The following weekly news summary was compiled by the Congressional Research Service from a variety of information sources. New info and changes since 3/5/99 are bracketed {...} New info and changes since 3/11/99 double-bracketed {{...}}
Cleve Steward
Sustainable Fisheries Foundation
Tel. 425-670-3584
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On Apr. 7, 1999, the Senate Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior and the House Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior have tentatively scheduled a joint field hearing in WA state on funding for salmon recovery programs.}}[Assoc Press]
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On Mar. 16, 1999, NMFS is expected to announce the listing of 9 populations of Pacific Northwest salmon and steelhead trout as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
In March 1998, a total of 11 populations were proposed for listing as threatened, with an additional 2 populations proposed for listing as endangered.}}[Assoc Press]
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On Mar. 11, 1999, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans has scheduled a hearing on reauthorization of the Yukon River Salmon Act. [personal communication]
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In early March 1999, the Canadian Fishing Co. (Canfisco) announced that it had purchased the remaining fishing assets, including the operating assets of B.C. Packers Ltd., being sold by George Weston Ltd. With the completion of this transaction, Canfisco will own about 25% of the vessels and licenses in the British Columbia seine fleet. Canfisco also acquires B.C. Packers' fish processing plants in AK.}[National Post]
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On Mar. 4, 1999, an overturned tanker truck spilled about 5,000 gallons of gasoline into Beaver Creek, a tributary of the Warm Springs River, OR.
In addition to being a major spawning ground for wild chinook salmon, the spill occurred about 25 miles upstream of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Warm Springs Hatchery. To avoid a fish kill at the hatchery, FWS officials released 750,000 yearling chinook to swim downstream, and transferred another 830,000 sub-yearling spring chinook to a state hatchery. Effects of the spill on wild spring chinook and bull trout are unknown. [Portland Oregonian]
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On Mar. 3, 1999, a coalition of sport anglers and environmentalists filed suit in U.S. District Court (San Francisco, CA), seeking to force NMFS to list southern OR and northern CA steelhead trout as a threatened species. {{NMFS decided not to list this population because of recovery efforts underway by OR and CA.}}[Contra Costa Times, Assoc Press]
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On Mar. 2, 1999, Pacific Lumber, the state of CA, and the U.S. Government reached agreement on a $480 million plan ($250 million in federal funds) to preserve habitat in the Headwaters Forest, CA.
This agreement provides for government purchase of 7,500 acres of redwood forest and commits Pacific Lumber to compliance with terms of a habitat conservation plan when logging 210,000 acres of nearby land. Together, these achievements promote healthy streamside habitat and protect coho salmon from sediment damage by prohibiting logging in stream buffer zones and areas prone to landslides. [NOAA press release, Dept. of the Interior press release]
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On Mar. 1, 1999, the AK Dept. of Fish and Game (ADF&G) released a 9-page white paper on Atlantic salmon outlining concerns over the potential harmful effects of non-native Atlantic salmon on wild salmon stocks. AK officials expressed concern over the possible lifting of the moratorium on expanding salmon farms into northern British Columbia.
ADF&G's white paper includes several recommendations for reducing the threat to wild salmon from Atlantic salmon farming. [ADF&G press release]
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In late February 1999, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, NMFS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Recla mation, and CA Dept. of Fish and Game agreed in principle to pursue a project in the Battle Creek watershed in Shasta and Tehama Counties, CA. The proposed project includes decommissioning 5 diversion dams and transferring their water rights to instream use as well as screenign and enlarging ladders at 3 other diversion dams. This project anticipates restoring 42 miles of chinook salmon and steelhead trout habitat. [Environment News Service]
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In late February 1999, the World Commission on Dams, meeting in Capetown, South Africa, decided to include Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in an independent study, due to be completed in June 2000, of 10 major world dams for impacts on people, the environment, and economies as well as impacts on sustainable development. [Environment News Service]
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On Feb. 24, 1999, a coalition of environmental organizations, the Oregon Pesticide Education Network, released a report reviewing recent scientific literature and concluding that even minute amounts of some pesticides in waterways can disrupt the life cycle of salmon by harming immune systems, altering reproductive systems, and disrupting a juvenile salmon's ability to swim. The coalition seeks to encourage passage of legislation similar to CA's pesticide reporting program. [Portland Oregonian]
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On Feb. 23, 1999, AK Governor Tony Knowles and WA Governor Gary Locke announced that they are optimistic over renegotiating a Pacific Salmon Treaty with Canada and are desirous of breaking the logjam that has impeded negotiations.
In late February 1999, Clinton Administration officials were reported as planning to name a new mediator for Treaty negotiations by late April 1999. [Portland Oregonian, MSNBC, Canadian Press]
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On Feb. 23, 1999, the World Trade Organization's appointed Arbitrator reported a decision that the reasonable period of time for implementing Dispute Settlement Board recommendations allowing entry of Canadian salmon into Australia was 8 months, or by July 6, 1999. [personal communication]
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On Feb. 23, 1999, Snohomish County officials released details of a plan to protect and restore chinook salmon spawning grounds.
The plan, part of a joint effort with King and Pierce Counties emphasizing preservation of existing habitat and restoration of damaged habitat, outlines more than 60 projects to be conducted in the next 2 years. County officials, in mid-February 1999, wrote to WA state officials asking for $100 million to pay for stream restoration, sewer and stormwater improvements, and land purchases. The County Council is scheduled to vote on the plan on Mar. 1, 1999. Twelve other Puget Sound counties are expected to also submit recovery plans to NMFS by Mar. 15, 1999.
In late February 1999, Seattle officials estimated that $255 million will need to be expended over 50 years to restore chinook salmon and their habitat in the city and along river's supplying the city's water and power.
On Mar. 1, 1999, Bellevue City Council approved $3.2 million in conservation measures to benefit chinook salmon.
Elements include reductions in water use, increased development setbacks from rivers and streams, and habitat restoration activities.
On Mar. 2, 1999, NMFS and FWS officials were reported to have agreed in principle to write regulations for new species listings that would authorize local salmon and trout conservation programs meeting federal standards. Negotiations were to begin on Mar. 3, 1999, on regulations to establish standards for federal approval of state programs. [Seattle Herald, Seattle Times]
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On Feb. 22, 1999, the Governors of AK, WA, and OR met with Vice President Gore to discuss the proposed $100 million Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, expressing concern that states control how the funds are spent. The governors reportedly told Clinton Administration officials that they seek $200 million from the federal government for a West Coast salmon initiative. [MSNBC, Portland Oregonian]
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On Feb. 17, 1999, the AK Board of Fisheries began 2 weeks of meetings in Soldotna to consider revisions to management measures for Cook Inlet salmon fisheries for the 1999 season. Beginning with 4 days of public comment, significant controversy surrounds the allocation of sockeye salmon harvest between sport and commercial fishermen.
On Feb. 22, 1999, the AK Board of Fisheries revised the Upper Cook Inlet Salmon Management Plan to remove language providing a that late-run Kenai River sockeye salmon would be managed primarily for commercial fishing and that late-run Kenai River king salmon would be managed primarily for sport fishing. The Board's intent is to have specific management objectives included in subplans for individual fisheries. [Anchorage Daily News, MSNBC]
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