Continued from page 2Salmon Along the Pacific Coast
{Tribal Sale of Steelhead. On Aug. 27, 1997, a federal judge approved an agreement between the Oregon Fish Commission and 4 Indian tribes, overturning a 21-year OR state regulation prohibiting non-Indians from buying steelhead trout from tribal fishermen.} [Assoc Press] .
{{Snake River Sockeye. As of Aug. 12, 1997, a total of 22 sockeye had been observed passing upstream of Lower Granite Dam, about 10-times last year's return. It was not clear what proportion of these fish were wild sockeye and how many were products of the NMFS captive broodstock program.}} [NW Fishletter No. 41] .
{Steelhead ESA Listing. On Aug. 11, 1997, NMFS announced that 5 populations of western steelhead trout would be listed under the Endangered Species Act -- two as endangered (upper Columbia River in WA and southern CA) and three as threatened (Snake River Basin, central CA coast, and southcentral CA coast). These listings will become effective in 60 days. Decisions on listing 5 additional western steelhead populations was deferred for 6 months, to address scientific disagreement on their status.} [Assoc Press] .
{Salmon River Rafting Restrictions. On Aug. 11, 1997, managers of the Sawtooth National Forest, ID, imposed restrictions on rafters and kayakers floating the Salmon River. Rafters and kayakers will have to carry their boats around certain sections of the River to avoid disturbing spawning chinook salmon. In late August 1997, the U.S. Forest Service closed a portion of the Salmon River to public float trips until further notice after determining that travel restrictions through sensitive salmon spawning areas were being ignored. Commercial float operations have been abiding by regulations and will be allowed continued use of the River.} [Assoc Press] .
{Secretary Babbitt on Salmon. On Aug. 10, 1997, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt was reported to have met with official of Northwest Indian tribes in Portland, OR, to express frustration over the failure of efforts to restore and recover Columbia River basin salmon stocks. While Secretary Babbitt indicated that he would ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to direct more attention to tribal concerns, tribal officials expressed concern with the limit on Bonneville Power Administration's salmon recovery expenditures.} [Assoc Press] .
{Fraser River Protest. During a protest fishery staged by Canadian non-Native commercial fishermen against Canadian Indian commercial fishermen on the Fraser River on Aug. 9, 1997, two boats were seized by Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans enforcement officers. The event was staged to protest what were perceived as inequitable opportunities to fish.} [Assoc Press] .
{Sacramento River Pumping Plant. On Aug. 8, 1997, ground was broken for a $11 million pumping plant and fish screen project near Glenn, CA, on the Sacramento River. This cooperative federal, state, and local project will replace three existing major water diversions with one consolidated, screened plant.} [Dow Jones News] .
Savage Rapids Dam. On Aug. 5, 1997, the Grants Pass Irrigation District's board of trustees voted 3-1 to spend an estimated $13.5 million to remove the Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue River, OR and replace it with pumps. [Assoc Press] .
NPPC Meetings. On Aug. 5, 1997, OR Gov. John Kitzhaber's chief salmon advisor Jim Martin told the Northwest Power Planning Council (NPPC) that a 4-state plan to recovery salmon was necessary to avoid continued failure in the Columbia River basin. On Aug. 6, 1997, the NPPC was reported to have conceded that it had failed to restore Columbia Basin salmon, and listened to recommendations by scientific staff on how to improve the effectiveness of fishery programs funded by the Bonneville Power Administration. {On Aug. 26, 1997, the NPPC met in Spokane, WA, to receive and consider cost estimates for removal of the four lower Snake River dams or John Dan Dam on the Columbia River. Estimates prepared by NPPC staff indicated that Bonneville Power Administration would lose generating capacity and revenue but could survive.} [Assoc Press] .
Elliott Bay Chinook Fishery. In early August 1997, Muckleshoot tribal officials wrote the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife seeking additional restrictions on the Elliott Bay chinook salmon sport fishery, claiming the run to the Green River was 27% smaller than predicted. The tribe is concerned that harvest of wild chinook will threaten the population necessary to sustain the Green River run. {On Aug. 11, 1997, the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife excluded all sport fishing boats from Elliott Bay until Sept. 15, 1997, to protect Green River salmon.} [Assoc Press] .
AK Pink Salmon Price. On July 30, 1997, commercial salmon seiners from False Pass to Cordova, AK, remained in port, refusing to accept a price as low as $0.05 per pound for pink salmon. Kodiak seiners initiated the protest earlier in the week, after the United Seiners Association had little success in obtaining processor commitments to a minimum price of $0.15 per pound. On Aug. 1, 1997, a second salmon buyer in the Kodiak area signed an agreement with the United Seiners Assoc. for a minimum base price of $0.15 per pound for pink salmon; the first contract was obtained on July 28. Fishermen are fishing on a rotation basis until sufficient contracts are received to permit a completely open fishery. On Aug. 6, 1997, Kodiak fishermen agreed to resume fishing after 3 processors agreed to a minimum price of $0.12 per pound for pink salmon. {On Aug. 7, 1997, southeast Alaska purse seine fishermen reached similar price agreements with processors (base price of $0.12 per pound, with an additional $0.03 per pound for refrigerated fish and a sliding scale share of later profits), and prepared to resume fishing on Aug. 9.} [Assoc Press] .
Wild Coho Salmon. On July 29, 1997, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled the NMFS acted properly in accepting OR's coho salmon recovery program, and not immediately listing OR coho salmon as endangered or threatened. In addition, Judge Illston ordered the case moved from San Francisco to Portland, where the Portland court will decide whether OR's recovery plan is sufficient to restore coho salmon populations. [Assoc Press, NMFS press release] .
Port of Seattle Salmon? In late July 1997, Port of Seattle commissioners voted 3-2 to spend as much as $300,000 for feasibility and environmental studies to create an artificial salmon stream and spawning area in downtown Seattle, WA, for shared educational and conservation objectives. Private funding is expected to cover construction costs. [Assoc Press] .
Salmon/Steelhead at Bonneville Dam. In late July 1997, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began efforts to release an undetermined number of salmon and steelhead trout that may have become trapped beneath the fish ladder near the Bonneville Dam's powerhouse on the WA side of the river. Debris from heavy spring runoff had ripped holes in gratings allowing fish to become trapped. Some biologists estimate as many as 1,000 fish may be trapped. In addition, the Corps has been asked by federal, state, and tribal managers to shut down the dam's second powerhouse for several weeks so that debris can be removed to clear the fish passage system before the peak steelhead/fall chinook run arrives. However, the Corps contends that pumping water from the fish passage system and subsequent debris removal could not be completed in time to benefit this year's fish. On Aug. 4, 1997, Corps officials announced that fish passage facilities had been repaired and would be reopened on Aug. 5; few trapped fish were found. [Assoc Press] .
Columbia River Flow Management. In late July 1997, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced that it would begin spilling water at Grand Coulee Dam, WA, and Hungry House Dam, MT, in order to meet NMFS flow objectives for the Columbia River. [Dow Jones News] .
NMFS Oversight Hearing. On July 24, 1997, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans held an oversight hearing to review the authority and decision-making processes for Columbia River salmon management by NMFS's Northwest Region. A continuation of this hearing is scheduled on Aug. 15, 1997, in Boise, ID. [Congr. Record, personal communication] .
Cook Inlet Salmon Fishery. On July 23, 1997, AK Fish and Wildlife Protection officers began boarding 41 gillnet vessels alleged to have been fishing for sockeye salmon beyond the legal 3-mile limit in Cook Inlet. Charges are pending for 15 vessels, while 26 were charged with misdemeanor counts of fishing in closed waters. [Assoc Press] .
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