The following weekly news summary was compiled by the Congressional Research Service from a variety of information sources. New info and changes since 12/3/99 are bracketed {...} New info and changes since 12/9/99 are double-bracketed {{...}}
Cleve Steward Sustainable Fisheries Foundation Tel. 425-670-3584
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On Dec. 7, 1999, the Northwest Power Planning Council approved $140 million in funding for almost 300 projects to mitigate loss of fish and wildlife habitat. All projects were evaluated by the NPPC's Independent Scientific Review Panel. The NPPC did award an $8 million grant to the Nez Perce Tribe to build a salmon hatchery on the Clearwater River, despite the Review Panel's recommendation against this project.} [Assoc Press]
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On Dec. 6, 1999, the Grants Pass Irrigation District Board adopted a proposed list of demands, including federal payment of $27 million for dam removal and associated expenses, as a formal condition for agreeing to removal of the Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue River. District patrons are scheduled to vote on this proposal on Jan. 18, 2000.} [Assoc Press]
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On Nov. 30, 1999, Denis Desautels, Auditor General, delivered his annual report [See chapter 20 at http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/99menu_e.html#sep ]concluding that Pacific salmon fisheries are in trouble, blaming declines on overfishing, habitat loss, and less successful spawning. Global warming, pollution, and poor management are identified as contributing causes. The Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans was criticized as needing to improve data that might allow conservation of weaker stocks while still providing fishing opportunities and needing to improve communications between managers and stakeholders. [Canadian Press]
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On Nov. 17, 1999, U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan denied the Alsea River Alliance's request for a temporary restraining order to halt the capture and killing of hatchery coho salmon at the OR Dept. of Fish and Wildlife's Fall Creek hatchery. [Portland Oregonian]
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On Nov. 16, 1999, officials of 9 federal agencies, including NMFS, Bonneville Power Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a draft 16-page working paper ''Conservation of Columbia Basin Fish: Building a Conceptual Recovery Plan with the Four H's'' [ http://www.bpa.gov/Power/PL/FederalCaucus/fcspl.shtml ] that assesses the probable effectiveness of a range of options for aiding salmon recovery. The report concludes that the most effect way to restore salmon would be to breach the 4 dams on the lower Snake River, increase federal regulation to protect habitat, reduce overall fish production by hatcheries but increase efforts to artificially produce wild fish, and allow minimum fish harvest. This document is due to be finalized in mid-December 1999.
On Nov. 24, 1999, a coalition of 17 fishing and environmental groups sent a letter to President Clinton, urging him to convene a ''salmon science summit'' by Feb. 1, 2000 to address what they consider to be errors by NMFS in efforts to restore Pacific Northwest salmon. These groups believe federal agencies are underestimating the potential for extinction, are downplaying the benefits of dam removal, and are setting the stage for delay. [Assoc Press, Environment News Service, Seattle Times, American Rivers press release]
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In mid-November 1999, WA Governor Gary Locke declared a state of emergency for 6 counties and asked for federal disaster assistance to help the Puget Sound sockeye salmon fishery recover from 1999 Fraser River fishery closures. Gov. Locke estimated the total impact on WA's economy of this disaster to be between $36 million and $63 million. [Assoc Press]
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On Dec. 13, 1999, American Rivers, Friends of the Earth, and Trout Unlimited are scheduled to release a new report ''Dam Removal Success Stories: Restoring Rivers Through Selective Removal of Dams That Don't Make Sense.'' This report will document more than 465 U.S. dams that have been removed and focus on 25 detailed case studies.} [American Rivers press release]
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On Dec. 8, 1999, five Manhattan, NY, fish wholesalers were charged by the U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White with illegally selling thousands of pounds of striped bass caught in PCB-contaminated Hudson River waters under the George Washington Bridge between March 1995 and mid-1998. Four owners and one employee of these companies were arrested and arraigned in U.S. magistrate court for violating the Lacey Act.} [Los Angeles Times, Assoc Press]
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On Dec. 1, 1999, U.S. Marines were scheduled to use explosives to demolish 12-foot high Rains Mill Dam on the Little River in the Neuse River drainage, NC, providing migratory fish (alewife, American shad, hickory shad, Atlantic sturgeon, shortnose sturgeon, and striped bass) access to 49 miles of habitat. [Environment News Service]
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On Nov. 17, 1999, NMFS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service jointly published notice of their proposal to list a distinct population of anadromous Atlantic salmon in 8 ME rivers entering the Gulf of Maine as endangered. Public comment will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2000, and a public hearing is scheduled on Jan. 19, 2000, in Ellsworth, ME. [Fed. Register, Assoc Press, Environment News Service, NMFS/FWS press release]
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