<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>><<
~~>FISHLINK SUBLEGALS 6/1/01<~~
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>><<
A WEEKLY QUOTA OF FISHERY SHORTS CAUGHT AND
LANDED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES
AND THE PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S
ASSOCIATIONS
VOL 3, NO. 22 1 JUNE 2001
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>><<
3:22/01. 9TH CIRCUIT APPEALS COURT SAYS FEDERAL
TIMBER PROGRAM HARMING SALMON: In a ruling 31 May with
broad implications, in a case brought by PCFFA and several other
organizations, the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals strongly criticized the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the US Forest Service for
allowing federal timber sales to go forward under the Northwest Forest
Plan in endangered salmon habitat on the basis of scientifically inadequate
watershed analysis. The ruling upheld a lower court injunction blocking
23 federal timber sales for failing to follow the Aquatic Conservation
Strategy of the Northwest Forest Plan, which requires a watershed analysis
to determine the impacts of proposed timber sales on threatened and
endangered salmon runs, and that steps be taken to avoid or minimize those
impacts. The Court noted that NMFS, in its Biological Opinions (BiOps)
approving the timber sales, failed completely to look at cumulative
impacts, failed to consider the impact of individual projects as opposed to
watershed wide impacts, and deliberately selected a scale of analysis so
large that it could never realistically have found 'jeopardy.' The Court
ruled that NMFS's approval of these timber sales was therefore arbitrary
and capricious.
The ruling is widely perceived as a major victory for better salmon
protections on federal lands and an important step toward full
implementation of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy. The ruling will
affect how federal agencies do watershed analysis on all 25 million acres
of federal lands in coastal California, Oregon and Washington that are
covered by the Northwest Forest Plan, most of which contain ESA-listed
salmon runs. At least 170 other timber sales have been held up by federal
courts for the same reasons, in other suits also brought by PCFFA.
Decisions of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals are binding on all western
US states. The case is Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Association
Inc. v. National Marine Fisheries Service, 99-36027. The full opinion can
be found under the May, 2001 court decisions on the web at:
www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf. For more information also
see: www.pcffa.org/timber9th.htm.
3:22/02. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR RUSSIAN RIVER
COHO SALMON INTERVENTION PLAN: On 11 June the public
comment period ends for the California Department of Fish & Game
(CDFG) draft proposal to implement a conservation hatchery program in
the Russian River basin. Coho salmon in the region have been federally
listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) since 1996, and are also a
candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
An intervention strategy is being proposed by CDFG in conjunction with
the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the US Army Corps of
Engineers (COE) to capture a small number of juvenile salmon and rear in
them in captivity at the Don Clausen Hatchery at the Warm Springs Dam.
In response to local population numbers on the verge of extinction, local
environmental and fishing groups have come together with agency
representatives to form the Russian River Coho Recovery Work Group.
This group will oversee the technical requirements and logistics of the
program. For a copy of the draft plan contact Dan Logan, NMFS Research
and Enhancement Permits Coordinator at dan.logan at nmfs.noaa.gov or
(707) 575-6053. For more information on the Work Group contact Allison
Vogt, Institute for Fisheries Resources, at (415) 561-3474 or:
allisonvogt at hotmail.com.
3:22/03. REWARD FOR HIGH SEAS SALMON TAGS: The High
Seas Salmon Research Program at the University of Washington, School
of Aquatic and Fishery Science is coordinating the return of salmon and
steelhead tags for all international high-seas tagging experiments. This
program is a cooperative effort among Japan, Canada, Russia and United
States to determine ocean movements and growth of salmon. All high-seas
salmon tags are attached to the fish near the dorsal fin, disk tags are red
and
white, and imprinted with a unique identification number and address. If
fishermen are not able to remove the tag because local regulations require
the fishes release, please record the tag number, and send to the address
below. Data tags are green plastic rectangular shaped tags with an
imbedded label that shows a tag number and their return address. Data
from recovered tags contribute important information on salmon ocean
distribution and timely recovery of data tags yields valuable records of
salmon behavior and movements with respect to depth and temperature.
Please also record length of fish and remove scales from both sides of fish.
Those who return tags will receive an embroidered hat. Please return
information to High Seas Salmon Research Program, School of Aquatic &
Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355020, Seattle, WA
98195-5020. For more information please see:
www.fish.washington.edu/research/highseas or call (206) 543-1101.
3:22/04. ATLANTIC SALMON ON BRINK OF EXTINCTION
WORLDWIDE: The Worldcatch News Network reported 31 May that the
World Wildlife Federation (WWF) published a study this week warning
that Wild Atlantic Salmon populations are at the lowest level in history,
and unless immediate action is taken irrevocable harm could come to the
species. The study, "The Status of Wild Atlantic Salmon - A River by
River Assessment" reports that salmon have been extripated from more
than 85% of their native range worldwide, with nearly all the remaining
runs seriously depressed. The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation
Organization (NASCO) conference in Spain from 4-8 June will address the
crisis facing the world's populations, including the impact of farmed fish
on wild stocks. Today 90 percent of the world's healthy populations exist
in only four countries: Ireland, Norway, Iceland, and Scotland. The WWF
is recommending more effective management of river basins and a
moratorium on certain types of fishing gear. To download a copy of the
report go to: http://www.wwf-uk.org.
3:22/05. WILD FISH DON'T MAKE ORGANIC CUT: The
National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Aquatic Animal Task Force,
which released its recommendations on wild fish on 30 May, determined
that free ranging aquatic animals "are not suitable for organic
certification."
Farmed finfish, on the other hand, could be certified as organic if they meet
the requirements of the Organic Farm Products Act, although their
recommendation is that the feed ratio be less than five percent wild fish
meal, which would make it more difficult for the farmed fish industry to
get the organic label. This requirement would affect carnivorous fish, such
as salmon, which consume large amounts of fish meal in their diets. The
report also opposes shellfish certification because of insufficient
compatibility with the requirements of the federal law. The NOSB will
meet in La Crosse Wisconsin on 6 June and will review the report, but will
not decide on its own recommendations to Agriculture Secretary until an
October session. For the full NOSB draft seafood labeling
recommendations see: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/nop2000/
nosb%20recommedations/aquacult.htm . For more information on the
(NOSB) itself see: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/nop2000/nop2/
newpages%20folder/nosbmap.htm.
3:22/06. GROUNDFISH VESSEL BUYBACK BILL: On 25 May
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden introduced the "Pacific Coast Groundfish
Fishery Preservation Act (S. 973)," a bill to provide relief funding and for
the purchase and retirement of commercial groundfish vessels and permits
on the US west coast. The west coast groundfish fleet has been grossly
overcapitalized in comparison with the biomass of groundfish now
available for harvest, largely as a result of decades of government fleet
building incentive programs coupled with poor research survey data
leading to extremely optimistic assumptions that considerably
overestimated the maximum sustained yield. The past three years have
seen dramatic cutbacks in groundfish quotas at the same time as fishing
capacity has peaked, so that now the average boat owner can no longer
make a living. In January, 2000 the Secretary of Commerce declared the
west coast groundfish fishery a disaster and fishermen themselves have
called for at least a 50% reduction in harvest capacity. "The west coast
groundfish fishery is in crisis, and many fishermen are facing bankruptcy,"
noted Senator Wyden in his floor speech when introducing the bill. "This
legislation will help fishermen get through the crisis, and move the fishery
toward a more sustainable future." The bill, co-sponsored by Oregon
Senator Gordon Smith, has been assigned to the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science and Transportation. For a copy and more information
see: http://thomas.loc.gov.
3:22/07. EATING FISH COULD CUT RISK OF PROSTATE
CANCER: Eating even moderate amounts of oily fish such as mackerel,
salmon and sardines that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids can be good for
you in a number of ways. Research published in the June 2 issue of the
British medical journal Lancet (Vol. 357, No. 9269: 1764-1766) suggests
it may also thwart prostate cancer, which strikes one in six men during
their lifetime. Certain kinds of coldwater fish, including trout, salmon,
tuna, halibut, swordfish and mackerel contain especially high levels of
omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to fight heart disease
and also have shown promise in protecting against cancers of the colon,
rectum and ovary. Now this new study found that Swedish men who ate
greasy fish only occasionally or not at all were twice as likely to develop
prostate cancer as those who made it a moderate or large part of their diet.
The link between the fatty fish and a reduced frequency of prostate cancer
was even stronger after the results were adjusted to account for the
influence of other eating habits, a genetic predisposition to prostate cancer
and smoking, drinking and exercise habits, the study said. For more
information, also go to: www.worldcatch.com.
3:22/08. DROUGHT AID SOUGHT FOR KLAMATH FARMERS,
UPCOMING HEARINGS, SCIENTIFIC REVIEW: The Eugene
Register-Guard reported on 2 June that Oregon Senator Gordon Smith and
Representative Greg Waldon have asked for $20 million in emergency
disaster assistance for Upper Klamath Basin farmers in a Supplemental
Appropriations spending request that President Bush has now forwarded
to Congress. The House Appropriations Committee is likely to vote on the
spending package 11 June. For more details and information see:
http://www.registerguard.com/news/20010602/5b.cr.klamathaid.0602.html.
Klamath water issues continue to be contentious (Sublegals 3:19/01,
3:17/02, 3:15/07, 13:14/0, 3:13/02). The US House of Representatives
Resources Committee has scheduled a field hearing on the Upper Klamath
Basin's water problems in Klamath Falls on 16 June, at the request of Rep.
Greg Walden. The hearing is scheduled for 0900 HRS at the Ross Ragland
Theater, 218 N. 7th Street in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The Resources
Committee Home Page is at: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov. The
hearing of the Senate's Energy & Natural Resources Committee's
Subcommittee on Water & Power, initially rescheduled for the second
week of June in Washington, DC, is now uncertain because of changes in
Senate leadership.
Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, in an opinion column in the 1 June
Oregonian, has noted that there are no easy answers to the Upper Klamath
Basin's water problems, that the Klamath Project has badly
overappropriated the available water, and that "increased water storage,
decreased demand, enhanced conservation, habitat improvements and
many more actions can and should be taken to ensure a sustainable future
for all species in the Klamath Basin." He has also referred disputes by the
irrigators of the science behind the recent Biological Opinions in the
Klamath to the Independent Multi-disciplinary Science Team (IMST)
which is chartered by the Oregon Legislature to oversee the scientific
underpinnings of Oregon's salmon recovery plans. For a copy of the
Governor's essay see: www.pcffa.org/klamath.
3:22/09. FISHERMEN'S NEWS ARTICLE ON BUYBACKS FOR
FARMERS AND FISHERMEN: PCFFA's June column in Fishermen's
News discusses the close analogy between buybacks of groundfish vessel
permits and the proposed or ongoing programs to purchase water rights
from Klamath farmers. In both cases, resource dependent communities
were promised more than federal agencies could realistically deliver, were
encouraged to grow well beyond the carrying capacity of the resource
through government incentives, and there was a huge lack of knowledge
of what that carrying capacity actually could sustain. For a copy of the
article go to: http://www.pcffa.org/fn-jun01.htm.
3:22/10. FISH & GAME COMMISSION TO CONSIDER
CHANGES IN FINFISH TRAP CONSTRUCTION: The California
Fish & Game Commission has announced a public hearing to amend
Section 180.4, Title 14, CCR regarding finfish trap construction. The date
of the hearing is 14 June at 0900 HRS at the Memorial Hall, Bryant and
School Streets, Bridgeport, California. Written comments must be received
by 14 June, or at the hearing. For more information see:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm.
3:22/11. CONGRESS ACTING ON EXTENSION OF STATE
MANAGEMENT OF DUNGENESS CRAB FISHERY: Legislation to
make permanent the authority of the states of California, Oregon and
Washington to manage the Dungeness crab fishery offshore their states in
the federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from 3 to 200 miles out has
passed the U.S. House of Representatives' Resources Committee. The
measure, sponsored by Representative George Miller (D-CA), is expected
to be acted on by the full House soon. On the Senate side, a similar
measure, S.755, has been introduced by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA),
Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The current law
authorizing state management is set to expire, but either of the two bills
would make state jurisdiction over this fishery permanent.
3:22/12. OREGON PAPER MILL SETTLEMENT FOR SALMON
SETS PRECEDENT: In a settlement of a long-standing dispute over
massive paper mill discharges of hot water into Oregon's Willamette River,
the Blue Heron Paper Company has agreed to install fish screens, reduce
the temperature of its waste water, monitor the effects and donate funds to
local salmon conservation groups. The Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ) noted that the resulting negotiated permit
would be the first in the state to require a detailed temperature reduction
plan for factory wastewater to protect salmon, and will likely serve as a
precedent for others. Scientists and regulators agree that the Willamette
River is now too hot for salmon, with summer temperatures routinely
violating Oregon's 68 degree water temperature standard maximum. The
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said, however, that even
the existing standard is too high for salmon, and the DEQ has formed a
Policy Advisory Committee to study new temperature standards for most
of Oregon. For more see:
http://www.registerguard.com/news/20010531/6b.cr.salmonmill.0531.html.
3:22/13. CALIFORNIA KING SALMON MAY CATCH FALLS
SHORT OF LAST YEAR: WorldCatch News Network reports that the
2001 commercial chinook 'king' salmon harvest in California for May has
fallen far short of last year, with 84,200 chinook caught this year as
compared to last years record-breaking 204,700. In 1999, however, the
May catch was only 34,100. Poor weather conditions have kept a lot of
boats in, but high demand has also pushed ex-vessel prices to as much as
$2.00 to $2.25 per pound, and landed fish have been of very good quality.
Oregon and Washington figures are not yet available but catches appear to
be strong. For more see:www.worldcatch.com.
3:22/14. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONSIDERS
DESALINIZATION: As Southern California populations continue to
soar, desalination proposals once disregarded as too energy intensive are
receiving a second look. The San Diego County Water Authority
(SDCWA) is researching a potential desalting plant that could
provide100,000 additional acre feet of water to the county. 100,000
acre-feet is enough to supply 200,000 families of four for one year.
Currently, 95 percent of the water that SDCWA distributes to its 23 city
jurisdictions is imported from either the Colorado River or Northern
California - a practice that is taking its toll on California's salmonid
populations. A study by Poseidon Research Corp., investigating the
feasibility of a desalting plant at a power plant in Carlsbad, 33 miles north
of San Diego, is due out in July and in an agreement between Poseidon and
SDCWA finalized this week, a possible desalting plant in South San Diego
Bay is also under review. In 1993, a plan for a desalting plant in the South
Bay was abandoned due to a prohibitively high cost of water and problems
with the treatment of the waste brine. Although reverse osmosis, the
desalination technique considered best for California, is energy intensive,
the power deliveries needed to run the new plants would not be required for
two years, when energy rates are predicted to be lower and more reliable.
For more information contact Jeff Cohen with the Office of Water
Education at the Department of Water Resources at jcohen at water.ca.gov
or (916) 653-0979.
3:22/15. NOYO HARBOR ASKS CONGRESS FOR SEAWALL
REPAIR FUNDS: The California Noyo Harbor District has written
California Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer asking for their
support for the request of $300,000 made by Congressman Mike
Thompson for urgently needed repair funds for the barrier sea wall between
Noyo River and the Noyo Mooring Basin. Noyo Harbor is the only port of
refuge for mariners between Eureka and Bodega Bay in Northern
California. The barrier wall protects local fishing boats and US Coast
Guard vessels as well as Noyo Harbor facilities. The Noyo Harbor District,
with a budget of only $400,000 annually, simply does not have the funds
for the repairs. The District is asking for letters of support for this
appropriation be sent to members of Congress. For more information
contact Donald R. Bradley, Chairman, Noyo Harbor Commission, 19101
S. Harbor Drive, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 or call: (707)964-4719.
3:22/16. MAINE LOBSTERMEN PROSPER FROM BOOMING
FISHERY: The New York Times reported on 31 May that the latest
estimates of last year's Maine lobster catch put the total at 56.7 million
pounds, an amount approximately 20 million pounds above the average for
the last 100 years. The reason for this booming fishery, a rarity amongst
the many threatened or endangered commercially harvested populations,
cannot be pinpointed. More than likely, it is a combination of
self-monitoring by the fishermen themselves, trap limits, limited entry and
a decline in predators like cod. "The lobster is perhaps one of the only
species that's been intensively fished for 150 years and is doing better
today than ever." said Bob Steneck, professor of marine sciences at the
University of Maine. Other factors include favorable North Atlantic
conditions and improvements in gear that make harvest more efficient and
reduce the mortality of young lobsters. While the fact that the boom cannot
continue forever is widely recognized, Maine, in conjunction with the other
states of the Atlantic seaboard, is working to maintain stocks throughout
continued management. For the full text of the article you can go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/31/national/31LOBS.html.
3:22/17. DEADLINE FOR FISH & GAME BIOLOGIST EXAM
EXTENDED: The California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG) has
extended the deadline for registration for the Associate Biologist exam to
22 June. The exam will consist of a qualifications appraisal interview.
These interviews will be held in August and September 2001. For more
information go to the California Department of Fish & Game's career web
page at www.dfg.ca.gov/hrb/pages/jobswithdfg.htm.
3:22/18. DECLINING SALMON BIODIVERSITY CITED AS
CONCERN: According to a recent study in the May-June, 2001, issue of
American Scientist, although the number of Pacific salmon has itself
declined dramatically, the overall loss of genetic diversity may be a much
bigger problem. In "Preserving Salmon Diversity," authors Phillip Levin
and Michael Schiewe note that salmon declines resulting from widespread
habitat damage go far beyond the obvious decline in numbers to the fact
that the genetic diversity that these fish need to adapt to changing
environmental conditions is also being seriously eroded. The author's note
that strategies to restore Pacific salmonids to a healthy state will also need
to ensure that adequate biodiversity is maintained. The full article can be
found at: http://americanscientist.org/articles/01articles/Levin.html.
3:22/19. PERSISTENT TOXIC CHEMICALS SLATED FOR
PHASE OUT, IF MONEY CAN BE FOUND: Persistent
bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs), also called persistent organic pollutants
(POPs), are long-lived synthetic chemicals that accumulate in the
environment and can not only damage the human food chain but represent
a growing concern for human health. An example is DDT, long banned in
the United States but so prevalent in other countries that it consistently
shows up in increasing amounts in human breast milk in the US and
worldwide. Several of these compounds have also been implicated in long-
term behavioral and genetic damage to aquatic species, including salmon.
A recent international treaty to phase out and ultimately ban 12 of the most
toxic of these compounds, sponsored by the UN Environment Programme,
was recently signed by over 90 countries, including the United States, and
on 23 May US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator
Christie Todd Whitman and the Bush Administration pledged to seek
speedy approval of the treaty by the US Congress. Information on the
treaty and these compounds can be found at:
http://www.chem.unep.ch/pops. For the EPA announcement go to their
web site at: http://www.epa.gov.
Meanwhile, the State of Washington's Legislature is gridlocked over
funding for the Washington Department of Ecology's plan, the first in the
nation and put together with two years of public input, to phase out many
of these same chemicals for use within that state. Washington Governor
Locke has included $1.2 million in his proposed budget to implement this
program, but with their Legislature wrangling over a tight budget it is
uncertain whether any of this funding effort will survive. Officials with the
Department of Ecology have labeled at least 75 waterways in Washington,
many of them containing potential salmon habitat, as unsafe because of
high levels of persistent, bioaccumulative toxins. For more information on
the campaign in Washington State to fund the Governor's program to phase
out these chemicals see: http://www.washpirg.org under the heading
"Toxics Free Future," or see: http://www.watoxics.org/tp.htm.
3:22/20. FISHERMEN FIGHTING FOR TERMINAL SPACE IN
SEATTLE: Seattle's Fishermen's Terminal, exclusively serving the
commercial fishing industry since 1913, may be invaded by sports yachts
and condominiums if the Seattle Port Authority has its way. The
commercial fishing community in Washington State is up in arms over the
proposal, fearing (as has usually happened elsewhere) that this change of
use will mean the eventual phase out of most Seattle commercial fishing
boat facilities and moorage. The campaign to make sure Fishermen's
Terminal remains exclusively for fishermen is now online at:
www.notforyachts.com.
NEWS, COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS: Submit your news items,
comments or any corrections to Natasha Benjamin, Editor at:
ifrfish at pacbell.net or call the IFR office with the news and a source at
either: (415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000 (Northwest
Office).
##########################################################
Sublegals are a weekly fisheries news bulletin service of Fishlink. For
a free subscription to Fishlink, contact <majordomo at pond.net> with
the words "subscribe fishlink" in the body of the text (the request is not
case sensitive). You will be subscribed as soon as the request can be
approved. To remove your name from our list, follow the same
instructions with the command "unsubscribe fishlink." If you have any
problems, you can contact us directly at: <fish1ifr at aol.com>.
##########################################################
"Fishlink" is a registered trademark of the Institute for Fisheries
Resources. All rights to the use of this trademark are reserved to IFR.
This publication, however, may be freely reproduced and circulated
without copyright restriction. If you are receiving this as a subscriber,
please feel free to pass this on to your colleagues. Subscribers who
wish to post or circulate hard copy of Sublegals or have no access to the
Internet may receive fax subscriptions by faxing their request, with their
fax number to: (415) 561-5464. Thanks!
##########################################################
NOTICE
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 this material is distributed
without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it
for research and educational purposes. The Institute for Fisheries
Resources, a nonprofit organization, provides the Fishlink News Service
free of charge even though it costs the organization considerable time and
money to produce it. We would like to continue to provide this service
free. You could help by making a tax-deductible contribution (anything
you can afford, whether $5.00 or $500.00) to keep this effort going and
growing. Please send your tax-deductible contribution to: Institute for
Fisheries Resources, PO Box 29370, San Francisco, CA 94129-0370.
Please do not send credit card information via E-mail. For further
information about making tax-deductible contributions to IFR please
phone us at: (541) 689-2000, or fax us at: (541)689-2500.
-- Your Dedicated Editors
##########################################################
------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get off ACN-L send a note to majordomo at acn.ca with unsubscribe acn-l
ACN-L archives are at http://www.peter.unmack.net/archive/acn
The Aquatic Conservation Network is dedicated to the exchange of
information regarding aquatic conservation issues. http://www.acn.ca
ACN-L is hosted by Gordon Dewis (gordon at pinetree.org) at www.pinetree.org