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Salmon Along the Pacific Coast
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{FERC Hearing. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Water and Power has tentatively scheduled a hearing on Oct. 30, 1997, to review the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's hydroelectric relicensing procedures.} [personal communication]
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{Salmon Spawn Protection. On Oct. 19, 1997, Bonneville Power Administration will begin an annual month-long procedure wherein outflow is reduced from Grand Coulee reservoir to lower Columbia River water levels and force salmon to spawn in deeper waters. This reduces the likelihood that developing eggs and juvenile salmon could be harmed by lower waters in spring. This operation also reduces the available hydropower supply.} [Assoc Press]
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{{BC Salmon Allocation. On Oct. 16, 1997, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson announced that consultations on equitable allocation of Pacific salmon harvest among commercial, recreational, and aboriginal constituencies would begin after the conclusion of the 1997 salmon season. Retired BC Supreme and Appeals Court judge Samuel Toy will be Mr. Anderson's independent advisor working with stakeholders and is tentatively scheduled to report to the Minister by mid-February 1998.}} [Assoc Press]
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Lower Granite Dam Salmon Bypass. On Oct. 9, 1997, the Army Corps of Engineers announced that a $11.2 million contract had been awarded for construction of a salmon bypass screen for Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River. This "behavioral guidance structure" prototype would be designed to direct juvenile salmon to surface collectors and away from dam turbines. Construction of the 1,100-foot structure is due to be completed by Apr. 1, 1998, and will then undergo a year or more of testing to determine its effectiveness. [Assoc Press]
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NPPC Project Review. On Oct. 7, 1997, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission wrote to the NPPC protesting the harsh review received by proposed tribal salmon programs. On Oct. 8, 1997, the NPPC sent a letter to 3 Cabinet Secretaries and several federal agencies urging that these entities join the NPPC in financing a coordinated review of all hatchery facilities in the Columbia River basin. [Assoc Press, NPPC Congressional Update, NPPC news release]
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Salmon River Rafting Restrictions. On Oct. 6, 1997, the U.S. Forest Service reopened the upper Salmon River, ID, to outfitted float trips; the river remains closed to private kayakers and rafters. [Assoc Press]
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Pacific Salmon Treaty. On Oct. 1, 1997, a British Columbian member of the Canadian Parliament was removed from the House of Commons after accusing Fisheries Minister David Anderson of treason. On Oct. 2, 1997, Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy met with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to affirm a commitment to make the discussions between envoys productive. On Oct. 6, 1997, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson stated that it was doubtful that the Canadian federal government would join British Columbia's lawsuit against Alaska over alleged overfishing of salmon. {A preliminary progress report by U.S. and Canadian special envoys to President Clinton and Prime Minister Chretien has been tentatively scheduled for Nov. 19, 1997, during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Vancouver, BC. On Oct. 15, 1997, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson announced C$2.7 million was to be provided by the Canadian federal government for habitat restoration and salmon enhancement in Port Alberni, Port Hardy, Port McNeill, and Courtenay, BC.} [Assoc Press, Reuters, Dow Jones News]
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Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon. On Sept. 30, 1997, AK Governor Tony Knowles formally requested that the Clinton Administration declare the 1997 Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run a disaster. Gov. Knowles requested federal assistance (unemployment assistance and Small Business Administration loans) to ease economic dislocation in the Bristol Bay area. [Assoc Press]
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WA Hatchery Closures. On Sept. 30, 1997, WA Dept. of Fish and Game officials announced that three Columbia River salmon and steelhead hatcheries would be closed and the output of other hatcheries reduced if FY1998 federal funding under the Mitchell Act is reduced as suggested by NMFS officials. [Assoc Press]
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Cushman Project Lawsuit. On Sept. 23, 1997, the Skokomish Indian Tribe filed suit against the City of Tacoma, WA, seeking $100 million for damages to salmon and steelhead trout by the Cushman hydroelectric project on the North Fork of the Skokomish River. [Assoc Press]
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Snake River Sockeye. As of Sept. 23, 1997, none of the 24 endangered sockeye salmon reported as having passed Lower Granite Dam in August 1997, had been detected arriving at Redfish Lake, ID. [Assoc Press]
. Aquaculture and Aquaria
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Norwegian Salmon. On Sept. 29, 1997, the EU Council approved regulations establishing "residual" antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of farmed salmon from Norway from companies not adhering to the agreed minimum price; these regulations entered into force on Oct. 1, 1997, and will continue for five years. [Agence Europe via Reuters, Dow Jones News]
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AK Oyster Theft. On Sept. 24, 1997, AK State Troopers reported that, between Sept. 17 and 22, thieves stole as many as 45,000 oysters contaminated with paralytic shellfish poison from a Prince of Wales Island shellfish farm. [Assoc Press]
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Coastal America Ecosystem Learning Center. On Sept. 23, 1997, the National Aquarium in Baltimore was designated as a Coastal American Ecosystem Learning Center. Coastal America is a partnership among federal, state, and local governments and private entities to address coastal ecology problems. [National Aquarium in Baltimore press release]
. Freshwater Fisheries
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{FERC Hearing. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Water and Power has tentatively scheduled a hearing on Oct. 30, 1997, to review the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's hydroelectric relicensing procedures.} [personal communication]
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{Fish Poisoning Conflict. On Oct. 15, 1997, CA Fish and Game managers began using rotenone and other chemicals to poison non-native northern pike in Lake Davis, Plumas County, CA, contrary to two County ordinance that make it illegal to poison County fish. State managers fear that any uncontrolled spread of pike could threaten native salmon and trout populations, while County residents believe the pike have already spread beyond Lake Davis. Residents fear harm from chemicals in surface and ground water sources of drinking water and harm to the local economy from destruction of valuable sport fish. Residents suggest that the lake level should be lowered and the pike netted. State officials believed their authority superseded County law, and asked for a temporary restraining order against enforcement of the local ordinances. {{The state court ruled that the County ordinances were illegal.}} Seven protestors were arrested before the poisoning operation began. The state plans to restock the lake with 750,000 trout in four to eight weeks after the poisoning,} {{and is supplying residents with an alternative water supply.}} [Assoc Press]
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Illegal Sale of Eels. On Oct. 7, 1997, two New York State commercial fishermen had their commercial fishing licenses revoked and were fined and placed on five-years probation for illegally selling contaminated eels taken from Lake Ontario. The eels were subsequently pickled and shipped to eastern European markets. [Assoc Press]
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Tribal Fisheries Jurisdiction. On Oct. 6, 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal by the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe challenging state regulation of fishing by non-Indians and non-tribal members on private property and a narrow strip of federal land along the Missouri River on Indian reservations in SD. However, the Lower Brule and Cheyenne River Sioux have negotiated agreements with the Corps of Engineers allowing the tribes to regulate fishing on Corps land along the Missouri River on their reservations. [Assoc Press]
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Algae Warning Label. In late September 1997, OR health officials urged, and the state Dept. of Agriculture proposed, that all blue-green algae products harvest in Upper Klamath Lake for sale as food supplements by six companies carry a warning label against heavy consumption due to possible trace amounts of liver toxins called microcystins. Products proven to have less than one part per million of the toxin would be exempt from the labeling requirement. Public comment on the proposal will be received until Oct. 15, 1997. [Assoc Press]
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AK Subsistence Fisheries. On Sept. 30, 1997, language was incorporated into H.R. 2107, Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, by conference committee to postpone federal management of AK subsistence fisheries until Dec. 1, 1998, to allow additional time for a Nov. 1998 state vote on modifying the AK state constitution. [Assoc Press]
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National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Hearing. The House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans held a hearing on H.R. 2376, a bill to reauthorize and amend the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act, on Sept. 25, 1997. [personal communication]
.Pfiesteria? On Sept. 22, 1997, an 11-member MD gubernatorial commission began 6 weeks of discussions aimed at formulating MD's response to Pfiesteria. On Sept. 24, 1997, the Associated Press reported that several mid-Atlantic grocery chains adopted corporate policy in early September 1997, to not purchase or sell certain items of MD or Chesapeake Bay seafood while Pfiesteria was a concern. Spokespeople for these chains indicated that increased consumer rejection of local seafood caused them to adopt this policy. On Sept. 25, 1997, the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight's Subcommittee on Human Resources held a pair of oversight hearings on the state and federal public health response to Pfiesteria outbreaks. On Sept. 25, 1997, the House agreed to an amendment to H.R. 2267, Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, that would provide to NOAA $3 million to respond to Pfiesteria and $1 million for the Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program. On Sept. 25, 1997, S. 1219, the Pfiesteria Research Act of 1997, was introduced in the U.S. Senate. On Sept. 25, 1997, three mid-Atlantic grocery chains announced that, in response to an appeal from MD Governor Glendening, they had reversed policy and would restock seafood from mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay waters unaffected by Pfiesteria. On Sept. 26, 1997, H.R. 2565, to establish a research and grant program on Pfiesteria, was introduced in the U.S. House. On Sept. 26, 1997, MD Governor Glendening announced that MD would spend $500,000 to develop a marketing plan to promote MD seafood sales that have been harmed by Pfiesteria concerns. On Sept. 26, 1997, the House/Senate conference committee on H.R. 2158, Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, approved $3 million for the Environmental Protection Agency's use in funding Pfiesteria research and to support monitoring, public education, and inter-agency coordination efforts. On Sept. 26, 1997, scientists from the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reported that they had isolated two toxins from Pfiesteria. One toxin reportedly caused lesions on fish while the second toxin damaged the fish's nervous system. On Sept. 29-30, 1997, scientists from the District of Columbia and eight coastal states gathered at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA, for a workshop to plan a multi-state program to provide additional information on the human health effects of exposure to Pfiesteria toxins. On Sept. 30, 1997, officials of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that CDC was beginning a multi-state study of the association between Pfiesteria and human illness. In early October 1997, MD officials stated that nine more people had reported illness possibly related to Pfiesteria, including seven state workers who tested Chicamacomico River water, a swimmer in contact with Nanticoke River water and a diver in contact with Wicomico Creek water. On Oct. 2, 1997, MD officials confirmed that a Pfiesteria-like organism has been identified in water from the Chicamacomico River. Seven individuals were reported to have contacted a VA hotline with symptoms of illness possibly related to Pfiesteria exposure in three different, but unidentified, waterways. On Oct. 2, 1997, sampling on the Chicamacomico River and Kings Creek revealed more than 20% of the fish with lesions. On Oct. 3, 1997, a VA task force studying Pfiesteria held a public meeting at the VA Institute of Marine Science to explain its research. On Oct. 3, 1997, MD and VA officials reopened waters of the lower Pocomoke River to public use. MD officials released new guidelines that would allow waterways to be reopened two weeks after signs of fish kills or erratic fish activity cease. On Oct. 6, 1997, the VA House of Delegates Committee on the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tributaries met to take testimony on the Pfiesteria situation. On Oct. 6, 1997, officials of the FL Dept. of Environmental Protection took action to convene a task force to examine the threat of Pfiesteria to FL citizens and resources. On Oct. 8, 1997, U.S. Geological Survey scientists reported that analysis of Chesapeake Bay sediment cores revealed that Pfiesteria-like organisms inhabited the Bay thousands of years ago. On Oct. 8, 1997, VA officials reported that preliminary medical tests indicate the Pfiesteria-like symptoms of four individuals were not likely related to exposure to Pfiesteria toxin. On Oct 9, 1997, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans held a hearing on Pfiesteria and its impact on fishery resources. {On Oct. 13, 1997, the MD Commission on Pfiesteria began considering recommendations it will make to the MD Legislature. Although the Commission basically agrees that too much phosphorus in waterways is a problem, members differ on how best to reduce or limit phosphorus and to what extent farmers should be more stringently regulated. On Oct. 15, 1997, MD officials launched a $500,000 seafood awareness campaign to address consumer concerns about possible effects of Pfiesteria on seafood safety.} [Assoc Press, MD Dept. of Agriculture press release, Reuters, personal communication, Congr. Record, U.S. Geological Survey press release]
. Marine Mammals
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Keiko. In early October 1997, the Associated Press reported increasing discord between the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Free Willy-Keiko Foundation over Keiko's care, health, and rehabilitation techniques. On Oct. 1, 1997, the Board of the Oregon Coast Aquarium requested an independent evaluation of Keiko's health, claiming that the Free Willy-Keiko Foundation has not regularly shared medical and rehabilitation information with the Aquarium. On Oct. 3, 1997, officials of the OR Veterinary Medical Examining Board announced that the Board was initiating an investigation of Keiko's care and the legality of current arrangements for such care. On Oct. 7, 1997, the OR Veterinary Medical Association recommended that an independent team composed of NMFS, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, and International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine personnel be formed to render an unbiased opinion on Keiko's health and fitness for possible release. {On Oct. 14, 1997, officials of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced that Keiko's pool as well as logs of his feeding, medication, and veterinary care passed a surprise inspection conducted on Oct. 8, 1997. On Oct. 14, 1997, the Free Willy-Keiko Foundation announced that it was discussing the possibility of moving Keiko from the Oregon Coast Aquarium to a pen in Depoe Bay, OR.} [Assoc Press, Oregon Coast Aquarium press release, Free Willy-Keiko Foundation press release, OR Veterinary Medical Association press release]
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Canadian Seal Cull. As of Oct. 1, 1997, Canadian fisheries officers had killed 17 seals in the Puntledge River on Vancouver Island near Courtenay, BC, in Canada's first seal cull aimed at protecting vulnerable salmon and trout populations. Another 23 seals are expected to be killed during the next week. [Assoc Press]
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Greenland Whaling. In late September 1997, Greenland's Organization of Fishermen and Hunters submitted a demand to Greenland Home Rule authorities that they be allowed an increased annual catch of 10 humpback whales, 21 fin whales, and 275 minke whales. This exceeds the current aboriginal subsistence allocation by the International Whaling Commission of 19 fin whales and 167 minke whales. [High North Alliance News]
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Amazon River Dolphins. On Sept. 25, 1997, the Dallas World Aquarium notified NMFS that it was withdrawing its application to import four Amazon river dolphins from Venezuela for captive exhibition. [Assoc Press]
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WA State's Sea Lion Authorization. On Sept. 25, 1997, NMFS officials announced that they had extended, for four years, WA state's authorization to kill CA sea lions that gather at Ballard Locks to feed on migrating steelhead trout. The state can remove only predatory sea lions that have been observed killing fish between Jan. 1 and May 31, and only after non-lethal deterrence methods have been tried. [Assoc Press]
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IWC Meeting. On Sept. 25, 1997, Japanese officials announced that Ireland will propose a ban on research whaling at the October 1997 IWC meeting. {In early October 1997, Britain's Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Elliot Morley wrote a letter to members of Parliament expressing support for an Irish proposal allowing a limited resumption of commercial whaling in which Japan, Norway, {{and possibly other nations}} would be permitted to kill certain whales in their coastal waters in exchange for establishing a global whale sanctuary {{in all international waters, banning international trade in whale products,}} and prohibiting research whaling.} {{On Oct. 15, 1997, Britain's Agriculture and Fisheries Minister reconsidered his earlier position and suggested that flaws in the Irish proposal would prevent the British government from supporting it.}} [Reuters, Dow Jones News]
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Round Island Subsistence Walrus Hunt. On Sept. 20, 1997, the Qayssiq (Round Island) Walrus Commission will open a month-long subsistence walrus hunt on Round Island in Bristol Bay, AK, with approval from the AK Dept. of Fish and Game. The quota was doubled this year to 20 animals. [Assoc Press]
Items in this summary are excerpted from a variety of information sources. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is not responsible for the accuracy of the various news items.
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