Recent Salmon and Fish news on August 1, 1998

A Coho

The following weekly news summary was compiled by the Congressional Research Service from a variety of information sources. New info and changes since 7/24/98 are bracketed {...} New info and changes since 7/30/98 double bracketed {{...}} Cleve Steward

Sustainable Fisheries Foundation

Tel. 425-670-3584

Salmon Along the Pacific Coast
Cattle Grazing Lawsuit Appeal.
Australian Imports of Canadian Salmon.
Timber/Salmon Lawsuit.
Dam Removals.
{Columbia and Snake River Management.
{Draft PALCO HCP.
Beer-Salmon Partnership.
{Salmon in Hot Water.
BC Salmon Management.
AK Salmon Season.
OR Coho Salmon Management.
Pacific Salmon Treaty.

Salmon Along the Pacific Coast

On July 27, 1998, the daily average temperatures of water at Bonneville and McNary Dams on the Columbia River were 74 degrees, well in excess of the 68 degrees required by state and federal regulations.

Meanwhile, the daily average temperature reached 72 degrees at Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River.} [Assoc Press]

Cattle Grazing Lawsuit Appeal.

On July 22, 1998, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, by a 3-0 ruling, overturned a lower court ruling requiring OR ranchers grazing cattle on U.S. Forest Service lands to obtain a state permit under the Clean Water Act to regulate pollution from these cattle on salmon streams. The Appeals Court ruled that states could only require permits for point sources, not non-point agricultural sources. [Assoc Press]

Australian Imports of Canadian Salmon.

On July 22, 1998, Australian officials announced that they would appeal a World Trade Organization (WTO) decision that Australia had acted contrary to its WTO obligations by prohibiting imports of Canadian salmon. [Dow Jones News]

Timber/Salmon Lawsuit.

On July 15, 1998, the Northwest Ecosystem Alliance and Defenders of Wildlife served notice of intent to sue the Dept. of the Interior, Dept. of Commerce, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative over forest protection and timber trade concerns also threatening salmon.

These groups contend that the Softwood Lumber Agreement with Canada is fostering catastrophic deforestation in Canada under minimal environmental restrictions that, in turn, is adversely affecting forest ecosystems, including salmon. [Defenders of Wildlife press release]

Dam Removals.

On July 14, 1998, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt participated in ceremonies to begin the removal of McPherrin Dam and a second dam on Butte Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento River north of Sacramento, CA, to open 20 miles of stream to spring-run chinook salmon spawning. The total project cost is about $9.5 million.

On July 15, 1998, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt participated in ceremonies marking the removal of Jackson Street Dam on Bear Creek, Medford, OR. This irrigation dam blocks chinook salmon access to 20 miles of spawning habitat and increases siltation in this Rogue River tributary. A $1.8 million irrigation diversion completed in 1996 facilitated dam removal. [Assoc Press, Dow Jones News, San Francisco Chronicle]

{Columbia and Snake River Management.

On July 14, 1998, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing on S. 2111, proposing to establish conditions on how the Bonneville Power Administration and other federal agencies can Memoranda of Agreement to manage conservation issues in the Columbia and Snake River drainages.} [Congr. Record]

{Draft PALCO HCP.

On July 13, 1998, NMFS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) for managing endangered and threatened species on CA lands owned by the Pacific Lumber Company (PALCO). A 90-day public comment period was announced in the Federal Register. Federal and CA purchase of the redwoods in the Headwaters Forest is contingent upon successful completion of this HCP by March 1999.} [personal communication]

Beer-Salmon Partnership.

On July 13, 1998, Big Rock Brewery Ltd. (Calgary, Alberta) announced its partnership with BC's Pacific Salmon Foundation, donating a portion of sales revenue from a specialty beer, Chinook Pale Ale, for local community programs benefitting salmon restoration. [Big Rock Brewery/Pacific Salmon Foundation press release]

{Salmon in Hot Water.

Between July 11 and July 14, 1998, about 4% of the 1 million fall chinook salmon juveniles passing through the collection system at McNary Dam died, likely from conditions related to elevated water temperatures.

Meanwhile, the daily average temperature reached 72 degrees at Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River.} [Assoc Press]

BC Salmon Management.

On July 8, 1998, Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans managers announced the closing of the Fraser River and Georgia Strait to fishing to protect early Stuart River sockeye salmon, due to low water levels and high water temperatures. Preliminary counts indicate this population may be significantly lower this year than the 175,000 fish predicted earlier.

On July 13, 1998, DFO officials estimated that 15,000 sockeye salmon have been illegally caught from the Early Stuart run in the previous three weeks, with 51 illegal nets identified in the Fraser River.

Controversy has arisen over aboriginal rights to take fish for food and ceremonial purposes as opposed to federal conservation concerns.

On July 15, 1998, DFO officials announced additional closures to reduce the sport catch of Early Stuart run sockeye salmon, after Native protests.

On July 16, 1998, officials of the Ucluelet First Nation announced that they would go fishing regardless of regulations to protest what they consider biased fishery policy inequitably benefitting sport anglers.

On July 17, 1998, officials of BC's Sport Fishing Advisory Board called for a complete ban on all sockeye salmon fishing in portions of Johnstone Strait to protect early Stuart run sockeye salmon returning to the Fraser River. {As of the July 20, 1998 application deadline, an estimated 1,200 BC commercial salmon fishermen (about 40% of the fleet) had agreed to accept federal payment of C$6,500 to not fish this year.

On July 24, 1998, members of Stolo First Nation continued their protest fishery for sockeye salmon on the Fraser River, saying the sockeye were for elders who rely on these fish for food.} [Assoc Press, Canadian Press, Sport Fishing Advisory Board press release]

AK Salmon Season.

As of July 2, 1998, only about 2.5 million of a projected 30 million sockeye salmon had returned to AK's Bristol Bay drainages, suggesting a low return for the second year in a row. As of July 4, no fishing had yet been allowed in three of the five management districts and only about 1.9 million sockeye had been caught. As of July 6, 1998, commercial fishermen on the lower Yukon River had harvested only a third of the average catch of king (chinook) salmon, the lowest total catch since statehood in 1959.

On July 6, 1998, AK Governor Tony Knowles formed a cabinet-level task force to investigate the economic impact of poor salmon returns in the Kuskokwim River, Bristol Bay, and Yukon River. This task force is scheduled to tour western AK from July 14-17, 1998, and will report to the governor by July 20. As of July 8, 1998, AK fishery managers reported the return of sockeye salmon to Bristol Bay was the lowest its ever been recorded; a total of about 4.6 million sockeye had been caught and the revised catch estimate was reduced from 21 million fish to 10.7 million fish. {As of July 22, 1998, about 9.6 million sockeye had been caught in Bristol Bay fisheries.

On July 27, 1998, the AK Dept. of Fish & Game (ADF&G) issued emergency restrictions on Kenai River sport fishing to assure that more sockeye salmon escape to spawn. Commercial fishing on Kenai-bound sockeye in Cook Inlet was closed on July 24. The sockeye return was reported as one of the poorest seen in recent years.

On July 28, 1998, sockeye returns to the Kenai River were about 134,000 fish less than the 550,000 fish escapement goal, and ADF&G officials suggested that all sport fishing may be banned if more sockeye do not return.

On July 28, 1998, ADF&G biologists predicted the return of Kodiak Island pink salmon could be 14 million fish, exceeding the preseason forecast of 9 million fish.} {{On July 30, 1998, AK Governor Tony Knowles declared western AK a disaster area and outlined a $19 million aid program for communities and fishermen.}} [Assoc Press, Anchorage Daily News]

OR Coho Salmon Management.

On July 2, 1998, Judge Janice M. Stewart was scheduled to decide whether NMFS can delay the coho listing decision until the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on any appeal NMFS may file. On July 3, 1998, Judge Stewart denied OR's request for a stay of the Aug. 3 deadline for NMFS decision on listing pending an appeal. Subsequently, NMFS officials stated that they appeared to have little choice but to list OR coastal coho salmon as a threatened species. OR officials announced that they plan to ask the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals if it will stay the Aug. 3 deadline pending decision on an appeal.

In mid-July 1998, the U.S. Dept. of Justice filed an appeal of U.S. Magistrate Janice Stewart's June 1 ruling against NMFS's decision not to list coastal coho salmon under the Endangered Species Act. {{On July 30, 1998, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that NMFS cannot legally delay its decision on whether to list OR coho salmon as threatened beyond the District Court's Aug. 3, 1998 deadline.}} [Assoc Press, Dow Jones News]

Pacific Salmon Treaty.

On July 1, 1998, some BC commercial fishermen suggested that they might consider blocking the Alaska Highway in protest.

On July 2, 1998, BC commercial fishermen announced that they are abandoning plans to disrupt the Nanoose torpedo test range or blockade the Alaska Highway and will conduct more peaceful protests.

On July 3, 1998, Canadian and WA state officials announced a one-year interim agreement on sharing the Fraser River sockeye salmon harvest, with WA state fishermen limited to a five-week fishing season for a maximum of 24.9% of the total estimated allowable catch of 5.37 million fish.

On July 3, 1998, U.S. Dept. of State officials announced that the United States and Canada have agreed to prohibit commercial salmon fishing in disputed waters Dixon Entrance waters along the U.S.-Canadian maritime boundary between southeast AK and BC; discussions are scheduled to continue through July 8 on possible additional measures to address BC coho salmon concerns.

On July 9, 1998, U.S. and Canadian officials announced that discussions between Canada and Alaska on managing the 1998 salmon harvest had collapsed without an agreement on coho salmon. AK officials reported that AK's offer included a proposal to reduce by 75% to 80% the Noyes Island purse seine interception of sockeye salmon bound for BC's Nass and Skeena Rivers and a proposal to prohibit chum salmon fishing in Portland Canal due to conservation concerns. However, Canadian officials believed AK's proposals provided insufficient assurance that coho salmon interception would be reduced, and suggested that an independent objective expert be retained to review coho salmon science and management.

On July 14, 1998, AK Dept. of Fish and Game (ADF&G) officials announced that, in response to Canadian information, they were reducing AK fishing effort on sockeye salmon to increase protection for fish heading for BC's Skeena and Nass Rivers. ADF&G did not reopen a Noyes Island purse seine fishery and reduced the fishing period in the Tree Point gillnet fishery. On July 14, 1998, BC Premier Glen Clark released a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien asking for 1) direct intervention with President Clinton, 2) imposition of transit fees on U.S. salmon vessels transiting Canadian waters, and 3) federal participation in a C$300 million BC lawsuit against U.S. fishing. [Wall Street Journal, Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans press release, Assoc Press, Reuters, White House press release, ADF&G press release]