May 21, 2010
Plan to protect wild salmon remains, disappointing US salmon advocates
The Obama Administration has made no major changes to the plan to protect endangered wild salmon runs in the Columbia River Basin, much to the dismay of salmon advocates who said they expected more.
The government on Thursday (May 20) submitted revisions for a 2008 Bush-era biological plan to US District Judge James Redden in Portland. Redden said in February 2010 that the plan likely violated the Endangered Species Act, but he gave the government three months to review new science that might strengthen it.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) came up with recommendations including studying salmon migration, monitoring water temperatures and other effects of climate change, and creating a team of fishery managers to resolve potential harm to wild salmon runs by hatchery fish.
"After we reviewed all the information we've accumulated over the last three months, only modest changes were necessary," said Bruce Suzumoto, NOAA Fisheries assistant regional administrator for hydropower. "The actions are more along the lines of study, research," he said.
Proponents of the government's plan urged court approval to end years of fighting over salmon recovery. "It is time for the federal court to approve this plan and for the region to begin the process of implementation," said a statement from Scott Corwin, executive director of the Public Power Council.
Redden twice before had found that federal plans to balance cheap hydroelectric power against the survival of wild salmon violated the Endangered Species Act. In sending the plan back to the government in February, Redden had warned that he would view efforts to deal with the issues as superficial.
Opponents said the government's revisions did little to make hydroelectric dams safer for the Columbia Basin's 13 endangered salmon and steelhead runs. "These guys came out with Band-Aids when we're haemorrhaging from a major artery," said Nicole Cordan, policy and legal director for Save Our Wild Salmon. "These are species that are already imperilled," she added.
Michael Carrier, natural resources policy director for Oregon government Ted Kulongoski, said he was disappointed in the revised plan -- and that federal officials did not collaborate with other governments, tribes and groups involved in salmon restoration.
Salmon advocates had urged the government to at least begin planning the controversial removal of four dams on the Snake River, and allow for spillage, that is, allow water to flow over dams to help salmon and steelhead smolts headed out to sea.
"Any fish living above the dams are ESA listed, and that is not going to change with a tweak here and a twist there," said Glen Spain, northwest representative of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, which represents commercial fishermen. "It's disappointing to see them do little or nothing and dance around the big issues once again," he said.
