Recent Salmon and Fish news on March 13, 1998

A Coho
The following weekly news summary was compiled by the Congressional Research Service. New info and changes since 3/6/98 are bracketed {...} New info and changes since 3/12/98 double bracketed {{...}} Feel free to comment on any of the news items.

Salmon Along the Pacific Coast
{Lottery Proceeds for Salmon Habitat Initiative.
{Elk Creek Dam.
Private Landowners and Salmon MOU.
Independent Scientific Review Panel Report.
Pacific Salmon Treaty.
Salmon and Steelhead ESA Listing.
Savage Rapids Dam.
Three Sovereigns Meeting.

WA Salmon Restoration.
Bonneville Salmon Expenditures.
Oregon Coho Salmon Restoration.
WA Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Aquaculture and Aquaria
{Chilean Salmon.
{Splendid Salmon Corp.
Cormorant Control.
Imported Crawfish Lawsuit.

Freshwater Fisheries
{{Mississippi River Mussel Harvesting Ban.
{Underwater Camera Ban.
{Lake Washington Fish Kill.
{Fish Restoration Funds.
Battenkill Floater Restrictions?
Sport Fish Restoration Hearing.
Flood Cleanup Damage.
Gulf Sturgeon Critical Habitat.
FY1999 Budget Hearing.
Pfiesteria?

Salmon Along the Pacific Coast

{Lottery Proceeds for Salmon Habitat Initiative.

On Mar. 11, 1998, an environmental coalition filed a proposed initiative measure for the November 1998 OR state ballot with the OR Secretary of State's office, that would require that 15% of state lottery proceeds (an estimated $45 million) be split equally between state parks and salmon and other wildlife habitat protection.

To appear on the ballot, petitioners must acquire about 97,000 signatures by July 2, 1998.} [Assoc Press]

{Elk Creek Dam.

On Mar. 10, 1998, Corps of Engineers officials announced that the proposed notching of Elk Creek Dam in the Rogue River basin of southern OR has been postponed due to lack of funding. Notching of the uncompleted project had been proposed to provide upstream passage for adult coho salmon and steelhead trout.} [Assoc Press]

Private Landowners and Salmon MOU.

On Mar. 5, 1998, WA Governor Locke and representatives of 6 federal agencies signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a means of providing and promoting coordinated access to endangered and threatened salmon recovery assistance for private landowners, including state and federal funding for habitat rehabilitation on private land. [Assoc Press]

Independent Scientific Review Panel Report.

On Mar. 4, 1998, the Northwest Power Planning Council's Independent Scientific Review Panel released a report critical of increased reliance on the practice of transporting juvenile salmon downstream in trucks and barges. The Panel was especially critical of truck transport, describing the practice as based on economics rather than on biology. Instead the panel endorsed continued adherence to a "spread-the-risk" policy of using both barge transport and increased river flows to speed juvenile salmon downstream. [Assoc Press]

Pacific Salmon Treaty.

On Mar. 4, 1998, AK fisheries officials announced that the Pacific Salmon Commission's Northern Boundary Technical Committee was undertaking a joint U.S.-Canadian study of coho salmon, to determine appropriate management for weak Skeena River, BC, stocks. {On Mar. 9, 1998, Canadian officials announced the appointment of Canada's new chief negotiator -- Donald McRae, an international law expert and dispute settlement as well as current chair of business and trade law at the Univ. of Ottawa.

On Mar. 10, 1998, U.S. officials announced the appointment of Roberts Owen, an attorney experienced in dispute resolution, as chief U.S. negotiator for the Pacific Salmon Treaty, and that discussions between U.S. and Canadian chief negotiators will commence on Mar. 30, 1998, in Washington, DC.

On Mar. 10, 1998, BC Premier Glen Clark and WA Governor Gary Locke met and agreed to work constructively to achieve an agreement on salmon.} [Assoc Press, Reuters]

Salmon and Steelhead ESA Listing.

On Feb. 26, 1998, NMFS officials announced that 13 Pacific coast salmon and steelhead populations (chinook salmon in northern CA's Central Valley (both spring-run and fall-run fish in the Sacramento and American Rivers), in southern OR and northern CA coastal rivers (including the Rogue River), in OR's upper Willamette River, in the Snake River (fall-run fish), in the lower Columbia River, in the upper Columbia River (spring-run fish), and in WA's Puget Sound; sockeye salmon in Ozette Lake on WA's Olympic Peninsula; chum salmon in the lower Columbia River and along WA's Hood Canal (summer-run fish); steelhead trout in OR's upper Willamette River and in the middle Columbia River (including the Deschutes River)) are being proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act. All populations are proposed to be listed as "threatened" except the spring-run chinook in CA's Central Valley and spring-run chinook in the upper Columbia River, which are proposed for listing as "endangered." [Assoc Press, Dow Jones News, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, NOAA press release]

Savage Rapids Dam.

On Feb. 25, 1998, a hearings officer ruled that the OR Water Resources Commission erred in ordering the Grants Pass Irrigation District to meet deadlines for removing the Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue River. The hearings officer found that the Commission did not have the authority to modify the timing schedule as it could not document that the District had failed to comply with the requirements of a temporary permit. The Commission may consider this issue when it next meets on Mar. 30-31, 1998.
[Assoc Press]

Three Sovereigns Meeting.

On Feb. 24, 1998, two dozen state, federal, and tribal representatives met in Boise, ID, to discuss a draft plan for and implementation of OR Gov. John Kitzhaber's proposed "Three Sovereigns Forum" alternative for managing and restoring Columbia River Basin salmon. [Assoc Press]

WA Salmon Restoration.

On Feb. 23, 1998, about 150 officials from 50 local jurisdictions in the Puget Sound, WA, region met to discuss the options for developing a salmon restoration plan to forestall listing of Puget Sound chinook salmon under the federal Endangered Species Act. {On Mar. 10, 1998, the WA House concurred unanimously with Senate-passed legislation (HB2496) providing $45 million to promote recovery of wild salmon populations in WA by identifying and rehabilitating salmon habitat. This measure also creates a special office under the governor to direct and coordinate salmon recovery efforts. The House also concurred with Senate amendments to HB2514, to increase public input on water allocation decisions.} [Assoc Press]

Bonneville Salmon Expenditures.

On Feb. 21, 1998, the Portland Oregonian reported that Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has collected $300 million more in the last two years from power consumers for salmon restoration than it has spent. BPA records indicate $135 million budgeted for programs and construction projects has not been spent. While BPA alleges that $162 million was not needed due to heavy rainfall and runoff, critics accuse BPA of overstating the costs of salmon recovery. [Assoc Press]

Oregon Coho Salmon Restoration.

On Feb. 17, 1998, NMFS submitted proposals to the Oregon Salmon Restoration Initiative's special advisory committee for amending the OR Forest Practices Act, that would 1) increase restrictions on logging in riparian zones on private lands along coho salmon spawning streams, 2) prohibit logging on non-fish-bearing streams that flow into spawning streams, and 3) impose additional controls on logging areas prone to landslides. The advisory committee is to provide recommendations to the OR Board of Forestry by fall 1998, with the Board acting on the recommendations by June 1999.

On Mar. 4, 1998, the OR Dept. of Forestry held a hearing on the NMFS proposals, with timber industry officials testifying that the proposed changes would devastate their operations. [Assoc Press]

WA Fish and Wildlife Commission.

In mid-February 1998, the WA Senate voted 26-22 to remove former U.S. Representative Jolene Unsoeld from the nine-member state Fish and Wildlife Commission, as disagreement among commercial, sport, and tribal fishing interests concerning salmon management intensified. Ms.

Unsoeld had been appointed to the Commission by former WA Governor Mike Lowry in 1995, but was never confirmed by the state Senate. [Assoc Press]

Aquaculture and Aquaria

{Chilean Salmon.

On Mar. 12, 1998, a forum, entitled "Fresh Perspectives: A Look at the Salmon Trade Case" and sponsored by the Salmon Trade Alliance, was held at the International Boston Seafood Show, to discuss the trade dispute between the United States and Chile over fresh farmed Atlantic salmon.} [Dow Jones News]

{Splendid Salmon Corp.

On Mar. 9, 1998, Splendid Salmon Corp. announced its plans to open a salmon processing plant and a home meal replacement kitchen in Gloucester, MA. Employing about 60 people, the facility will add value to salmon farmed in ME and New Brunswick, processing as many as 5,000 whole salmon a day and cooking as many as 50,000 fresh salmon meals a day.} [Splendid Salmon Corp. press release]

Cormorant Control.

On Mar. 4, 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a final rule in the Federal Register allowing commercial aquaculture operations to take double-crested cormorants without a Federal migratory bird permit to protect aquaculture stocks. However, any required state permits must be obtained and state regulations must be followed. Lethal control activities can occur only after the FWS has certified that an aquaculture facility has a cormorant depredation problem and that lethal take is necessary to supplement non-lethal harassment. [Fed. Register]

Imported Crawfish Lawsuit.

On Feb. 27, 1998, a seafood distributor filed suit against the LA Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry, claiming the LA agriculture investigators have no legal right to seize imported crawfish allegedly mislabeled to mask its origin. More than 15,000 pounds of crawfish tail meat was seized in January 1998, on the suspicion that Chinese imports were labeled as originating in Singapore to avoid federal antidumping tariffs. A state district judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order to halt Dept. action, and a hearing on a request for a preliminary injunction may be held on Mar. 5, 1998. [Assoc Press]

Freshwater Fisheries

{{Mississippi River Mussel Harvesting Ban.

On Mar. 12, 1998, the IA Natural Resource Commission voted 5-1 to ban commercial harvesting of washboard mussels from the Mississippi River.}} [Assoc Press]

{Underwater Camera Ban.

On Mar. 11, 1998, the MN Senate voted 51-9 to approve an amendment banning the use of underwater video cameras for fishing, during debate prior to passing an omnibus hunting and fishing bill. The MN Dept. of Natural Resources urged approval of the underwater camera ban, fearing anglers would use such equipment to selectively target trophy fish.} [Assoc Press]

{Lake Washington Fish Kill.

On Mar. 10, 1998, boaters on WA's Lake Washington reported {{200-300 dead and dying fish, likely peamouth chub,}} at several locations. Concern was expressed that the initiation of joint U.S.-Canadian earthquake research, the Seismic Hazards Investigations in Puget Sound (SHIPS) project, using airguns. The project started on Lake Washington on this date, reportedly the first time large airguns have been used in freshwater ecosystems.} [Assoc Press]

{Fish Restoration Funds.

On Mar. 5, 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that a total of $272,028,441 in 1997 excise tax revenues had been distributed to states under the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration (Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux) Program. This was slightly less than the $273.2 million distributed last year.} [Fish and Wildlife Service press release]

Battenkill Floater Restrictions?

On Mar. 5, 1998, Friends of the Battenkill has scheduled a community meeting to discuss a proposed petition to the VT Water Resources Board to restrict canoe and inflatable tubes on the Battenkill. Sport anglers and landowners seek to limit the number of floaters on weekends, ban floating altogether on three days (Tuesday through Thursday) each week, and impose user fees of $5 per canoe or inflatable tube on commercial liveries. [Assoc Press]

Sport Fish Restoration Hearing.

The House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans held a hearing on Mar. 3, 1998, on H.R. 2973, proposing to amend the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act.
[personal communication]

Flood Cleanup Damage.

On Mar. 2, 1998, federal Environmental Protection Agency officials wrote a letter to the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, stating that cleanup of flood damage along the Doe River, TN, and tributaries went beyond what was needed or legal under the Clean Water Act without a permit. Bulldozers allegedly removed boulders, damaged fish spawning beds, widened and straightened streams, and stripped streambanks of shading vegetation. A mitigation plan for the damage is being developed. [Assoc Press]

Gulf Sturgeon Critical Habitat.

On Feb. 27, 1988, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NMFS jointly announced that designation of critical habitat for threatened Gulf sturgeon would not increase protection for the species and was not necessary. The agencies were under court order to consider this designation. [Dow Jones News]

FY1999 Budget Hearing.

On Feb. 26, 1998, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the FY1999 budget requests of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. {On Mar. 11, 1998, the House Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies held a hearing on the proposed FY1999 budget for the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.} [personal communication]

Pfiesteria?

In mid-February 1998, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine biotoxin program in Charleston, SC, announced that a test for Pfiesteria toxin in natural waters was ready to undergo field trials. {{On Mar. 12, 1998, scientists with the FL Dept. of Environmental Protection announced that microscopic organisms, capable of causing lesions on fish, had been found in FL's Indian and St. John's Rivers, drainages in the Chesapeake Bay region, and in NC, and were identified as Cryptoperidiniopsis sp.}} [Assoc Press]