Those who follow Columbia River Basin salmon recovery efforts had a
mixed reaction to a federal agency caucus' outline of fish and wildlife
management options presented Tuesday in Portland.
But they were unanimous on one topic: Someone must take the reins if
a plan is to be defined and implemented to revive fish populations.
Twelve salmon and steelhead "Evolutionarily Significant Units" and seven
resident fish and other aquatic species in the region have been listed
as threatened or ...

A plan to ease the worlds largest Caspian tern colony downriver as
a first step toward ridding the Columbia River estuary of the salmon-hungry
birds was accepted, grudgingly, Wednesday by the Northwest Power Planning
Council.
The Council indicated six weeks ago, in a letter from Chairman Todd
Maddock, that it wanted the terns impact on migrating salmon smolts reduced
to no more than 5 percent and suggested measures to prevent any nesting
in the estuary. But that goal is not achievable, or

The man who is leading salmon recovery in the Northwest said it will
take a combined effort of federal, state, local and tribal governments
to bring back salmon, and he wondered if the states will be able to make
the tough decisions necessary for recovery.
Will Stelle Jr., director of the National Marine Fisheries Service
Northwest office, said the difference between listing of the northern spotted
owl as an endangered species and the ESA listing of nine salmon and steelhead
species ...

In-river boxes intended to protect eggs and newly hatched salmon and
steelhead fry, engineered streams that counteract the effects of dams on
migrations, and strobe light configurations that steer fish away from mincing
dam turbines -- all are old fish recovery ideas whose time may have come
as alternatives to dam breaching.
Those ideas were the focus of a trio on presentations Wednesday at the
Northwest Power Planning Council's meeting in Twin Falls, Idaho. Guiding
the discussions ...

An inter-regional war of words between Alaska and Northwest officials
has erupted over the role of Columbia and Snake river dams in depleting
salmon populations and the North Pacific fishing industry.
Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles this week called the dams "a killing field"
for salmon that are at the root of the dispute, which is threatening to
undermine a new U.S.-Canadian salmon fishing treaty that would help endangered
fish recover. But most Northwest officials strongly oppose a proposal ...

With the tide of scientific opinion rising
about the strong influences of estuarine conditions, the Northwest Power
Planning Council intends to find out how that salmon lifecycle segment
might be manipulated to improve survival.
The effects of channel dredging, predation
and water flows on migrating salmon are among the Columbia River estuary
issues the Council hopes its Independent Scientific Advisory Board will
address over the coming months.
Conclusions would hopefully be outlined
in