Straydog
09-29-2003, 08:22 AM
Not to mention fish screening and other activities affecting Sport Anglers!
Mitchell Act Funding
Problems and Consequences for ODFW
THE PROBLEM:
The federal administration’s proposed FY 2004 budget of Mitchell Act funding for the Columbia River Fisheries Development Program eliminates the mass marking program, the fish screening of irrigation diversions program, and further reduces hatchery releases of fish for recreational, commercial and treaty Indian salmon and steelhead fisheries.
FACTS:
The Mitchell Act was passed in 1938 to conserve the fishery resources of the Columbia River. This has included fish screening and hatchery production to mitigate primarily for lost salmon and steelhead production and habitat associated with the construction and operation of Columbia River hydropower projects.
The Mitchell Act budget has historically provided the major source of funding for fish protection screening of water withdrawal facilities for irrigation in the Columbia Basin. In Oregon these funds have funded the operation and maintenance of three shop facilities, 740 fish protection screens and 26 fish ladders. All of these fish protection screening facilities protect juvenile salmon and steelhead including ESA listed fish species in the Columbia River Basin.
In 1993 the Mitchell Act funded 9 ODFW operated fish production facilities which produced 31.7 million fish. Due to funding cuts in 1994 and level funding for the remainder of the ODFW facilities since then, ODFW now operates only 6 Mitchell Act funded hatcheries that produce 13 million fish for release into the Columbia River Basin.
Mass marking of Mitchell Act funded hatchery produced fish fuels selective fisheries, which are the mainstay of recreational fisheries offshore of Oregon and Washington and inside the Columbia River and its tributaries as well as commercial in-river spring chinook fisheries.
IMPACTS:
Proposed funding for 2004 is reduced, requiring program cuts at ODFW hatcheries, and making compliance with the ESA difficult. Not mass marking hatchery produced fish will substantially reduce selective fisheries, now the mainstay of salmon and steelhead recreational fishing in Oregon.
Operation and maintenance of fish screening facilities will end, leading to increased fish mortalities of Columbia River Basin fish. All wild, ESA listed fish and hatchery produced fish will suffer increased mortalities thereby reducing the run sizes of future returning adults for harvest and reproduction.
Reduced fish releases and increased fish mortalities will cause fisheries to be cut back affecting the economies of coastal communities, federal government default on tribal cultural and treaty trust responsibilities and impact the traditions and lifestyles of all citizens of Oregon and the west coast.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Mass Marking line item needs to be reinstated at $1.1 M (Oregon’s portion is $0.25 M). The Columbia River Facilities (fish screening program) line item needs to be restored to $3.365 M (Oregon’s portion is $1.72 M) and the Hatcheries and Facilities line item needs to be increased to $ 13.0 M (Oregon’s portion is $5.0 M) to avoid cutting any existing programs.
CONTACTS:
Oregon Senators:
Gordon Smith, 404 Russell Senate Office Bldg., Washington DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-3753 FAX: (202) 228-3997
Ron Wyden, 516 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5244 FAX: (202) 228-2717
Oregon Congressional Representatives:
David Wu – 1st District, 1023 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-0855 FAX: (202)225-9497
Greg Walden – 2nd District, 1404 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-6730 FAX: (202) 225-5774
Earl Blumenauer – 3rd District 2446 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-4811 FAX: (202) 225-8941
Peter DeFazio – 4th District, 2134 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-6416 or 1-800-944-9603 in Oregon FAX: (202) 225-0032
Darlene Hooley – 5th District, 2430 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-5711 FAX: (202) 225-5699
Mitchell Act Funding
Problems and Consequences for ODFW
THE PROBLEM:
The federal administration’s proposed FY 2004 budget of Mitchell Act funding for the Columbia River Fisheries Development Program eliminates the mass marking program, the fish screening of irrigation diversions program, and further reduces hatchery releases of fish for recreational, commercial and treaty Indian salmon and steelhead fisheries.
FACTS:
The Mitchell Act was passed in 1938 to conserve the fishery resources of the Columbia River. This has included fish screening and hatchery production to mitigate primarily for lost salmon and steelhead production and habitat associated with the construction and operation of Columbia River hydropower projects.
The Mitchell Act budget has historically provided the major source of funding for fish protection screening of water withdrawal facilities for irrigation in the Columbia Basin. In Oregon these funds have funded the operation and maintenance of three shop facilities, 740 fish protection screens and 26 fish ladders. All of these fish protection screening facilities protect juvenile salmon and steelhead including ESA listed fish species in the Columbia River Basin.
In 1993 the Mitchell Act funded 9 ODFW operated fish production facilities which produced 31.7 million fish. Due to funding cuts in 1994 and level funding for the remainder of the ODFW facilities since then, ODFW now operates only 6 Mitchell Act funded hatcheries that produce 13 million fish for release into the Columbia River Basin.
Mass marking of Mitchell Act funded hatchery produced fish fuels selective fisheries, which are the mainstay of recreational fisheries offshore of Oregon and Washington and inside the Columbia River and its tributaries as well as commercial in-river spring chinook fisheries.
IMPACTS:
Proposed funding for 2004 is reduced, requiring program cuts at ODFW hatcheries, and making compliance with the ESA difficult. Not mass marking hatchery produced fish will substantially reduce selective fisheries, now the mainstay of salmon and steelhead recreational fishing in Oregon.
Operation and maintenance of fish screening facilities will end, leading to increased fish mortalities of Columbia River Basin fish. All wild, ESA listed fish and hatchery produced fish will suffer increased mortalities thereby reducing the run sizes of future returning adults for harvest and reproduction.
Reduced fish releases and increased fish mortalities will cause fisheries to be cut back affecting the economies of coastal communities, federal government default on tribal cultural and treaty trust responsibilities and impact the traditions and lifestyles of all citizens of Oregon and the west coast.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Mass Marking line item needs to be reinstated at $1.1 M (Oregon’s portion is $0.25 M). The Columbia River Facilities (fish screening program) line item needs to be restored to $3.365 M (Oregon’s portion is $1.72 M) and the Hatcheries and Facilities line item needs to be increased to $ 13.0 M (Oregon’s portion is $5.0 M) to avoid cutting any existing programs.
CONTACTS:
Oregon Senators:
Gordon Smith, 404 Russell Senate Office Bldg., Washington DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-3753 FAX: (202) 228-3997
Ron Wyden, 516 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5244 FAX: (202) 228-2717
Oregon Congressional Representatives:
David Wu – 1st District, 1023 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-0855 FAX: (202)225-9497
Greg Walden – 2nd District, 1404 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-6730 FAX: (202) 225-5774
Earl Blumenauer – 3rd District 2446 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-4811 FAX: (202) 225-8941
Peter DeFazio – 4th District, 2134 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-6416 or 1-800-944-9603 in Oregon FAX: (202) 225-0032
Darlene Hooley – 5th District, 2430 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-5711 FAX: (202) 225-5699