The following news summaries were compiled by Gene Buck, Senior Analyst in the Congressional Research Service. Capital letters denote new information that did not appear in previous summaries.
Back to top or Back to home page
WA Overfishing Report. On June 16, 1997, the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife released a report concluded that overfishing was the primary cause of declining Puget Sound fish populations, including salmon, cod, rockfish, hake, and pollock. The report recommends creation of a network of underwater refuges where fishing would be prohibited. [Assoc Press]. NMFS Oversight Hearing. On July 24 1997, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans has tentatively scheduled an oversight hearing to review the authority and decision-making processes of NMFS's Northwest Region. [personal communication].
Back to top or Back to home page
ON JULY 9, 1997, AK DEPT. OF FISH AND GAME MANAGERS CLOSED THE KUSKOKWIM RIVER TO COMMERCIAL AND SPORT FISHING FOR CHUM SALMON IN RESPONSE TO LOW NUMBERS OF FISH; SUBSISTENCE FISHING WILL CONTINUE. [ASSOC PRESS].
Back to top or Back to home page
On July 9, 1997, officials of the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal agencies have scheduled a meeting at Boise State Univ. to introduce draft environmental impact statements for the four-year, $35 million Upper Columbia River Basin Ecosystem Management Project. [Assoc Press].
Back to top or Back to home page
On July 4, 1997, the AK Dept. of Fish and Game imposed an emergency closure of the Naknek-Kvichak district fishery for sockeye; catches are poor and spawning escapement is low since warm, dry weather has kept most of the fish offshore. The Togiak District fishery was ordered to close early on July 9. IN EARLY JULY 1997, THE UNIV. OF WASHINGTON'S FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE ISSUED A REVISED FORECAST OF RETURNING BRISTOL BAY SOCKEYE STOCKS, REDUCING THE ESTIMATED CATCH BY ABOUT 30% TO FEWER THAN 17 MILLION FISH. [Assoc Press].
Back to top or Back to home page
On July 3, 1997, investigators raided a Hokkaido company on suspicion that it was sending Japanese fishermen to Russia to catch salmon under Russian quotas for sale in Japan. [Dow Jones News]. AK Subsistence Fishing. On June 26, 1997, the House Committee on Appropriations approved and ordered reported a bill appropriating funds for the Dept. of the Interior for fiscal year 1998, including a one-year moratorium on federal assumption of subsistence fishery management in Alaska. [Assoc Press].
Back to top or Back to home page
On June 26, 1997, the ID Fish and Game Commission authorized the first chinook salmon sport fishery since 1964 on the South Fork of the Salmon River due to a surplus return of hatchery fish. Fisherman will be able to fish a 6-mile stretch of the river three days a week from July 10-Aug 2. In addition, the Commission extended the salmon sport fish season on the Little Salmon River through July 13. [Assoc Press].
Back to top or Back to home page
In late June 1997, a network of as many as 35 salmon farms on the west coast of British Columbia's Vancouver Island initiated a mackerel observation program to report and track mackerel schools moving northward on warmer El Nino currents. BC fisheries officials are contemplating directed fisheries for mackerel to minimize mackerel predation on wild salmon. [Dow Jones News]. Russian Allocation of Salmon to Japan. On June 24, 1997, Russian and Japanese fishery associations concluded an agreement providing that Japan be granted a 26,000 metric ton harvest of salmon from Russian coastal waters in exchange for $60 million and a commitment to cease driftnet fishing. The Russian association anticipates using the income to promote fishery science and development of 60 Russian salmon farms. [Interfax]. Salmon Tracking. In the June 19, 1997 issue of Nature, Dartmouth College (NH) scientists reported that salmon could be matched to their spawning drainage by comparing the unique strontium isotope composition "signatures" of fish and drainage water. [Assoc Press].
Back to top or Back to home page
On June 19, 1997, eight U.S. Senators from the Pacific Northwest urged the Clinton Administration to open discussions on extending the $435 million limit on salmon restoration expenditures by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) beyond the year 2001, so as to assure rate stability and assist BPA in negotiating power contracts extending beyond 2001. [Assoc Press].
Back to top or Back to home page
During June 1997, a collaborative NATURES (NATUral Rearing Enhancement System) project by Long Live the Kinks, NMFS, WA state Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, and the Weyerhaeuser Co. released 100,000 juvenile fall chinook salmon in several batches in southwest WA. These fish were specially reared to test if hatchery salmon can be produced with wild-like fish characteristics capable of increasing their survival rate. [Dow Jones News]. Back to top or Back to home page In mid-June 1997, more than 40 Sand Point seine and gillnet fishermen were reported to have joined Kodiak seiners in deciding not to fish for salmon until they had a contract guaranteeing a market price in advance of fishing. On June 16, 1997, about 65 members of the Chignik Seiners Assoc. voted to join the protest and not fish until a price contract was obtained. On June 22, 1997, the United Seiners Assoc. accepted an offer guaranteeing a base price for delivered salmon, including a percentage of the wholesale price that processors receive for the fish. [Assoc Press]. Back to top or Back to home page In mid-June 1997, U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan turned down the Klamath Water Users Assoc.'s request to stop water releases at Link River Dam to benefit threatened salmon on the lower Klamath River, but Judge Hogan scheduled a June 30, 1997 hearing to listen to irrigators' concerns. [Assoc Press]. Back to top or Back to home page In mid-June 1997, the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, acting for the Neskonlith Band near Chase, BC, asked Canadian Federal Court to halt sport fishing for coho salmon on BC's Thompson River, charging that this population was in danger of extinction. On June 17, 1997, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson met with AK Governor Tony Knowles and WA Governor Gary Locke to discuss salmon. Anderson and Knowles held a joint press conference after their talks; they stated their agreement on principles of conservation and fair allocation, and proclaimed the salmon dispute "solvable." Both stated that equity discussions by stakeholders should resume after this year's fishing is completed. On June 18, 1997, U.S. and Canadian negotiators resumed discussions in Vancouver, BC. Negotiations continued June 19, 1997, and were scheduled for June 20. On June 20, 1997, negotiations were reported to have again broken off after negotiations bogged down on issues of U.S. desire for a reduced Canadian coho salmon catch and Canadian desire for a smaller U.S. share of Fraser River sockeye salmon. On June 21, 1997, Canadian negotiator Yves Fortier and associates flew to the G-7 Summit in Denver, Co, for emergency consultations with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy on salmon. Chretien and President Clinton were reported to have briefly discussed salmon while attending the G-7 Summit. On June 23, 1997, Canadian negotiators were reported to have contacted U.S. negotiators responding to a U.S. offer, with a significant and substantial change in the Canadian position. On June 23, 1997, the AK Dept. of Fish and Game set a quota of 277,182 chinook for this year's southeast AK troll fishery. If caught, this quota would nearly double last year's harvest of 140,000 fish. On June 25, 1997, United States negotiators informed their Canadian counterparts that Canada's proposed division of the 1997 salmon harvest was unacceptable. Canada had proposed a U.S. share of 17% for Fraser River sockeye for the next four years with a decreased U.S. share of 15% for the subsequent four years; the United States desired a 20% share. In addition, Canada would reduce its coho catch off Vancouver Island to 560,000 fish this year, and 1 million next year; the United States wanted a limit of no more than 900,000 coho. U.S. negotiators had proposed creating a regime to rebuild depleted coho salmon, restructuring of the U.S. fishing fleet to reduce Fraser River sockeye catch, establishing a fund to conserve west coast salmon stocks, and reducing the AK interception harvest. On June 26, 1997, Canadian officials proposed binding arbitration to address Pacific Salmon Treaty issues, which the United States believes would require amendment of the treaty and consent by the U.S. Senate. The southeast AK salmon troll fishery is scheduled to begin on July 1, 1997. Despite the lack of a treaty agreement, U.S. And Canadian fishery managers plan to coordinate fishing activity. On June 27, 1997, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson announced the 1997 unilateral Canadian salmon quota of 23.8 million salmon, including 12 million sockeye, 8 million pink, and 3 million chum, and 85,000 chinook salmon. No commercial fishery for coho salmon is scheduled. The United States requested that the Fraser River panel meet on June 30, 1997, to coordinate management. The first portion of the Fraser River sockeye, the early Stuart River fish), is projected to be a week late in arriving, with no clear indication of whether the fish are less than forecast or merely late. U.S. fishermen agreed to postpone harvest of 100,000 early Stuart sockeye due to the apparent initial weakness of the returning run, until the Fraser River panel meets again on July 3, 1997. On July 3, 1997, U.S. officials announced that WA state fishermen would be allowed to begin fishing for early Stuart sockeye bound for the Fraser River on July 5. Additional U.S. fishing periods were scheduled daily for July 7-9, 1997. The total early Stuart run is estimated to amount to about 1.1 million sockeye, with a spawning escapement of 500,000 desired. Of the 600,000 available for harvest, WA fishermen are anticipated to be able to harvest about 86,000 fish. However, Canadians urge restraint until the size of the actual return can be determined. From 1990-1996, Canada has asked that the United States not harvest from the early Stuart run, and the United States has agreed. On July 6, 1997, Canadian officials opened a fishery restricted to certain Native fishermen, with additional broader commercial openings scheduled through the week. At midnight on July 7, 1997, the AK Dept. of Fish and Game closed the southeast AK chinook salmon troll fishery after about 120,000 chinook were estimated to have been caught. This closure was earlier than anticipated due to high catch rates. On July 8, 1997, U.S. managers announced that the WA state fishery for early Stuart sockeye would close a day earlier than originally scheduled, due to high catches by U.S. fishermen. After catches are tabulated, a decision will be made on July 10 or 11 whether to allow additional fishing. On July 9, 1997, Canadian officials raised concerns that AK seiners were targeting Canadian sockeye salmon under the guise of fishing for AK pink salmon, which usually do not return to spawn until late summer. On July 9, 1997, Canadian trade minister Sergio Marchi discussed aspects of salmon negotiations with U.S. trade representative Charlene Barshefsky. BC Premier Glen Clark appealed to WA residents for more attention to conservation via an open letter published in major WA newspapers ON JULY 10, 1997. On July 10, 1997, a BC fishing company filed suit against the Canadian government in Vancouver, BC, court, alleging a conspiracy in allowing Treaty negotiations to stall and in allocating harvest quota so as to benefit seiners and large processors and discriminate against small salmon trollers. [Assoc Press, Reuters, Dow Jones News, Wall Street Journal, personal communication]. Back to top or Back to home page Fish as Pollutants. Beginning July 24, 1997, the WA state Pollution Control Hearings Board has scheduled a 5-day hearing in Olympia, to ioned the Advertising Standards Council of BC to consider whether an ad place by the David Suzuki Foundation in the June 24, 1997, issue of the Times Colonist might contravene the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards. The ad, headlined "Is Your Fish Dinner Laced With Drugs?", alleges that antibiotics used in BC salmon farming lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant microbes. An independent 8-month study, the BC Salmon Aquaculture Review, is scheduled to be presented to the provincial Cabinet in July 1997. [Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund press release, BC Salmon Farmers Assoc. press release]. Back to top or Back to home page WHIRLING DISEASE. ON JULY 10, 1997, MT'S WHIRLING DISEASE TASK FORCE RECEIVED A REPORT THAT WHIRLING DISEASE HAD BEEN DETECTED IN AN ADDITIONAL MT RIVER DRAINAGE (YELLOWSTONE RIVER) AND RECOMMENDED THAT MT BAN OR PLACE MORE STRINGENT LIMITS ON RAINBOW TROUT FISHING IN WATERS INFECTED BY WHIRLING DISEASE. MT'S FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS COMMISSION WILL CONSIDER THE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION. [ASSOC PRESS]. Back to top or Back to home page On July 8, 1997, the National Park Service released an assessment of obstacles to restoration of westslope cutthroat trout and FLUVIAL ARCTIC graying to Yellowstone National Park habitat. Major obstacles, particularly competition from introduced rainbow, brown, and brook trout, preclude immediate progress, with gradual replacement of exotic fish in selected park waters proposed. THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR ACTION IS TO UNDERTAKE SUPPRESSION OF NON-NATIVE FISH. [Assoc Press]. Back to top or Back to home page In late June 1997, the governors of MT and ID, representatives of Native American tribes, and officials of Washington Water Power signed an agreement to coordinate the development of a unified bull trout recovery effort with WA Water Power's hydropower project relicensing on the Lower Clark Fork River. Between July 1 and July 17, 1997, five public hearings are scheduled on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's proposed listing Klamath River bull trout as endangered and Columbia River bull trout as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Public comments will be taken until Aug. 12, 1997. IN EARLY JULY 1997, THE ALLIANCE FOR THE WILD ROCKIES AND FRIENDS OF THE WILD SWAN FILED A MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT, PORTLAND, OR, ASKING JUDGE ROBERT JONES TO RULE THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SEPARATE BULL TROUT INTO FIVE DISTINCT POPULATIONS. THE GROUPS HOPE TO PROTECT ALL BULL TROUT RATHER THAN TWO POPULATIONS PROPOSED FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT LISTING. [Assoc Press, Washington Water Power press release]. Back to top or Back to home page On June 24, 1997, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt announced a $97,000 grant under the "Bring Back the Natives" program to the Uncompaghre-Gunnison National Forest, CO, for fish passage work on Beaver Creek to aid recovery of native greenback cutthroat trout. [Assoc Press]. Back to top or Back to home page On June 21, 1997, the spillway at Flaming Gorge Dam on the UT-WY border was used for the first time in more than a decade after an outlet tube failed and the power plant flooded. Biologists expressed concern that the warmer surface water discharge could harm coldwater fish such as trout in the Green River below the Dam. [Assoc Press]
NATURES Project.
AK Salmon Strike.
Klamath Water Agreement.
Pacific Salmon Treaty
Aquaculture and Aquaria.
Freshwater Fisheries.
Native Yellowstone Fish.
Bull Trout.
Greenback Cutthroat Trout Restoration.
Flaming Gorge Dam Spill.