12 October 2004
Media Contact:
Charles Hudson
Public Information Manager
(503) 731-1257
|
 |
Federal
salmon plan abandons fish recovery
Columbia
Basin tribes admonish against dam-friendly proposal
Portland, Oregon
- The Columbia River
treaty fishing tribes have harshly criticized a draft federal plan
that jettisons salmon-recovery goals while granting generous deference
to the federal Columbia River power system. Tribal leaders, to help
steer federal decision-makers back toward a science-based recovery
plan, filed formal comments on Friday outlining inefficiencies in
the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA Fisheries)
proposed 2004 Biological Opinion.
“As co-managers of this significant resource we want a plan
that tackles long-understood problems and serves longstanding recovery
goals,” said Olney Patt Jr., executive director of the Columbia
River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, which represents the Nez Perce,
Warm Springs, Yakama and Umatilla tribes.
NOAA Fisheries’ draft plan bears three fundamental flaws: a
“no-jeopardy” conclusion, an abandonment of recovery as
a goal and a declaration of the federal system of Columbia Basin dams
as a natural and benign presence. All three developments represent
dramatic departures from the body of science and interpretation reflecting
13 years of Endangered Species Act listings in the Federal Columbia
River Power System – changes tribal officials view as political
rather than scientific.
The draft plan relies heavily on the historically failed salmon-barging
scheme and on nascent technology – removable spillway weirs
– to achieve higher juvenile survival. Tribal scientists view
spillway weirs as promising but largely untested, particularly for
fall Chinook and sockeye.
“In its continuing jurisdiction over this issue and of the collaborative
process over the past year, the court ordered development of a plan
that is scientifically and legally stronger than the 2000 version
with specific and aggressive measures,” said Patt. “Instead
this draft relies on the word ‘no’ – no jeopardy,
no recovery, and no breaching or back-up plan.
The Commission’s comments, delivered to the Bush Administration,
are available for viewing and downloading at www.critfc.org.
# # # #
About CRITFC
The Portland-based Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission is
the technical support and coordinating agency for fishery management
policies of the Columbia River Basin's four treaty tribes: the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes
of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes
and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Nez Perce Tribe.
CRITFC, formed in 1977, employs biologists, other scientists, public
information specialists, policy analysts and administrators who work
in fisheries research and analyses, advocacy, planning and coordination,
harvest control and law enforcement. |
|
