Recent Salmon and Fish news on November 22, 1997

The following news items were compiled from a variety of information sources by Gene Buck, Senior Analyst in the Congressional Research Service. The CRS and the Sustainable Fisheries Foundation is not responsible for the accuracy of the various news items.

Cleve Steward, Sustainable Fisheries Foundation, csteward@wolfenet.com

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Salmon Along the Pacific Coast

Yukon River Sonar Lawsuit.

On Nov. 19, 1997, the AK Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a lawsuit by western AK fishermen, who allege that erroneous sonar fish counts by AK state biologists undercounted returning salmon and led to the needless closure of the 1994 chum salmon season on the Yukon River. They further contend that the closure caused hardship for those dependent upon the subsistence and commercial harvest of Yukon River chum salmon. [Assoc Press]

PUD Salmon Restoration Costs.

On Nov. 17, 1997, WA state public utility district (PUD) representatives reported to the WA Legislature's Salmon Restoration Task Force that PUDs expended almost $50 million during 1996 on programs to improve salmon management, production, and habitat. This estimate excludes additional millions of dollars in foregone generating revenue as well as that portion of the PUDs' payment to Bonneville Power Administration that funds salmon restoration. [WA PUD Assoc. press release] .

Salmon Price-Fixing Lawsuit.

On Nov. 13, 1997, Anchorage (AK) Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski set a 1999 trial date for the billion dollar class action lawsuit involving more than 5,000 fishermen alleging price-fixing on Bristol Bay sockeye salmon by 7 Japanese seafood processing companies from 1989 through 1995. [Assoc Press]

Elk Creek Dam Hearing.

On Nov. 13, 1997, the House Agriculture Committee held a field hearing in Medford, OR, to review the Army Corps of Engineers proposal to provide fish passage through Elk Creek Dam, near Medford, OR. [Assoc Press]

Tribal Salmon Restoration Programs.

On Nov. 13, 1997, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, representing four Columbia River tribes, filed a petition with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, asking the court to review the Northwest Power Planning Council's September 1997 recommendation that funding of tribal salmon restoration programs, including new hatchery construction, be halted pending further review.

On Nov. 21, 1997, tribal representatives are tentatively scheduled to meet with the Northwest Power Planning Council in an effort to settle conflicts that led to the lawsuit filing. [Assoc Press, Dow Jones News]

Chinook Salmon Lawsuit.

On Nov. 6, 1997, a coalition of fishing and conservation groups filed suit in U.S. District Court against the federal government, seeking to force increased protection for chinook salmon in WA, OR, and CA under the Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit alleges that NMFS should have proposed protection for chinook salmon by February 1996. [Assoc Press]

Bristol Bay Salmon Fishery.

On Nov. 6, 1997, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce issued a fishery disaster declaration (declared a commercial fishery failure) for the Bristol Bay and Kuskokwim regions of Alaska in response to requests by AK officials. This declaration, authorized by section 312(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, allows federal aid to be provided for fishermen who experienced low salmon harvests and low prices this year.

On Nov. 13, 1997, both the U.S. Senate and House voted to approve the conference report (H.Rept. 105-405) on an amended H.R. 2267 (the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998), including $7 million for emergency disaster assistance for AK's Bristol Bay and Kuskokwim regions. [Assoc Press, Reuters, NOAA press release]

Wild vs. Hatchery Fish?

On Nov. 5, 1997, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife reached provisional agreement on a draft plan to protect wild salmon after concurring that fishery managers can use broad judgment in determining what is a wild fish and what is a hatchery fish. Individual tribes would decide how much they might reduce hatchery production and harvests. The agreement must be approved by individual tribes and the WA Fish and Wildlife Commission. A public hearing on the draft plan has been tentatively set for Nov. 21, 1997. [Assoc Press]

BC Salmon Assistance Protest.

On Nov. 5, 1997, hundreds of BC fishermen were reported to have gathered outside federal fisheries offices in Vancouver and Victoria to protest what they considered the Canadian federal government's inequitable treatment of the salmon fleet compared to the Atlantic groundfish fleet. [Assoc Press]

New Zealand Salmon Imports.

On Oct. 31, 1997, New Zealand's Ministry of Agriculture announced that it had concluded that it was inappropriate to continue a ban on imports of uncooked wild Pacific salmon from the United States. The risk analysis for this determination remains open for public comment until Dec. 10, 1997. [Dow Jones News]

FERC and Salmon Protection.

On Oct. 30, 1997, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing to review the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's hydroelectric relicensing procedures. On Nov. 17, 1997, a coalition of 8 fishing and conservation groups filed a petition with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, calling on FERC to address alleged increasing threats to chinook salmon and steelhead trout from ID Power Co. dams in the Snake River drainage. FERC has also been requested, but has declined, to enter consultation with NMFS on endangered and threatened species protection measures. [Dow Jones News, Assoc Press, Congr. Record]

Pacific Salmon Treaty.

On Oct. 24, 1997, Canadian federal court Justice Marc Nadon announced that he will rule next week on whether AK's lawsuit against more than 200 fishermen involved in the July 1997 Prince Rupert, BC, blockade of the AK state ferry can proceed.

On Oct. 30, 1997, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Fisheries Minister David Anderson met with special envoys William Ruckelshaus and David Strangway.

On Oct. 31, 1997, BC Premier Glen Clark met with special envoys William Ruckelshaus and David Strangway.

On Nov. 3, 1997, Judge Marc Nadon of the Federal Court of Canada ruled that Alaska must give the court proof that fishermen were part of the July 1997 ferry blockade before proceeding with the case. Under this ruling, all but 17 of the 200 fishermen named in Alaska's lawsuit were dropped from the suit. Alaska has until Nov. 10 to inform the court on how it plans to proceed.

On Nov. 7, 1997, BC's United Fishermen and Allied Workers announced that it would file a counter suit against AK, accusing AK fishermen of conspiring to steal BC salmon.

On Nov. 10, 1997, AK identified additional defendants, through analysis of videotape, in its lawsuit against BC fishermen participating in the July 1997 Prince Rupert blockade of an Alaskan state ferry. Canadian Court Master John Hargrave allowed AK to name additional defendants and left it to the pending trial to decide on the validity of AK efforts to identify them. On Nov. 14, 1997, Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans David Anderson met in Seattle, WA, with the governors of WA, OR, and AK to discuss Pacific salmon issues, and to review an interim report by both nations' special envoys on this issue.

On Nov. 18, 1997, AK officials announced that AK state ferries would resume regular weekly ferry service to Prince Rupert, BC, on Dec. 4, 1997. This action was taken after AK authorities received assurances of safe and unobstructed passage from Canadian and Prince Rupert officials. [Assoc Press, Reuters, Dow Jones News, Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans press release]

Aquaculture

Norwegian Salmon.

On Nov. 14, 1997, EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek and informed him that the European Commission had sent letters of warning to 80 Norwegian salmon farmers who are alleged to have not respected an agreement with the EU under which Norwegian salmon exports were exempted from antidumping duties. [Agence Europe via Reuters]

Chilean Salmon.

On Nov. 12, 1997, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce preliminarily ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the levy of additional duties on imports of Chilean farmed salmon. A final ruling on the petition for countervailing duties is likely to be issued in late March 1998. A preliminary ruling on a companion petition for antidumping duties is expected on Jan. 8, 1998. [Assoc Press, Salmon Trade Alliance press release]

EDF Aquaculture Report.

On Oct. 30, 1997, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) released a new 200-page report entitled "Murky Waters: Environmental Effects of Aquaculture in the United States" [http:// www.edf.org/pubs/Reports/Aquaculture/]. This report details alleged environmental degradation caused by aquaculture and discusses strategies and technologies available to address these concerns. [Assoc Press]

Freshwater Fisheries

Bull Trout.

On Nov. 17, 1997, the ID Board of Health and Welfare voted 5-1 to approve new water quality standards for bull trout habitat developed by the ID Division of Environmental Quality. However, critics suggest these standards may be rejected by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, since they do not address concerns raised by EPA earlier this year.

On Nov. 18-19, 1997, the MT Dept. of Fish, Wildlife and Parks joined with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to sponsor a roundtable on bull trout management options for Flathead Lake, where transplanted lake trout threaten the native bull trout population. [Assoc Press]

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting.

The Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force is scheduled to hold its fall meeting on Nov. 13-14, 1997, in Riverdale, MD, to review and coordinate various regional programs and measures to monitor and control introduced (exotic) species. [personal communication]

FERC Hearing.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Water and Power has tentatively scheduled a hearing on Oct. 30, 1997, to review the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's hydroelectric relicensing procedures. [personal communication]

Whirling Disease.

On Oct. 29, 1997, the UT Div. of Wildlife Resources head a public meeting to discuss solutions to the containing the spread of whirling disease in UT. Critics have been concerned about alleged slow government response to reports of this disease at private fish farms. [Assoc Press] .

NMFS Draft Research Plan.

On Nov. 3, 1997, NMFS announced the availability for public comment of its 43-page draft "Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research" -- [http://kingfish.ssp.nmfs.gov/sfa/prorules.html]. This document identifies major fisheries research goals and objectives related to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. [NOAA press release]

International Year of the Ocean.

The House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans has tentatively scheduled an oversight hearing on Oct. 30, 1997, on the Administration's planned activities for the 1998 International Year of the Ocean. [personal communication]