|
 | |||
| Lopez Island | Orcas Island | Visitor's Guide | ||
| Email this page to a friend | ||
| ||||||||||||||||
|
NOAA |
Feds propose reviving Salmon Recovery Fundby Chris Thomas posted 02/09/2010 Glen Spain, northwest regional director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, says thousands of jobs in his industry have already been lost, because fish populations are not recovering quickly enough. "The West Coast salmon fishing industry is facing potentially a third year of closures - complete closures in California and Oregon, that will also affect Washington. We really need these funds on the ground, right away." The money is used to match state, local and tribal funds for fish habitat projects, and has been credited with improving almost 4,300 miles of streams in the West. Spain hopes Congress, when it considers the fund, will look at it as a step toward economic recovery. "The more we have, the more this is an investment in habitat restoration and restored salmon runs, which provide jobs and dollars for all of our local and coastal communities. Right now, when we need it the most, is not the time to be cutting back on those investments." In 2008, Washington received almost $24 million from the fund. In past years, it has been as much as $34 million. Congress could approve the recommended total, or even increase it. Either way, it is part of the 2011 federal budget, which means the money probably would not be available until October of this year, at the earliest. More information about the PCSRF is available at www.nwr.noaa.gov/. Nation's biggest salmon recovery plan approvedposted 01/23/2007 The federal agency charged with protecting Northwest salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act approved a far-reaching plan to recover threatened Chinook in Puget Sound Jan. 19, 2007. The salmon-recovery plan, a requirement of the Endangered Species Act, is the largest and most comprehensive ever approved by the federal government, according to NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. San Juan County Marine Resource Committee was involved in creating the plan. The formal approval marking adoption of the plan by NOAA’s Fisheries Service is the culmination of more than five years’ effort by local communities across the 14 river basins that drain into Puget Sound. The plan is aimed at restoring salmon to waters from the crests of the Cascade and Olympic mountains to Puget Sound. The recovery plan is notable in that it was developed through the Shared Strategy for Puget Sound, a collaborative conservation effort that includes state, tribal and local governments, industry, conservation groups and others. Recovery plans for threatened or endangered species are typically written by federal officials. Lohn said the NOAA Fisheries philosophy for salmon recovery plans throughout the region is that a cooperative approach that builds on local salmon recovery efforts will be more effective. Locally generated recovery plans for other listed salmon populations in the Northwest are expected this year and next. Puget Sound Chinook, along with Hood Canal summer chum and Lake Ozette sockeye, were listed as threatened under the ESA 1999. The listing of Puget Sound Chinook was the first of its kind in a heavily urbanized area. Federal approval sets the region’s course for bringing salmon back to healthy numbers and provides a cornerstone for Puget Sound recovery efforts. In addition to lasting measurable results for salmon, the plan’s actions are also expected to provide important ecological benefits to the overall health of Puget Sound. "This is a plan built on local salmon-recovery efforts and remarkable cooperation among state, tribal and local governments and others," said Bob Lohn, head of the NOAA Fisheries Service Northwest regional office. "You can’t get a better foundation for recovery than that." "Recovery of salmon depends on a healthy and sustainable Puget Sound basin. We can’t save one without the other," said King County Executive Ron Sims, an early advocate for the plan. "We all have important contributions to make and this grass-roots plan gets us going in the right direction. Now we need to make good on our commitments." Federal approval arrives just as Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire has announced a major initiative to protect and restore Puget Sound by 2020. She is proposing a $200-million investment to clean up Puget Sound, with more than $50 million dedicated to salmon-habitat-restoration projects. To ensure that these and other potential funds produce the best results for salmon recovery, local watershed leaders across the region have identified key projects in the recovery plan to be completed in the first three years of the 10-year plan. "Solid, locally developed salmon recovery plans, unique to each watershed, are essential for guiding the funding of critically needed habitat restoration projects," said Jeff Koenings, director of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. "Scarce dollars need to be spent very wisely to keep the public's confidence and trust in what we do." One Region, One Plan The plan integrates management of the three H’s – habitat, harvest and hatcheries – that are considered the keys to salmon recovery. Management of each H must complement the others to enable salmon recovery. The plan also:
The plan covers the whole Puget Sound basin, from the Canadian border south to Olympia, Hood Canal and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Restoring threatened Puget Sound Chinook runs is the main focus of the plan. "This is a comprehensive plan that offers real hope for salmon recovery," said Billy Frank Jr., chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. "Developing the plan has helped to build strong bridges between all of us who care about the salmon. I am confident that by working together we will restore Puget Sound Chinook." The plan and other documents are posted on the Web at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/. |
||
|
SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2010 |
||