The weeklong trial began Monday in Sacramento. Fishermen blame the dams for declining salmon returns.

Meantime, some fishermen also say proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act could hurt their livelihood. Dave Bitts – a commercial salmon troller in Eureka – is urging the Bush Administration to keep protections in place.  

"And our motivation for that is real practical – I’d like to have a market for my boat when I’m not able to use it anymore. I’d like to be able to sell it to somebody that has the expectation that he too or she too can make a living with that boat and if the runs go to hell that’s not going to happen."

The US Interior Department is holding a series of public “listening sessions” to get feedback on the Endangered Species Act.

Federal fisheries managers practically shut down commercial salmon fishing this summer because of 3-straight years of low returns of wild chinook to the Klamath.