The following news summaries were compiled by Gene Buck, Senior Analyst in the Congressional Research Service.
The following weekly news summary was compiled by the Congressional Research Service. They have been coming to me on an irregular basis; hence the delay in posting. Feel free to provide feedback via aquacon@onenw.org. Cleve Steward Sustainable Fisheries Foundation Tel. 425-670-3584
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On Jan. 21, 1998, Army Corps of Engineers officials reported their feasibility study of lower Snake River dam breaching is about 80% complete, with projected costs ranging between $500 million and $850 million to remove the earthen sections of the four lower Snake River dams. This estimate does not include the economic effects on barge traffic and hydroelectric sales. Breaching could be accomplished over a 4-month period, but could be done over 2 years to minimize the disruptive effect on salmon. [Assoc Press]
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On the night of Jan. 20, 1998, an equipment failure interrupted the water supply to incubation trays and caused the death of approximately 3.7 million juvenile salmon at the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery in Cook, WA. This loss represents 95% of the hatchery's stock of upriver bright fall chinook salmon; spring chinook salmon fry in the same building were not affected. The loss may affect tribal, sport, and commercial harvests. [Assoc Press]
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In mid-January 1998, managers of the Salmon-Challis National Forests released a new draft management plan for the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness that proposes to reduce public use on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River by half, possibly as early as 1999. Float trip outfitters expressed concern at proposals to cut the maximum size of floating parties from 30 to 15 for outfitters, and from 24 to 10 for private boaters, with a limit of no more than 7 parties launched per day. [Assoc Press]
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On Jan. 14, 1998, the AK Board of Forestry came to a consensus agreement on a package of increased protection measures for fish streams on state and private land, including requiring no-cut buffers on private lands along smaller streams that are not main channels for spawning or rearing fish and increasing the width of no-cut buffers on major salmon streams. These measures will be sent to the AK Legislature for consideration. [Assoc Press]
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On Jan. 12, 1998, Canadian and U.S. special envoys released their report, providing advice on renewal of Pacific salmon treaty negotiations. Although the report suggested that Canadian fishermen should receive more salmon, it strongly urged compromise advantageous to recovery of salmon populations.
In addition, the special envoys recommended that authorities adopt interim fishing provisions for all salmon species for as long as 2 years to allow time for negotiating a longer-term agreement, that stakeholder discussions not be continued, and that the authority of and funding for the Pacific Salmon Commission be increased.
On Jan. 21, 1998, Canadian Minister of Fisheries David Anderson indicated that treaty negotiations might resume in late February or early March 1998.
On Jan. 22, 1998, AK, Canada, and Prince Rupert parties announced a tentative settlement had been reached in AK's lawsuit against 200 BC fishermen who blockaded an AK state ferry in July 1997. BC fishermen were scheduled to meet on Jan. 23, 1998, to consider whether to accept the settlement, which would have the Canadian government pay AK about $1.9 million to fund tourism marketing, including promotion of ferry travel through Prince Rupert, and to cover about half the ferry terminal lease fees in Prince Rupert for 9 years. BC fishermen would not pay any compensation, but would agree to abide by an injunction banning any future ferry blockades and drop their C$15 million counterclaim against AK. [Assoc Press, Reuters, Dow Jones News, Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans press release]
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On Jan. 8, 1998, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials announced a finding of "no significant impact" for breaching the partially constructed Elk Creek Dam in the Rogue River drainage, OR, to allow salmon to pass upstream to spawn. Thus, no environmental impact statement will need to be prepared on the action, and the Corps may award a contract for blasting a notch in the dam as early as March 1998, with work to be completed by October 1998. The project is anticipated to cost about $7 million. [Assoc Press]
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In early January 1998, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified AK officials that it did not consider the impact of the low 1997 Bristol Bay salmon harvest of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a major disaster declaration, and denied AK's request for unemployment assistance for the Bristol Bay region. AK has 30 days to appeal the FEMA decision. [Assoc Press, Dow Jones News]
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In late December 1997, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife officials released a first draft of the state's "Lower Columbia Steelhead Conservation Initiative," focusing on hundreds of options for possible state activities to restore steelhead trout, and setting priorities for action. A second draft is anticipated in early February, incorporating local government and private efforts to complement state actions. [Assoc Press] . Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On Jan. 21, 1998, Army Corps of Engineers officials reported their feasibility study of lower Snake River dam breaching is about 80% complete, with projected costs ranging between $500 million and $850 million to remove the earthen sections of the four lower Snake River dams. This estimate does not include the economic effects on barge traffic and hydroelectric sales. Breaching could be accomplished over a 4-month period, but could be done over 2 years to minimize the disruptive effect on salmon. [Assoc Press] Hatchery Salmon Mortality. On the night of Jan. 20, 1998, an equipment failure interrupted the water supply to incubation trays and caused the death of approximately 3.7 million juvenile salmon at the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery in Cook, WA. This loss represents 95% of the hatchery's stock of upriver bright fall chinook salmon; spring chinook salmon fry in the same building were not affected. The loss may affect tribal, sport, and commercial harvests. [Assoc Press] Forest Service Regulation of Salmon River Use. In mid-January 1998, managers of the Salmon-Challis National Forests released a new draft management plan for the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness that proposes to reduce public use on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River by half, possibly as early as 1999. Float trip outfitters expressed concern at proposals to cut the maximum size of floating parties from 30 to 15 for outfitters, and from 24 to 10 for private boaters, with a limit of no more than 7 parties launched per day. [Assoc Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On Jan. 14, 1998, the AK Board of Forestry came to a consensus agreement on a package of increased protection measures for fish streams on state and private land, including requiring no-cut buffers on private lands along smaller streams that are not main channels for spawning or rearing fish and increasing the width of no-cut buffers on major salmon streams. These measures will be sent to the AK Legislature for consideration. [Assoc Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On Jan. 12, 1998, Canadian and U.S. special envoys released their report, providing advice on renewal of Pacific salmon treaty negotiations. Although the report suggested that Canadian fishermen should receive more salmon, it strongly urged compromise advantageous to recovery of salmon populations. In addition, the special envoys recommended that authorities adopt interim fishing provisions for all salmon species for as long as 2 years to allow time for negotiating a longer-term agreement, that stakeholder discussions not be continued, and that the authority of and funding for the Pacific Salmon Commission be increased. On Jan. 21, 1998, Canadian Minister of Fisheries David Anderson indicated that treaty negotiations might resume in late February or early March 1998. On Jan. 22, 1998, AK, Canada, and Prince Rupert parties announced a tentative settlement had been reached in AK's lawsuit against 200 BC fishermen who blockaded an AK state ferry in July 1997. BC fishermen were scheduled to meet on Jan. 23, 1998, to consider whether to accept the settlement, which would have the Canadian government pay AK about $1.9 million to fund tourism marketing, including promotion of ferry travel through Prince Rupert, and to cover about half the ferry terminal lease fees in Prince Rupert for 9 years. BC fishermen would not pay any compensation, but would agree to abide by an injunction banning any future ferry blockades and drop their C$15 million counterclaim against AK. [Assoc Press, Reuters, Dow Jones News, Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans press release] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On Jan. 8, 1998, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials announced a finding of "no significant impact" for breaching the partially constructed Elk Creek Dam in the Rogue River drainage, OR, to allow salmon to pass upstream to spawn. Thus, no environmental impact statement will need to be prepared on the action, and the Corps may award a contract for blasting a notch in the dam as early as March 1998, with work to be completed by October 1998. The project is anticipated to cost about $7 million. [Assoc Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New In early January 1998, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified AK officials that it did not consider the impact of the low 1997 Bristol Bay salmon harvest of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a major disaster declaration, and denied AK's request for unemployment assistance for the Bristol Bay region. AK has 30 days to appeal the FEMA decision. [Assoc Press, Dow Jones News] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New In late December 1997, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife officials released a first draft of the state's "Lower Columbia Steelhead Conservation Initiative," focusing on hundreds of options for possible state activities to restore steelhead trout, and setting priorities for action. A second draft is anticipated in early February, incorporating local government and private efforts to complement state actions. [Assoc Press] .
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WA Steelhead Initiative.
Study of Dam Breaching.
Stream Buffers.
Pacific Salmon Treaty.
Elk Creek Dam.
Bristol Bay Salmon Disaster.
WA Steelhead Initiative.
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