State officials are being urged to close fishing seasons on the American River in the Sacramento area to protect steelhead and salmon from fishing pressure as the river declines amid drought conditions.

The Sierra Salmon Alliance on Wednesday urged the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to close the fishery on the river. Tyrone Gorre, co-founder of the group, said he is concerned that as the river shrinks, steelhead migrating upstream to spawn will be unable to avoid the many anglers trying to hook them.

In addition, he fears fish eggs already in the river, spawned by fall-run Chinook salmon, will be trampled and killed by anglers walking in the river.

“There’s so much extreme pressure on the river that there’s no place for the fish to hide,” said Gorre, also a professional fishing guide on the river for 30 years. “We need to have swift and immediate action to accommodate those fish. It’s just a really critical situation.”

Salmon season has ended, but steelhead fishing is normally allowed year-round.

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