The following weekly news summary was compiled by the Congressional Research Service from a variety of information sources. New info and changes since 5/28/99 are bracketed {...} New info and changes since 6/3/99 are double-bracketed {{...}}
Cleve Steward Sustainable Fisheries Foundation Tel. 425-670-3584
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On May 26, 1999, a 7-member Science Advisory Team appointed by WA Sen. Slade Gorton released a report, concluding that about 100 Puget Sound hatcheries built to offset dwindling wild salmon populations may have contributed to the decline of wild salmon. The Team concluded that reforming and closely monitoring hatchery practices and possibly closing some hatcheries could be a less expensive and faster approach to salmon restoration, and that hatcheries should be evaluated by how many adult fish return. [Seattle Times, Assoc Press]
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On May 26, 1999, the Portland Oregonian reported that Portland General Electric plans to remove 2 OR dams to aid salmon and steelhead trout - the Little Sandy Dam on the Little Sandy River and Marmot Dam on the Sandy River. Removal could begin with a year and make a total of 22 miles of habitat available to spawning fish.
In exchange for dam removal, Portland would receive NMFS approval to use more water from the Bull Run watershed for its municipal drinking water system. [Assoc Press]
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On May 19, 1999, the Northwest Power Planning Council was scheduled to release a report on an 18-month study of Columbia River Basin fish hatcheries, recommending that Congress require basic changes in the system to halt the decline of salmon and steelhead trout. Specific recommendations reportedly include an end to federal funding of hatcheries that fail to meet goals promoting salmon restoration while protecting wild fish stocks. The report also reportedly concludes that changes in hatchery practices have been too slow in coming to protect threatened and endangered native fish. [Assoc Press]
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In mid-May 1999, a British Columbia fisheries officer cited a U.S. cable TV fishing show host for unethical fishing for salmon in BC's Kitimat River. After a fish had been caught, it was released so that it could be filmed as it was landed again. [Canadian Press]
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On May 12, 1999, legal counsel for ID's Nez Perce tribe announced that an electric utility company had agreed to pay the tribe $39 million to settle a loss of fishing rights granted the tribe 144 years ago. This settles a 1991 lawsuit filed by the tribe, claiming damages for salmon and steelhead trout losses from 2 dams constructed in the Clearwater River drainage. [Reuters]
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On May 12, 1999, the Roman Catholic bishops of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia are scheduled to release a 55-page "reflection" on the Columbia River watershed and how best to protect its resources, preparatory to release of a pastoral letter on the subject in 2000. The document - http://www.columbiariver.org - views salmon as a sign of the ecological health of the river and the "spiritual vitality" of the watershed. [Assoc Press]
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On May 11, 1999, the board of OR's Emerald People's Utility District became the first utility district to vote in favor of partial removal of Lower Snake River dams as the best way to restore wild salmon and steelhead trout stocks.
On May 27, 1999, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans and Subcommittee on Water and Power have scheduled a joint 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]
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On May 5, 1999, AK Governor Tony Knowles called on Canada to commit to increased habitat conservation measures ("safe passage") in exchange for harvest concessions by AK.
On May 6, 1999, discussions were to resume between Canadian and U.S. negotiators. {On May 27, 1999, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy jointly announced that U.S. and Canadian negotiators were making progress in negotiations on a long-term agreement for salmon management.
On May 28, 1999, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson announced that negotiations this year are relying on the principle of "abundance-based management" in efforts to conclude an agreement. To implement this principle, Canada and U.S. scientists are to engage in joint scientific analysis before agreeing on the basis for an index of abundance.
In late May 1999, four months of technical discussions between U.S. and Canadian officials ended and formal negotiation! s began in Juneau, AK. The negotiations were to resume on June 1.
On May 28, 1999, President Clinton announced his intent to appoint David Benton, currently Deputy Commissioner for Fisheries and International Affairs for the AK Dept. of Fish and Game, as Commissioner of the Pacific Salmon Commission.
On May 31, 1999, the Coastal Communities Network, representing 30 BC communities, sent a 10- point proposal on key negotiating elements to Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson, calling for a reduction of U.S. salmon interceptions and compensation for alleged U.S. overfishing.}
{{On June 3, 1999, U.S. and Canadian officials announced the conclusion of a new agreement using abundance-based fishing regimes to apportion Pacific salmon harvest, covering 12 years for Fraser River sockeye and 10 years for other stocks. New Chapters 1-6 of Annex IV to the Treaty contain most of the agreement. A key element of the agreement is two jointly managed regional trust funds contribute! d by the United States, subject to appropriations, over a 4-year period -- US$75 million for Northern Boundary and Transboundary River restoration and enhancement and US$65 million for Southern Boundary restoration and enhancement, including a buyout of non-Indian U.S. commercial fishing licenses in Puget Sound to decrease the fleet targeting Fraser River sockeye by 40%.
In addition, AK will reportedly reduce its southeast AK troll chinook catch by around 25%. Two types of chinook salmon management will be undertaken -- 1) 3 fisheries will be managed based on the aggregate abundance of chinook present in the fishery, and 2) all others will be managed based on the status of individual stocks or stock groups in the fishery.
In addition, a new bilateral Committee on Scientific Cooperation will be established.}} [Northwest Fishletter, Reuters, Environment News Service, White House press release, Portland Oregonian, Assoc Press, Canadian Press, U.S. Information Agency]
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In early May 1999, WA Governor Gary Locke and state legislators were reportedly close to agreement on creating a board (with 5 voting citizen members plus 5 state agency heads as advisory members) to allocate all state and matching federal funds for salmon restoration projects. Such a "one checkbook" provision is likely to be considered during a mid-May 1999 special session of the WA Legislature.
On May 17, 1999, the WA House passed (69-27) and the WA Senate amended and passed (29-17) a "Forest and Fish Agreement" (SHB 2091) to modify state logging practices on private land, including wider riparian buffer zones, to better protect salmon.
In exchange for habitat measures, the timber industry would be granted a small tax break and would be allowed to operate for 50 years without legal challenge on endangered species grounds if habitat measures were implemented. A House amendment to the bill reportedly would void the Act if AK harvests of Columbia Rive! r wild fish are not reduced by 25% from 1997 harvest levels by Jan. 1, 2005. Subsequently, the Legislature agreed to both SHB 2091 and the citizen-controlled board to coordinate salmon expenditures; both measures await Governor Locke's signature.
On May 25, 1999, Seattle Mayor Paul Schell announced provisions of a proposed $88 million 50-year habitat conservation plan to prohibit logging and designate the entire 90,546-acre Cedar River watershed as an ecological reserve, forgoing access to one-fifth of Seattle's water supply to enhance salmon habitat. [Seattle Herald, Seattle Times, Portland Oregonian, Assoc Press, personal communication]
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On May 3, 1999, the cutter Rush sighted the Russian vessel Tayfun-4 retrieving driftnet 450 miles southwest of Attu. The Tayfun-4 was boarded and held until the Russian patrol vessel Barrs arrived on May 6, 1999, to assume custody. A total of 1,100 salmon were found aboard the Tayfun-4.
On May 7, 1999, the cutter Storis transferred custody of the unregistered, "stateless" Ying Fa to NMFS in Adak.
On May 11, 1999, the U.S. Coast Guard reported that the Russian government had fined the captain ($4,000) and owners ($120,000) of the Lobana for illegal driftnetting. [Seattle Times, personal communication, Reuters, Environment News Service, Canadian Press]
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Officials of Colorado's $93 million Ocean Journey Aquarium announced that this facility is scheduled to open to the public on June 21, 1999. [Denver Rocky Mountain News]
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On May 20, 1999, British Columbia's Fisheries Minister Dennis Streifel announced that the BC government would not lift the 1995 provincial moratorium on additional salmon farming anytime soon. He stated that many problems must be overcome before it would be considered safe to lift the moratorium.
On May 20, 1999, a MarkTrend poll, released by the BC Salmon Farmers Assoc, reportedly indicated that 69% of BC residents supported growth of BC salmon farming, if 49 recommendations identified in a Salmon Aquaculture Review were met, while 13% were opposed. [personal communication, Environment News Service]
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On May 15, 1999, the $40 million Newport (KY) Aquarium opened to the public. [Kentucky Post]
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In mid-May 1999, VA Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries officials dedicated the $2.7 million state-of-the-art Vic Thomas Striped Bass Hatchery on the Staunton (Roanoke) River in Brookneal, VA. The 7,000 sq. foot hatchery is scheduled to produce 20 million to 25 million striped bass fry annually from April through June and then produce catfish from July thorough November. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]
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On May 4, 1999, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking relating to establishing a national program and regulations to better protect the health of farm-raised finfish, assist finfish producers in meeting international trade requirements, and encourage international trade in U.S. aquaculture products. Public comment will be taken until July 6, 1999. [Fed. Register]
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On May 27, 1999, NOAA scientists from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory will present initial photographic evidence at the annual meeting of the International Association for Great Lakes Research in Cleveland, OH, that Lake Michigan zooplankton can develop cancerous tumors. The appearance of tumors in nearshore Lake Michigan zooplankton is suspected to be a recent phenomenon. [NOAA press release]
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In late May 1999, Dept. of the Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt announced his intent to disburse the first $1 million for planning a new federal subsistence fisheries program for AK that will go into effect on Oct. 1, 1999 for nearly 60% of AK's rivers and lakes, unless the AK Legislature takes action to address state Constitution concerns.} [DOI press release] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New In late May 1999, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea released an estimate that the number of wild Atlantic salmon of North American origin has fallen to an all-time low of 80,000 fish. In response, the Atlantic Salmon Federation announced that it will call on the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) to temporarily ban all fishing for this species, when NASCO meets in Ireland in late June 1999.} [Assoc Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On May 22, 1999, a small menhaden fish kill (more than 1,000 fish) was discovered in Broad Creek, a tributary of the Neuse River, NC. Many of the dead fish had open sores, characteristic of Pfiesteria or related organisms. Low dissolved oxygen conditions had been observed in the area for nearly a month.} [Carteret News-Times] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On May 22, 1999, an angler caught a northern pike in Lake Davis, Plumas County, CA, site of the CA Dept. of Fish and Game's $2 million effort (plus $9 million for damage to local businesses) in October 1997 to eradicate this introduced species from the 4,000 acre lake. On May 27, 1999, a second northern pike was discovered by Dept. personnel working at Lake Davis.} [Sacramento Bee] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On May 20, 1999, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater appeared on "CBS News This Morning" to discuss a new federal safe boating initiative aimed at reducing deaths and injuries among recreational boaters. About 800 people died in the United States in 1998 in recreational boating accidents. [National Sea Grant College Program press release] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On May 10, 1999, U.S. Rep. Phil English hosted a conference in Erie, PA, to discuss the potential for locating and reviving blue pike, declared extinct in 1983. Blue pike was a major commercial fish in Lake Erie early in the 20th Century, and may be still living in one of 27 American and Canadian lakes into which this species was transplanted. [Assoc Press, Canadian Press] Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On May 5, 1999, the CA Fish and Game Commission voted against granting an experimental permit to the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations for harvest and control of Chinese mitten crabs. Instead, the Commission urged the CA Dept. of Health Services to expedite testing of mitten crabs to address human health concerns. CA Dept. of Fish and Game managers are to report back to the Commission in August 1999 on Dept. of Health Services progress and successful crab trapping methods. [personal communication]
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{AK Subsistence Fisheries.
{Atlantic Salmon.
{Pfiesteria?
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Blue Pike Conference.
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