Salmon Recovery Assessment

Salmon Recovery Assessment

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

In December the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration requested another “situation assessment” regarding ongoing salmon recovery activities in the Columbia Basin, in which closed interviews would be conducted with individuals to record their opinions of ongoing salmon recovery activities. In a recent letter to the head of NOOA, the Natural Resources Committee Chairman,Doc Hastings, expressed concern over what he considers a costly taxpayer funded planning exercise. Hastings expounds.

HASTINGS: It seems to be redundant and from my point of view it seems to be an issue to try to come up again with another study on salmon issues. The fact is, the last several years the salmon runs have been coming back in really very, very good numbers. That we should be applauding rather than going through another study to find out about salmon runs, and not spend more taxpayer dollars.

A Hastings spokesperson said the Natural Resources Committee policy staff were told by NOAA Fisheries that the cost for the assessment would be between $200,000 and $300,000. According to NOAA Fisheries the assessment will seek views on recovery planning processes that would be used to address habitat, harvest, hatchery, and hydro strategies. NOAA Fisheries is charged under the ESA with safeguarding listed salmon and steelhead, and developing recovery plans for conservation and survival of listed species. Thirteen Columbia-Snake river basin salmon and steelhead stocks are listed as either threatened or endangered under the ESA. The assessment report is expected to be released later this year.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.