Fish News 11/09/99

A Coho

The following weekly news summary was compiled by the Congressional Research Service from a variety of information sources. New info and changes since 10/29/99 are bracketed {...} New info and changes since 11/4/99 are double-bracketed {{...}}

Cleve Steward Sustainable Fisheries Foundation Tel. 425-670-3584

SALMON ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST
AQUACULTURE AND AQUARIA
FRESHWATER FISHERIES

SALMON ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST

{{Dam Breaching Economics.

On Nov. 3, 1999, Trout Unlimited and the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund released a report completed by ECONorthwest (Eugene, OR) analyzing preliminary data gathered by the Army Corps of Engineers and concluding that the economic benefits of breaching 4 lower Snake River dams would exceed the costs to the region. The study http://www.tu.org/library/conservation.html ] asserts that the Corps of Engineers overestimated the negative effects of dam breaching and underestimated the positive effects.}} [Portland Oregonian, Seattle Post- Intelligencer]

{{Tern Predation on Salmon.

On Nov. 2, 1999, a team of researchers presented the Northwest Power Planning Council (NPPC) with a plan to reduce tern predation on seaward-migrating juvenile Columbia River salmon by 25%. The NPPC would like to see predation reduced by 67% to 75%. Part of the effort would involve harassing birds to cause them to leave Rice Island and relocate closer to the Pacific Ocean. The NPPC did not take action on the plan.}} [Spokane Spokesman-Review]

{WA Salmon Initiative.

On Nov. 2, 1999, WA voters defeated Initiative 696 by a 58% to 42% margin, with the majority rejecting the Initiative in 34 of the state's 39 counties. This initiative would have banned 18 types of commercial fishing gear from WA state waters.} [Assoc Press, Seattle Times]

{Alternative Irrigation Proposal.

On Nov. 1, 1999, American Rivers proposed an alternative irrigation system to provide water for eastern WA farmers if the 4 lower Snake River dams were breached. They propose such a system be constructed at federal expense.} [American Rivers press release]

Salmon and Climate Change Workshop.

On Oct. 27, 1999, the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council held a workshop in Vancouver, BC, on salmon and climate change. At this workshop, a Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans scientist reported that global warming over the next 50 years is likely to force salmon northward, leading to the possible abandonment of BC and Gulf of AK spawning drainages. [Assoc Press]

North Pacific Anadromous Fisheries Commission.

On Oct. 20, 1999, President Clinton announced his intent to appoint Fran Ulmer, Lieutenant Governor of AK, as a member of the North Pacific Anadromous Fisheries Commission. On Oct. 25-29, 1999, the annual NPAFC meeting is scheduled to convene in Juneau, AK. [White House press release, personal communication]

Recovery Science Review Panel.

On Oct. 19, 1999, NMFS published aFederal Register notice of its search for 3-5 highly qualified experts to serve on a Recovery Science Review Panel to guide the agency in the recovery planning process for the 26 ESA-listed Pacific salmon and steelhead trout populations. NMFS is also seeking 6-9 nominees for each of 2 technical review teams for salmon in Puget Sound and the Willamette/lower Columbia River basins. [NOAA press release, Fed. Register, Assoc Press]

Trinity River Draft EIS.

On Oct. 19, 1999, the Bureau of Reclamation published notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of a draft environmental impact statement [http://164.159.17.69/treis/default.htm ] on Trinity River mainstem fishery restoration. Under the preferred alternative in this plan, water flow for salmon in the Trinity and Klamath Rivers would be nearly doubled by reducing the amount of water diverted into the Sacramento River. A series of 3 public hearings is scheduled in northern CA, with public comment due by Dec. 8, 1999. [Federal Register, Sacramento Bee, Dept. of the Interior press release]

Pacific Salmon Treaty.

During conference committee deliberations on H.R. 2670 (Commerce, State, Justice FY2000 appropriations) on Oct. 18, 1999, conferees agreed to appropriate $50 million for Pacific salmon restoration programs ($7 million for OR, $18 million for WA, $14 million for AK, $7 million for CA, and $4 million for Tribes) and $10 million to capitalize the 2 Endowment Funds created by the June 1999 agreement between Canada and the United States.

On Oct. 26, 1999, President Clinton vetoed H.R. 2670.

On Oct. 28, 1999, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the Pacific Salmon Treaty. [Portland Oregonian, personal communication]

ESA and AK Salmon.

During conference committee deliberations on H.R. 2670 (Commerce, State, Justice FY2000 appropriations) on Oct. 18, 1999, an amendment was included in Section 623(b) mandating that the incidental take of salmon in Alaska would not be regulated under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, and that AK salmon fisheries would be regulated according to the management regimes of the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty agreement.

On Oct. 26, 1999, President Clinton vetoed H.R. 2670. [Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund press release, Seattle Times, House Report 106-398]

San Joaquin River Restoration Agreement.

In mid-October 1999, farmers and environmentalists concluded an agreement in U.S. District Court to cooperate on developing a long-term restoration plan for the San Joaquin River, CA, to benefit salmon threatened by the operation of Friant Dam. [Assoc Press]

CA Water Bond.

On Oct. 7, 1999, CA Governor Gray Davis approved a $1.97 billion water bond that would provide #25 million for salmon protection in coastal watersheds. [Assoc Press]

Salmon Management Evaluation.

On Oct. 6, 1999, American Rivers released two reports: 1) a salmon migration report card, concluding that federal dam managers failed to meet salmon recovery goals for water quality and water temperature in the Snake and Columbia Rivers established in NMFS's Biological Opinions ( http://www.amrivers.org/snakereportcard99.html ). On the Snake River, spring water quantity targets were not met on 34 days, while summer targets were not met on 47 days; and 2) a report on Snake River dam removal and barge navigation http://www.amrivers.org/snakedam-press.html ) discussing the affordability of alternative transportation methods. [American Rivers press release, personal communication]

Utility Collections for Salmon.

In October 1999, Salem Electric Cooperative (OR) will become the first Northwest utility to offer customers the opportunity to make a voluntary donation for salmon habitat restoration when they pay their utility bill. Money collected will be matched by the OR Watershed Enhancement Board and deposited to a Pacific Salmon Watershed Fund to benefit spawning habitat improvement in local Salem watersheds. [Portland Oregonian]

BC Salmon Management.

On Oct. 1, 1999, officials of Canada's Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans reported that reductions in funding of BC salmon hatcheries would result in reductions of juvenile releases over the next few years of about 5% for coho salmon and 8% for chinook salmon. Officials stated that releases would not be imposed where conservation is a concern.

On Oct. 7, 1999, the chief of a Vancouver Island aboriginal band declared that the Sept. 17 Canadian Supreme Court decision relating to Maritime bands also permits him to go fishing and sell his salmon catch. Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans officials contested this interpretation. A protest fishery for pink and chum salmon was considered, but was canceled due to conservation concerns for coho salmon stocks. The fishery is likely to be rescheduled when the threat to coho salmon diminishes.

On Oct. 21, 1999, a group of 14 southern Vancouver Island Native bands met to discuss when to fish illegally to assert their tre! aty rights.

On Oct. 21, 1999, a provincial fisheries official announced that an independent report had concluded that BC fishermen and processors lost as much as $57 million due to low Fraser River sockeye returns this year. {{On Oct. 22, 1999, federal Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans released a policy paper identifying allocation priorities for salmon -- first prior is conservation, followed by First Nations' access for food, social, and treaty purposes; recreational fishery access to chinook and coho; and commercial fishery access to sockeye, pink, and chum salmon.}} On Oct. 27, 1999, leaders of the 14 southern Vancouver Island Native bands were reported as working on an agreement with Vancouver-area First Nations that would allow them to fish on the mainland. [Assoc Press, Canadian Press, Portland Oregonian]

AQUACULTURE AND AQUARIA

{Ocean City Aquarium Fire.

On Oct. 30, 1999, a fire of suspicious origin destroyed the Ocean City, NJ, Aquarium, killing more than 60 reptiles and 100 fish.} [Assoc Press]

BC Salmon Culture.

On Oct. 18, 1999, British Columbia provincial officials announced new ecological guidelines for salmon aquaculture, implementing 49 recommendations for regulatory and operational change identified in a 1997 Salmon Aquaculture Review. The BC government also agreed to provide 20- year tenure renewals for existing salmon operations, and to relocate salmon farm tenures that were voluntarily taken out of production due to poor siting.

Although the total number of operations is limited to not exceed the current 121 salmon farms, 10 new operations will be allowed to open if they use new closed-containment technology. Salmon operators must take additional measures to prevent the escape of farmed fish or risk losing their licenses.

Salmon operators will be reviewed annually on their performance.

On Oct. 27, 1999, a report paid for by the Canadian federal commissioner for aquaculture development was released, concluding that escaped farm fish poses little threat! to native species through genetic interaction. Critics faulted the report for its lack of attention to concern for ecological fish health problems. [BC Salmon Farmers Assoc press release, Canadian Press]

ISA in Atlantic Salmon.

In mid-October 1999, Canadian scientists confirmed reports indicating that Atlantic salmon escaping from net pen culture had infected wild salmon in New Brunswick's Magaguadavic River with infectious salmon anemia (ISA). This river is 10 miles from the ME border. This is the first time ISA has been reported in wild Atlantic salmon. [Assoc Press]

Hydro Seafood Bid.

In mid-October, 1999, the Aberdeen Press & Journal reported that the U.S. ContiGroup Companies Inc. had entered a bid of more than $300 million for Hydro Seafood, the world's largest Atlantic salmon farming company. Hydro Seafood is a subsidiary of Norsk Hydro, with major operations in Norway and Scotland. [Aberdeen Press & Journal]

Aquarium Fire.

On Oct. 2, 1999, fire caused about $1.4 million in damages to a warehouse leased by the Newport (KY) aquarium, killing 4 fish in quarantine before being exhibited. Cause of the fire is unknown. [Assoc Press]

FRESHWATER FISHERIES

{Lake Pend Oreille Level.

On Nov. 1, 1999, anglers and officials of the Army Corps of Engineers appeared before U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge and compromised on a water level of 2,053 feet for Lake Pend Oreille. This was less than anglers wanted to protect kokanee spawning beds but more than the Corps would have desired for power generation and flood storage.} [Spokane Spokesman-Review]

{{U.S. and Canadian Walleye Fishery.

On Oct. 29, 1999, Ontario rescinded a provincial requirement that U.S. anglers stay overnight in Ontario resorts if they wished to keep walleye caught in Ontario waters.

On Nov. 4, 1999, MN and Ontario fishery officials as well as federal officials from Canada and the United States met in Ottawa for an informal exchange of views on boundary waters walleye issues.}} [Duluth News-Tribune]

Caviar.

On Oct. 26, 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a notice of proposed policy in the Federal Register, proposing to no longer issue or accept for import any certificates for caviar the pre-date Apr. 1, 1998, the effective date of listing all sturgeon and paddlefish in the Appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Public comment on this proposal will be accepted through Nov. 10, 1999. {{On Nov. 3, 1999, a federal jury in Brooklyn, NY, handed down guilty verdicts against 2 caviar importers in the first successful U.S. prosecution in support of global efforts to protect sturgeon. Both individuals were found guilty of Lacey Act violations in which airline employees were paid to smuggle suitcases packed with tins of caviar into the United States via Kennedy Airport. Since Apr. 1, 1998, these individuals illegally sold 21,000 pounds of caviar for millions of dollars}} [Fed. Register, Fish and ! Wildlife Service press release]

Sport Fish Restoration Hearing.

On Oct. 26, 1999, the House Resources Committee was scheduled to hold part III of its oversight hearings on federal aid programs administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [personal communication]

Invasive Species.

On Oct. 20-21, 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Great Lakes Commission have scheduled a Great Lakes Nonindigenous Invasive Species Workshop in Chicago, IL. [personal communication, Fed. Register]

Round Goby.

In mid-October 1999, teams of state and federal biologists will be sampling the Illinois Waterway System to determine how far the round goby may have spread inland toward the Mississippi River drainage from the Great Lakes. [Environment News Service]

Bull Trout Lawsuit.

On Oct. 14, 1999, a coalition of 4 Pacific Northwest environmental groups filed notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over a delayed decision on protecting bull trout along the Pacific coast and in Puget Sound, WA. [Assoc Press]

Yellowstone Lake Trout.

On Oct. 14, 1999, National Park Service biologists released information indicating about half the invasive lake trout believed in Yellowstone Lake had been captured and removed. About 30,000 lake trout were estimated to have been in the lake in 1996, with about 15,000 removed by control programs. The National Park Service is doubling control program expenditures for the next 4 years. [Billings Gazette]

{Edwards Dam.

On Oct. 8, 1999, contractors completed removal of Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River, ME, on schedule and under budget.} [Assoc Press]

Atlantic Salmon.

On Oct. 8, 1999, NMFS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a joint biological review confirming that wild Atlantic salmon are in danger of extinction and more protective measures are required, such as controls on water diversion, restrictions on sport fishing, and safeguards at salmon aquaculture operations.

In 1998, only 23 wild adult salmon were reported to have returned to 7 ME rivers; only 29 are reported to have returned in 1999.

On Oct. 14, 1999, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt announced that he would propose listing wild ME Atlantic salmon in 7 ME rivers as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act. Environmental groups stated they likely will pursue their lawsuit against the federal government unless an emergency listing for salmon is proposed.

On Oct. 15, 1999, federal officials are scheduled to make a federal court filing in a case concerning the status of salmon under the Endangered Species Act. [NMFS press release, Envi! ronment News Service, Defenders of Wildlife press release, Assoc Press, Boston Globe]

Kokanee Theft.

On Oct. 5 and 7, 1999, vandals or thieves released or stole between 600 and 900 large kokanee salmon from holding pens in Navajo Lake, NM. The fish had been collected and were being held in pens before artificial spawning. Eggs were to be hatched and juvenile salmon were to be reared at state hatcheries before release into NM waters to benefit sport anglers. NM Game and Fish biologists reported they were harassed by anglers when collecting the fish by electroshocking. [Albuquerque Journal]

Russian Caviar.

On Oct. 4, 1999, Russian officials announced that sturgeon fishing would be curtailed this year and caviar production and export would be reduced by about one-third to prevent the extinction of sturgeon, especially in the Caspian Sea. [Assoc Press]

Freshwater Extinction Study.

A study of extinction rates of freshwater animals by 2 Canadian scientists, published in the October 1999 issue of Conservation Biology, suggests that these animals are becoming extinct at a rate 5 times faster than terrestrial species. [Environment News Service]

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