Phil Rhodes
2007-01-21 18:56:46 UTC
Salmon recovery plan approved
John Dodge
The Olympian
http://www.theolympian.com/112/story/61496.html
The federal government formally approved a recovery plan Friday for the
Puget Sound chinook salmon, which are listed as threatened under the
Endangered Species Act.
The blueprint to keep chinook from extinction is the largest and most
comprehensive recovery plan completed under the endangered species law,
according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The plan was crafted by Shared Strategy for Puget Sound, a coalition of
citizens groups and local, state, tribal and federal representatives.
"Developing the plan has helped to build strong bridges between all of us
who care about the salmon," said Billy Frank Jr., chairman of the Northwest
Indian Fisheries Commission.
The plan calls for spending $1.2 billion in the next 10 years, a doubling of
current efforts, to boost chinook runs by 20 percent.
"Scarce dollars need to be spent very wisely to keep the public's confidence
and trust in what we do," said Jeff Koenings, director of the state
Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Harm from habitat loss, overharvest, competition with hatchery fish,
pollution and other forces has eliminated about 15 of the 37 native chinook
runs in Puget Sound. In some rivers, surviving runs are barely hanging on.
In South Sound, the recovery plan's emphasis is on protecting and restoring
estuaries and nearshore habitat for salmon.
Across the sound, chinook recovery will require tougher land-use
restrictions for population growth and development; 1.4 million more people
are expected to live in the Puget Sound basin by 2020.
Recreational and tribal fishers will be asked to do even more to reduce
their harvest of naturally spawning chinook to aid recovery, and hatchery
management will be rearranged to protect wild fish, the recovery plan shows.
Scientists have suggested that chinook runs could return to 80 percent of
historic levels if all people do their part to implement the recovery plan
during the next 50 years.
About $50 million of the $220 million in new money to clean up Puget Sound
in Gov. Chris Gregoire's 2007-09 budget is aimed at salmon habitat
restoration work.
John Dodge
The Olympian
http://www.theolympian.com/112/story/61496.html
The federal government formally approved a recovery plan Friday for the
Puget Sound chinook salmon, which are listed as threatened under the
Endangered Species Act.
The blueprint to keep chinook from extinction is the largest and most
comprehensive recovery plan completed under the endangered species law,
according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The plan was crafted by Shared Strategy for Puget Sound, a coalition of
citizens groups and local, state, tribal and federal representatives.
"Developing the plan has helped to build strong bridges between all of us
who care about the salmon," said Billy Frank Jr., chairman of the Northwest
Indian Fisheries Commission.
The plan calls for spending $1.2 billion in the next 10 years, a doubling of
current efforts, to boost chinook runs by 20 percent.
"Scarce dollars need to be spent very wisely to keep the public's confidence
and trust in what we do," said Jeff Koenings, director of the state
Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Harm from habitat loss, overharvest, competition with hatchery fish,
pollution and other forces has eliminated about 15 of the 37 native chinook
runs in Puget Sound. In some rivers, surviving runs are barely hanging on.
In South Sound, the recovery plan's emphasis is on protecting and restoring
estuaries and nearshore habitat for salmon.
Across the sound, chinook recovery will require tougher land-use
restrictions for population growth and development; 1.4 million more people
are expected to live in the Puget Sound basin by 2020.
Recreational and tribal fishers will be asked to do even more to reduce
their harvest of naturally spawning chinook to aid recovery, and hatchery
management will be rearranged to protect wild fish, the recovery plan shows.
Scientists have suggested that chinook runs could return to 80 percent of
historic levels if all people do their part to implement the recovery plan
during the next 50 years.
About $50 million of the $220 million in new money to clean up Puget Sound
in Gov. Chris Gregoire's 2007-09 budget is aimed at salmon habitat
restoration work.