposed changes, the PCFFA concludes, “appear to indicate a new department direction away from protecting fish and wildlife . . . to accommodating agribusiness, water diversion, logging and land development.”

The newsletter criticized the proposed appointment as DFG general counsel of Al Jahns, a lawyer who opposed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the controversial Kesterson Wildlife Refuge-to-toxic dump case in the Central Valley.

Other changes proposed would transfer Terry Mansfield, highly regarded state wildlife manager, out of the Sacramento headquarters to manager of Region 2, the local mid-California area, and move DeWayne Johnston, as chief of wildlife protection the DFG’s boss game warden, to manager of Region 4, the Fresno area. Several others would be demoted, with cuts in pay.

The PCFFA, which is headed by Zeke Grader, said: “Many of the planned moves and demotions could act to further diminish morale in an already demoralized department.”

Gibbons has been putting out fires since the memo leaked. “I called all the staff together and explained it to them,” he said. “This was an internal memo that laid out some options. I’ve made no decisions yet on anybody.

“Anybody who takes over a department looks at the talent and how you can make things better. It’s unfortunate that Mr. Grader had to publish it, because of the anguish it caused.”

Meanwhile, Gov. Pete Wilson has appointed John H. Sullivan, a lawyer from Carmichael, as Gibbons’ chief deputy, at $86,880 as year. Sullivan’s resume may allay some of the PCFFA’s fears. He is a fly fisherman and a member of the Nature Conservancy.

Briefly

BASS--American Bass Assn. officials say a fish weighing 17.87 pounds is the largest caught in any bass tournament. Tom Kohler of Ontario, fishing with teammate Gary Southern of Glendora, caught the 28-inch fish in the ABA’s North Region tournament June 20 at Castaic Lake, where experts say the fish destined to break the 60-year-old world record of 22 pounds 4 ounces, is swimming around. It was the only fish Kohler caught but enough by itself to win the tournament’s top prize of $2,465. Southern caught only a bare keeper of 1 1/2 pounds.

MEXICO FISHING--Cabo San Lucas: Father-son Mike and Steve Walker of Yorba Linda teamed up in a three-hour battle to take the biggest catch of the week--a 550-pound blue marlin, aboard the Tortuga 5. Mike Connolly, Spring Valley, had a 444-pound blue. Yellowfin tuna returned, running with porpoises. Dorado and wahoo slow. . . . Ramona Cowdell of Little Rock, Ark. took a 136-pound wahoo aboard the Release Me. It was within four pounds of the world record for 50-pound test line, and would have been submitted as a women’s all-tackle world record if a deckhand hadn’t helped her.

San Jose Del Cabo: Marlin fishing good, using tuna for bait. Kent Thidee, Los Angeles, took a 463-pound black that way. East Cape: Largest catches were 640- and 475-pound blues--anglers’ names not available. In four days on El Loco out of Palmas de Cortez, Harvey Barish of Cypress caught three striped marlin up to 160, six dorado, two tuna, one wahoo and two sailfish. In two days at Punta Colorada, Kevin Thompson, Moreno Valley, caught three blues, two stripers and two tuna. Roosterfish also moving.

Loreto: Ted Butland of Butland Developments in Reseda took seven employees fishing. In one morning from two pangas, four of them caught 13 fish, including sailfish, dorado, roosterfish, yellowtail, grouper, sea bass and red bass. San Felipe: Three boats taking mostly yellowtail, cabrilla and pargo, in that order. San Diego long range: Twenty-six passengers on the American Angler, on a six-day trip to San Benito, caught 210 yellowtail to 37 pounds (released 60) and 390 calico bass.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA--Roger Thomas reports strong king salmon runs for all boats outside the Golden Gate. The fish are averaging up to 18 pounds.

INSTRUCTION--”Seminars in Light Tackle Game Fishing Techniques” starts next Monday for three successive Monday nights, 7-9:30 p.m., at Rio Hondo College. Details: (213) 692-0921. . . . A six-week, Wednesday night series of fly fishing courses is offered by the East Fork Fly Fishing store in Irvine starting July 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Reservations (required): (714) 476-0792.

BEARS--Arizona Game and Fish officials have suspended a search-and-destroy operation for a 150-pound black bear that mauled two Boy Scouts who were on a camp-out in the Chiricahua Mountains near the New Mexico border. They assume the bear is gone. Attacks on humans by black bears are rare, unless the bears are provoked. Brandon Haymore, 13, and Tait Holbrook, 12, both of Tucson, were asleep in their sleeping bags but not in a tent, as dictated by Scout policy, when the bear came sniffing around. Haymore was treated for a 10-inch gash on the back of his head and numerous puncture wounds from bites on the back of his head and on his hands and arms. Holbrook was less seriously injured.