NOAA Press Release On New Pacific Salmon Recovery Plans
NOAA04-R144
Contact: Brian Gorman FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(206) 526-6613
Todd Ungerecht
(206) 499-0786
Scott Smullen
(202) 494-6515
May 28, 2004
NOAA Fisheries Expresses Continued Commitment to
Pacific Salmon Recovery with New Hatchery Policy
Agency Praises Regional Efforts to Protect Salmon through Habitat Projects and
Hatchery Reforms
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration=s National Marine
Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) today announced its continued commitment to
protect 27 Pacific salmon and steelhead populations listed under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). At the announcement a new hatchery policy
proposal and a report outlining its assessment of the current biological
status of each of the West Coast's naturally spawning and hatchery origin
salmon stocks were unveiled. The listing of the stocks would be reinstated
under the proposal. Two stocks have improved from "endangered" to
"threatened." One stock has gone from “threatened" to
"endangered," and one has been added as “threatened.” NOAA is an
agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
NOAA Fisheries' proposed hatchery policy follows a court's finding that the
agency should better account for hatchery fish in its ESA listings. The new
policy’s central focus is unchanged from prior policy: the conservation of
naturally spawning salmon and the ecosystems upon which they
depend. The policy would consider hatchery fish that are closely related to
naturally spawning salmon in all of the current ESA-listed salmon groups. NOAA
would also take into account the fact that some well managed hatcheries are
contributing to the recovery of species, some hatcheries are having little or
no effect, and some hatcheries are potentially hindering recovery. Better
management practices in the Northwest’s hatchery system are encouraging and
should continue to help speed the recovery of
salmon.
“This hatchery policy will re-enforce NOAA’s commitment to protect
naturally spawning salmon and their ecosystems,” said retired Navy Vice Adm.
Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and
Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, adding that the proposed policy will allow
90 days for the public to weigh in with their views. “We commend our state,
tribal, and nongovernmental partners for helping to identify and address
needed salmon habitat improvements, and also for their outstanding work to
reform hundreds of hatcheries in the Northwest.”
The proposed policy notes that increased salmon numbers alone are not
sufficient, and that scientific studies have found poor hatchery management
practices can pose risks to the fitness of naturally spawning salmon. The
policy recognizes science is developing on potential contributions of
properly and carefully managed hatcheries to the rebuilding of depressed
natural stocks. It also recognizes the important role hatcheries play in
fulfilling trust and treaty tribal responsibilities. The proposal would
restrict harvest of hatchery fish only to the extent necessary to aid in the
recovery of
listed fish.
“Although this status report does not propose major changes in the current
classification of listed stocks, many of these stocks are in much better
condition than when they were listed. Favorable ocean conditions have helped,
but local recovery efforts are also making vital contributions,” said Bob
Lohn, Northwest Regional Administrator for NOAA Fisheries.
Lohn said that local recovery efforts such as the Shared Strategy in Puget
Sound, the Oregon Plan and Oregon’s “1010” water quality initiative, and
the Northwest Power Planning Council’s subbasin planning initiative for
Idaho, Oregon and Washington are encouraging. He noted that real progress is
being made in reforming hatcheries to complement naturally spawning runs
through efforts such as the Puget Sound Hatchery Reform Project, the Yakama
Nation’s Cle Elum hatchery, the Nez Perce tribal hatchery and the
comprehensive evaluation of Columbia and Snake River hatcheries.
Both the proposed listing determinations and the draft hatchery policy will be
published in the Federal Register early next month and will be open for public
comment for 90 days. Public meetings or “workshops” will likely be
scheduled to allow interested parties the opportunity to present their views.
The proposed listings would become final determinations a year from now; the
hatchery policy will be published as a “final rule” shortly after its
comment period closes.
Currently there are 26 salmon and steelhead populations under ESA protection
on the West Coast. Twenty of those populations are considered threatened and
five are in the more perilous category of endangered, meaning they are in
danger of extinction. Today's proposal would maintain
most of those categories with the following changes: Sacramento Winter-run
chinook would change from endangered to threatened, Upper Columbia River
steelhead (whose population includes resident rainbow trout) would change from
endangered to threatened, and Central California Coast Coho would change from
threatened to endangered.
While no immediate change is proposed in the listing status of the Oregon
Coast Coho, the stock has experienced a remarkable rebound. The Oregon
Governor’s Office, in partnership with state and federal agencies including
NOAA, is leading a scientific review of the problems causing the previous
decline and the extent to which they have been addressed through Oregon’s
conservation efforts. The results of the review are expected this fall and
NOAA has agreed to reopen the listing determination when those results become
available.
In addition, the Lower Columbia coho group that was a candidate for
consideration just before the 2001 court decision is proposed for threatened
status.
NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living
marine resources, and the habitat on which they depend, through scientific
research, management and enforcement. Our stewardship of these resources
benefits the nation by supporting coastal communities that depend upon them,
while helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and
recreational opportunities for the American public.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through
the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and
providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine
resources. On the Web: http://www.noaa.gov.
- 30 -