For the sake of accuracy,  I think it should be mentioned that some of the "tiny fish" protected in the California included coho salmon and steelhead.

Diversions and runoff from farmers in the central valley were negatively impacting streams and fisheries.  The government enforced regulations to protect those streams and fisheries.  As an angler and user of public stream resources, I'm not sure what is upsetting about this.

Apparently "fishy" type creatures have more rights than people do.
For me it's not a question of whether fish have rights, but whether private entities have the right to trash public resources.  As an angler, I don't think they do.