The following weekly news summary was compiled by the Congressional Research Service from a variety of information sources. New info and changes since 4/26/99 are bracketed {...} New info and changes since 4/29/99 are double-bracketed {{...}}
Cleve Steward Sustainable Fisheries Foundation Tel. 425-670-3584
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 28, 1999, President Clinton named Lloyd N. Cutler as Senior Representative on Pacific Salmon, with responsibility for coordinating U.S. strategy on Pacific salmon and liaison between state governors, tribal governments, and Congress as well as assisting U.S.
Negotiator James Pipkin and Deputy Negotiator Larry Rutter.} [White House press release, Portland Oregonian]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 28, 1999, Common Sense for Salmon Recovery, a coalition of WA state associations for builders, farmers, and cattlemen, announced that it was filing suit in Washington, DC, federal court against NMFS, contending that recent 1999 salmon listings under the Endangered Species Act relied too much on habitat concerns and not enough on salmon harvest restrictions.} {{The coalition argues that NMFS is wrong in not counting hatchery fish that return to Pacific northwest rivers.}} [Assoc Press, Seattle Times]
{{Water Skiing a Threat to Salmon? On Apr. 27, 1999, Mountlake Terrace, WA, officials canceled permission for the International Water Ski Organization's fourth annual competition on Lake Ballinger scheduled for June 1999, fearing internal combustion engines from the boats could degrade water quality and harm chinook salmon. Others fear that sediment suspended by boat motors in the shallow lake harms gravel spawning beds in connected streams. Others suggest salmon cannot migrate upstream to Lake Ballinger because of clogged culverts.}} [Seattle Times]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 23, 1999, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson was quoted as saying that Canadians have been too rigid in negotiations with the United States over salmon. Mr. Anderson concluded that failure to compromise had disadvantaged Canada. Canadian fishermen claimed the Canadian government was not balancing conservation with the economic needs of fishermen. [Canadian Press]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 21, 1999, a Canadian surveillance flight observed a foreign fishing boat and 10 miles of driftnet in international waters about 420 miles southwest of Attu Island, AK. The U.S.
Coast Guard was notified, and the cutter Rush was dispatched. The vessel Lobana was intercepted and boarded, with 6 tons of salmon found onboard.
Since the vessel had Russian registration papers, Russian enforcement authorities were notified and arrived to escort the vessel to Russian waters for investigation. Subsequently, the cutter Rush intercepted and boarded the Chinese vessel Yng Fa, where they found 6 tons of salmon. The Chinese vessel may be escorted to Attu, where it would be released to Chinese authorities.}} [Seattle Times]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 21, 1999, Dept. of Energy engineers unveiled a synthetic, rubber salmon replica crammed with sensors that will be sent through the turbines at McNary Dam in May 1999 to better measure how salmon are affected by passage through hydroelectric facilities. This is part of a 5-year, $8 million program to make hydropower dams more fish-friendly. [Assoc Press]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 14, 1999, Federal District Court Judge Oliver Wanger ruled that San Joaquin Valley farmers right to Central Valley project water are protected as much as fish. Thus the Bureau of Reclamation could begin its 12-year Vernalis Adaptive Management Plan on Apr. 17, 1999, to protect juvenile chinook salmon as long as any farm water taken in excess of the amount set aside for environmental restoration is replaced. Future hearings before Judge Wanger will determine whether this limit has been exceeded. The Vernalis Plan includes reducing water pumping in the south Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta for 31 days in the spring, providing more water in spring to help young chinook salmon migrate downstream, and constructing a temporary barrier in the south delta to prevent salmon from migrating toward pumps. This Plan must still be approved by the State Water Resources Control Board. Under the Plan, water agencies will study salmon migrations under different flow conditions to determine what timing and amounts help fish most. [The Fresno Bee, The Modesto Bee]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 10, 1999, Dept. of Energy Secretary Bill Richardson announced a proposal to transfer management of 90,000 acres along the north shore of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for designation as a National Wildlife Refuge. [DOE press release]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 9, 1999, the Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to compromise and adopt moderate fishing restrictions on salmon, with sport fishermen allowed 15,000 hatchery-bred coho salmon off the central OR coast, with widespread requirements that all unmarked wild coho salmon be released. [Assoc Press]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 7, 1999, the Senate Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior and the House Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior held a 5-hour joint field hearing in WA state on funding for salmon recovery programs. [Assoc Press, Seattle Herald]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 6, 1999, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held an oversight field hearing in Hood River, OR, on the process for determining the future of the 4 lower Snake River dams.
On Apr. 15, 1999, NMFS released a draft scientific analysis on options for recovery of ESA-listed salmon along the Snake River.
Under certain assumptions, NMFS concludes that drawdown or breaching of the 4 lower Snake River dams may be the most :risk-averse" alternative. However, significant uncertainties are associated with their projections, and the report does not recommend a preferred course of action nor does it reflect a policy decision. The report "An Assessment of Lower Snake River Hydrosystem Alternatives on Survival and Recovery of Snake River Salmonids" is available at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov. {On May 27, 1999, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans has scheduled a hearing on H.Con.Res. 63, expressing the sense of the Congress opposing removal of dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers for fishery restoration purposes.} [NOAA press release, Assoc Press, personal communication]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 6, 1999, local government officials held a press conference, accusing the Governor and state legislators of not providing anticipated and intended funding for salmon restoration.
On Apr.
13, 1999, at the invitation of Governor Locke, NMFS officials met with WA Senate and House Committees and noted that the Endangered Species Act leaves NMFS no option but to protect growing number of salmon runs listed under this Act, implying that, unless WA state takes strong action to revise state water law, NMFS is likely to impose stringent measures to protect salmon.
{On Apr. 25, 1999, the WA Legislature adjourned, with the bill to rewrite water policy to benefit salmon restoration failing to be enacted. Governor Locke has called for a several-day long special session beginning May 10, 1999, to consider several measures, including one offering timber taxation and regulatory concessions in exchange for modifications of timber harvesting practices to benefit salmon.} [Seattle Herald, Seattle Times, Portland Oregonian, Assoc Press]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 5, 1999, NMFS and FWS published notice in the Federal Register proposing, under the Endangered Species Act, a threatened listing of southwestern WA/Columbia River coastal cutthroat trout in WA and OR, and delisting of Umpqua River cutthroat trout in OR as endangered. The Umpqua River cutthroat are part of the larger threatened subpopulation proposed for listing. [Fed. Register]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
From Apr. 1 through May 22, 1999, more than 30 northern CA rivers are to be closed by the CA Dept. of Fish and Game for the first time to all fishing to protect threatened outmigrating steelhead trout. [Assoc Press]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 14, 1999, the ME Dept. of Marine Resources is scheduled to hold a public hearing in Mount Desert on a proposal, including a 10-year lease, by Atlantic Salmon of Maine LLC of Fairfield, to rear 500,000 Atlantic salmon in 16 pens on a 15-acre tract off Bartlett Island. [Bangor Daily News]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
Apr. 6, 1999 was the deadline for tuna feedlot operators on South Australia's Lower Eyre Peninsula to remove 42 new feedlots that had been completed without final approval. Operators could be forced to release 2,000 metric tons of tuna, valued at A$45 million, unless a bulk sale is negotiated with Japanese buyers. [Australian Broadcasting Corp.]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 6, 1999, controversy arose when New Zealand's Green Party released information that a public relations firm working for a New Zealand salmon aquaculture firm was trying to suppress information that the aquaculture operation was developing genetically engineered salmon. [South China Morning Post]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 1, 1999, the WA Pollution Control Hearing Board ruled that the WA Dept. of Ecology cannot ignore the chance that Atlantic salmon escaping from fish farms might propagate in Puget Sound streams, and directed the Dept. of Ecology to review evidence of Atlantic salmon reproduction in the wild on the Pacific Coast and take action as needed on permit renewals for salmon net pen operators. [Assoc Press]
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New
On Apr. 27, 1999, protesters in Duluth, MN, sought to direct attention to their concern that the WI Dept. of Natural Resources' plan to remove Northern States Power Co.'s Orienta Dam on the Iron River to allow upstream access for spawning salmon and trout from Lake Superior would allow lamprey, ruffe, and other non-native species to invade this drainage. Protesters also expressed concern that non-native salmon and steelhead trout might harm native trout. Dept. of Natural Resources officials have agreed to install a lamprey barrier.} [Assoc Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New In late April 1999, Senate Bill 445 cleared the MT legislature and was presented to Governor Marc Racicot for signature. This measure attempts to ease overcrowding of trout fishermen in MT's Beaverhead and Big Hole Rivers by developing long-term recreational plans for the rivers. An amendment specifies that any reductions in use must come first from commercial or non-resident users before reductions are imposed on MT residents.} [Assoc Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On Apr. 20, 1999, Plumas County and the city of Portola, CA, received $4.5 million as part of a settlement arising from the CA Dept. of Fish and Game's poisoning of Lake Davis in October 1997 to kill illegally introduced northern pike. The settlement responded to assertions that poisoning ruined the area's tourist economy and tainted Portola's drinking water source. An additional amount in excess of $4 million has been earmarked to settle about 130 personal claims, mainly for businesses who were harmed by the tourism decline. [Assoc Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On Apr. 11, 1999, about 100 people blockaded a Manitoba Hydro generating station, protesting declining fish stocks in northern Lake Winnipeg. Commercial fishermen claim a dam constructed in the 1960s destroyed the fish spawning areas, and believe they should be compensated for the loss. Protestors claimed the government had not listened to their concerns. Although residents received a C$5.5 million settlement in 1992, a C$24.9 million lawsuit was filed against Manitoba Hydro in 1998. [Canadian Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On Apr. 8, 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the bull trout as threatened in the Jarbidge River basin of NV and ID under the Endangered Species Act. This population had been temporarily listed as endangered on an emergency basis in August 1998. [Assoc Press, Fed. Register]
This page created and maintained by Chehalis River Council
FRESHWATER FISHERIES
{Dam Removal Protest.
{River-Crowding Bill.
Lake Davis Settlement.
Manitoba Fishing Blockade.
Bull Trout.
br> Back to Whats New Index Page
Back to CRC Index Page
Back to Fish News Index Page
Send comments or questions to the: Chehalis River Council