In an ominous sign for the environment, state officials this week closed down herring fishing in San Francisco Bay because numbers had fallen so far. Many seabirds depend on herring and herring roe for survival. While this move by the State Fish and Game Commission will give this population a chance to rebuilt, it also signals just how far this incredibly valuable food resource has fallen. And this decline could signal danger for the seabirds that depend on herring for successful breeding.