IFish Fishing Forum banner

Report says federal salmon recovery strategy needs 'immediate change'

1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  wilsonriverfisher 
#1 ·
Amen.

Report says federal salmon recovery strategy needs 'immediate change'

by Matthew Preusch, The Oregonian Friday February 13, 2009, 5:30 PM
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/02/report_says_federal_salmon_rec.html




Rob Finch/The OregonianIn this 2008 photo, Leonard Dave Sr. of the Yakama Nation fishes at Lyle Falls on the Klickitat River, a tributary of the Columbia River.

Next month, U.S. District Judge James Redden will hear oral arguments in the ongoing lawsuit over the operation of federal dams in the Columbia and Snake rivers and their impact on protected salmon.

Redden's ruling will have broad implications for a national salmon recovery plan that recently came under harsh criticism from a group of retired wildlife managers and salmon experts calling themselves the Council of Elders.

This month, the Elders weighed in on the federal government's salmon recovery strategy. In a word, it's a mess, they say.

"How can a federal agency that's supposed to be following the law here come up with something that's so bad?" asked Jim Martin, salmon adviser to former Gov. John Kitzhaber and one of the report's authors.

The report alleges corruption of the political process, mismanagement and subversion of the Endangered Species Act in the government's salmon recovery effort, which costs hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

"We think the scientists are basically being muzzled," Martin said. The group recommends a study of the four lower Snake River dams; an audit of the Bonneville Power Administration, which markets power from federal dams and pays for salmon recovery; and incorporating concerns about climate change into salmon recovery.

"Members of the council have been first-hand witnesses to special interests manipulating natural resource science and policies," said Huey D. Johnson, who served as California secretary of resources from 1976-1982 and is founder and president of Resource Renewal Institute, which published the report. "We're now out of government and in positions where we can't be silenced. With a new administration committed to addressing corruption and inefficiency, we believe we can effectively offer our collective knowledge to solve intractable environmental problems, such as the decline of salmon."

The reports ultimate conclusion: only the new Obama administration has the clout to change the course of salmon recovery.

"But the White House will need to act fast or it will be too late for the salmon," Johnson said.

-- Matthew Preusch; mattpreusch@news.oregonian.com
 
#2 ·
Sounds like the Council of Elders is cutting right to the chase.
Glad to see Snake River dam removal back on the table.


http://www.rri.org/pdf/cosalmon128.pdf



The status of the Columbia River salmon is dire.
They are in such peril that many species are in
worse condition than before listing under the
Endangered Species Act. The Council of Elders submits this report to apply its collective natural
resources expertise and policymaking experience, both in and out of government, to ensure the
survival of the salmon. The politically driven administration of the Endangered Species Act has
thwarted appropriate resource management. This problem, combined with the threat of climate
change and expanding human populations, overwhelmingly demonstrates the need for an
immediate change in salmon recovery efforts. Only intervention by the highest levels of the Obama
administration can cut through the varying interests to save the fish from looming
extinction. Recovery is achievable through the improved and proper application of the
Endangered Species Act. The guiding principles of this effort should be accountability, use of
the best available science, and efficiency. To this end we offer the following recommendations and
urge the administration to make salmon recovery an immediate and ongoing priority.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I.
Establish an extension of the White House to

lead and coordinate all the salmon recovery
actions of the federal agencies. Immediately
review the status of the current lawsuit and
seek a stay if necessary.
II.


Consolidate Endangered Species Act responsibilities

for all salmon species within the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
III.


Move implementation of the recovery and

mitigation programs from the Bonneville Power
Administration to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, with the requirement that Bonneville
continue to fund the program.
IV.


Immediately initiate audits and oversight of the

Northwest Power and Conservation Council
(NPCC) and Bonneville Power Administration to
ensure compliance with the Northwest Power and
Conservation Act and court decisions.
V.


Direct federal agencies to include the impacts of

climate change and population growth in the
Biological Opinion and the Columbia River
recovery plans.
VI.


Issue an Executive Order directing all agencies

to foster and protect independent science and
scientists contributing to the implementation of
federal programs.
VII.


Support a congressional request for the National

Academy of Sciences to complete a credible,
exhaustive study of the economic benefits and costs
of removing the four Lower Snake River dams with
a full discussion of economic actions to assure
regional stakeholders.
VIII.


Task the White House Council on Environmental

Quality to develop and implement a federal water
management-salmon recovery plan for the
Columbia Basin.

 
#3 ·
The council of elders is awesome, but that story mostly said to me that the bush administration screwed it up and B.O will fix it all...WHAT?I see some truth but that is stereotypical politics.......I hope I am dead wrong and B.O makes enough changes that salmon will go on as far as the eye can see...

-cheers
Mike

The reports ultimate conclusion: only the new Obama administration has the clout to change the course of salmon recovery.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top