From: Kate Wing <[log in to unmask]>
Salmon Along the Pacific Coast
{USDA PURCHASES OF AK SALMON. ON JUNE 12, 1997, AK GOVERNOR
ANNOUNCED THAT THE U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE WILL BUY AS MUCH
AS $12 MILLION WORTH OF AK PINK AND CHUM SALMON BY COMPETITIVE
BID FOR USE IN FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAMS.} [REUTERS,
ASSOC PRESS]
{Russia-Japan Salmon Poaching Agreement. On June 12, 1997,
private sector associations from Russia and Japan signed an
agreement to cooperate in fighting poaching of salmon and trout
from Russian waters. Russian officials will be stationed in
Japanese ports to check permits and measure catch against quotas.
Poaching has made it impossible for Japanese fishery associations
to predict import volumes, causing volatile prices for salmon and
trout.} [Dow Jones News]
{MT Legal Action. On June 11, 1997, the state of MT filed suit
in U.S. District Court against the Bureau of Reclamation and
Army Corps of Engineers seeking to have Hungry Horse and Libby
Dams in the Flathead and Kootenai drainages operated in
compliance with the Northwest Power Planning Council's 1994 Fish
and Wildlife Program that would limit drawdowns requested by NMFS
for salmon because of concerns that resident fish would be
harmed. MT Gov. Racicot also announced that the MT Dept. of
Environmental Quality will issue a notice of violation and an
administrative order directing the Bureau of Reclamation to
operate Hungry Horse Dam so as to minimize downstream effects on
the Flathead River.} [NW Fishletter #36]
{AK SALMON Seiners Strike. On June 9, 1997, more than 250
members of the United Seiners Assoc. remained in port in Kodiak,
AK, after voting on June 7 to not fish until processors agree in
writing on a price for salmon. Many Assoc. members were
reported to have not fished last year due to low prices. IN
MID-JUNE 1997, MORE THAN 40 AK PENINSULA FISHERMEN WERE REPORTED
TO HAVE JOINED KODIAK SEINERS IN DECIDING NOT TO FISH FOR SALMON
UNTIL THEY HAD A CONTRACT GUARANTEEING A MARKET PRICE.} [Assoc
Press]
Sacramento River Pumping Station. On June 3, 1997, a dedication
ceremony was scheduled to celebrate the relocated and modernized
M&T Pumping Station on the Sacramento River, south of Chico, CA.
For almost $5 million, the new station was equipped with fish
screens to protect migrating steelhead trout and salmon. [Ducks
Unlimited and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service press release]
Ms. Frizzle Award. On June 2, 1997, Scholastic, Inc., announced
that a third grade teacher from Portland, OR, was the recipient
of the Ms. Frizzle Award for creative excellence in science
teaching for a project entitled "Salmon in the Sink." Students
will work with the OR Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to build a
simulated river ecosystem and raise salmon fry for release.
[Scholastic, Inc. press release]
Drawdown Field Hearing. On May 31, 1997, the House Resources
Subcommittee on Water and Power held a field hearing in Lewiston,
ID, on various proposals for drawing down Columbia and Snake
River hydroelectric dams. [Assoc Press]
Sea Bird Protection. On May 30, 1997, the WA Fish and Wildlife
Commission approved regulations designed to better protect diving
sea birds from entanglement in commercial salmon nets.
Commercial fishermen will be required to modify gear and restrict
fishing hours during the Fraser River sockeye and pink salmon
fishery in northern Puget Sound, WA. Regulations include gaps in
the tops of purse seine nets to allow birds to escape, rebuilt
nets with white twine in the upper 20 meshes for better
visibility by birds, night closures when birds are less easily
seen, and season closure when birds are abundant and salmon are
scarce. The regulations were developed through a cooperative
effort by commercial fishermen, environmental groups, fishing
gear suppliers, and state and federal fishery managers. [Assoc
Press]
Shasta Dam Temperature Control. On May 29, 1997, Interior
Secretary Bruce Babbitt dedicated an $80 million structure at
Shasta Dam to permit better temperature control of water released
from the dam to benefit chinook salmon downstream. Funds for the
structure were provided by the federal government, water users,
and the state of CA. [Reuters]
Columbia River Spring Chinook. By late May 1997, more than
16,000 chinook salmon had been counted passing Lower Granite Dam,
with about 16% being wild (not hatchery) fish. [Assoc Press]
Pacific Salmon Treaty. On May 20, 1997, treaty negotiations
collapsed after U.S. negotiators indicated that they could not
agree to a swap of a lower U.S. sockeye harvest from the Fraser
River for a lower Canadian coho salmon harvest off Vancouver
Island, without state and tribal review of the proposal. On May
21, 1997, Canadian officials advised U.S. fishermen that they
would enforce requirements that U.S. vessels report by radio
when entering Canadian waters or face possible boarding,
inspection, detention, and fines. On May 23, 1997, BC Premier
Glen Clark gave 90 days notice of his intent to terminate the
U.S. Navy's lease on an underwater submarine and weapons test
range at Nanoose Bay, BC. On May 23, 1997, U.S. Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright spoke with Canadian Foreign Minister
Lloyd Axworthy about Pacific salmon negotiations; after these
discussions, the Canadian press reported that treaty negotiations
would resume on May 30, 1997. On May 25, 1997, the Canadian
government seized two U.S. vessels, the Janet G. and the
Nautilus, for not reporting by radio and stowing their fishing
gear, and on May 26, 1997, an additional U.S. vessel, the Four
Daughters, was seized. The U.S. operators of these vessels are
to appear in Canadian court on May 27, 1997. On May 27, 1997, BC
Provincial Court Judge Brian Saunderson imposed C$300 fines on
the three U.S. vessels seized for not stowing their fishing gear
and not contacting Canadian authorities before transit of
Canadian waters; Canadian prosecutors had asked for fines of
C$1,500 each. On May 27, 1997, Canadian fisheries enforcement
personnel seized a fourth U.S. fishing vessel, the Christina,
for non-compliance with Canadian regulations. Several hours
later, U.S. State Dept. officials notified the Canadian
government that the United States was postponing the resumption
of negotiations, previously scheduled for May 30, 1997. On May
27, 1997, BC Premier Glen Clark met with WA Governor Gary Locke
to discuss concerns with sharing a projected record return of
Fraser River sockeye salmon in 1997. U.S. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright and Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy
were reported to have briefly discussed the salmon situation via
telephone on May 27, 1997, expressing mutual interest in resuming
negotiations. On May 28, 1997, the operator of the fourth U.S.
vessel seized, the Christina, was fined C$300 by the BC
Provincial Court and released. On May 28, 1997, United States'
officials appealed to Canada to resume suspended treaty
negotiations. On May 28, 1997, AK Senator Murkowski was reported
to have asked that the U.S. Coast Guard consider escorting U.S.
fishing vessels through Canadian waters to prevent vessel
seizures. On May 31, 1997, the Seattle Times reported that the
secret conclusions of early 1996 mediation by New Zealand
Ambassador Christopher Beeby were highly favorable to the
Canadian position on equitable sharing of Pacific salmon
harvests, and that Ambassador Beeby proposed an accounting
formula based on the wholesale value of domestic salmon landings
to establish which nation should curtail fishing or pay
compensation. On June 2, 1997, BC fishing groups, reportedly
with support of and funding from the BC provincial government,
announced the beginning of an advertizing campaign in major U.S.
and Canadian newspapers along the Pacific coast, expressing the
Canadian view of current salmon problems. On June 3, 1997,
Senator Stevens was reported to have stated that he will oppose
$100 million in U.S. funding for environmental cleanups at 4
former military facilities in Canada, including Distant Early
Warning sites, because of Canada's recent actions to revoke the
U.S. Navy lease at Canada's Nanoose Bay facility. BC Premier
Clark responded by threatening to cancel export of wolves and
grizzly bears to the United States for species restoration
programs. {On June 5, 1997, Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd
Axworthy indicated that talks between U.S. and Canadian
negotiators could resume in mid-June. On June 11, 1997, Canada's
new Fisheries Minister, David Anderson, indicated a moderate
stance would be taken in an effort to achieve a resumption of
Treaty negotiations.} [Seattle Times, Assoc Press, Reuters, Dow
Jones News, Wall Street Journal]
Irrigation Project Blocked. On May 16, 1997, NMFS ordered the
Army Corps of Engineers to deny a permit for the withdrawal of as
much as 196 million gallons of water daily from John Day
Reservoir for a consortium of farming families developing a
20,000-acre potato and vegetable operation near Boardman, OR.
This was the first major irrigation project limited by a 1995
NMFS policy of "no net loss of water" to protect threatened and
endangered salmon. [Assoc Press, NMFS press release]
Aquaculture and Aquaria
{Shrimp Virus. On June 11, 1997, NMFS on behalf of the Joint
Subcommittee on Aquaculture announced the release of a report
entitled "An Evaluation of Shrimp Virus Impacts on Cultured
Shrimp and on Wild Shrimp Populations in the Gulf of Mexico and
Southeastern U.S. Atlantic Coastal Waters." Three public
hearings will be held (July 15-23, 1997) and comments received to
help in the development of plans for an ecological risk
assessment on shrimp viruses.} [Federal Register]
{McLaks Off the Market. On May 31, 1997, two customers and two
employees became ill after eating McLaks salmon burgers in a
McDonald's restaurant in Loerenskog, Norway. As a precaution,
McDonald's subsequently withdrew McLaks salmon burgers from all
36 outlets in Norway until the source of the problem could be
identified.} [Reuters]
Norwegian Salmon. On May 29, 1997, the European Commission
discussed but failed to agree on whether or not to impose
anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties amounting to 13.7% on farmed
Norwegian Atlantic salmon. On June 1, 1997, the European
Commission approved a compromise on Norwegian farmed salmon
imports. Instead of imposing antidumping duties, a five-year
agreement was negotiated to include a minimum price for the
salmon, an increase in the Norwegian export duty on this product
from 0.75% to 3%, and a limitation on the growth of exports to
the EU of about 10% per year. [Reuters, Agence Europe via
Reuters]
AK Roe Stripping Lawsuit. On May 21, 1997, AK Superior Court
Judge Dan Hensley heard arguments on whether AK salmon hatcheries
should be allowed to strip roe from returning salmon and dump
their carcasses. A 1996 lawsuit seeks to halt this practice.
[Assoc Press]
Freshwater Fisheries
Chicago Waterways and Aquatic Nuisance Species. On June 18,
1997, the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species and the
federal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force have scheduled a tour
of the Chicago Waterways focusing on the round goby and other
nonindigenous species dispersal barrier initiatives to control
the movement of aquatic nuisance species between the Great Lakes
basin and the Mississippi River drainage. [U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service announcement]
{Bull Trout. On June 10, 1997, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, under court order, proposed listing Klamath River bull
trout as endangered and Columbia River bull trout as threatened
under the Endangered Species Act. Five public hearings are
scheduled on the proposal between July 1 and July 17. Public
comments will be taken until Aug. 12, 1997.} [Assoc Press]
{Pocomoke River fish lesions. On June 10, 1997, MD Dept. of
Natural Resources officials expanded their study into the cause
of lesions on white perch, croakers, catfish, and carp in the
Pocomoke River drainage. The lesions were first reported about 9
months ago. Although some consider the fungus, Actinomyces sp.,
to be the cause of the lesions, researchers are seeking to
understand why these fish seem to be especially susceptible to
the fungus.} [Assoc Press]
National Fishing Week. June 2-8, 1997 was celebrated across the
United States as National Fishing Week. At least 44 states and
the District of Columbia scheduled "Free Fishing Days" during
this week when residents could fish without having purchased a
license. [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service press release]
Sikes Act Hearing. On May 22, 1997, the House Resources
Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans
{held a joint} hearing with the House Committee on National
Security on H.R. 374, proposing to amend the Sikes Act to
enhance fish and wildlife conservation and natural resource
management programs on military installations. [personal
communication]
Westslope Cutthroat Trout ESA Petition. On May 20, 1997, a
coalition of MT, OR, and ID environmental groups announced that
they had filed a petition to list the westslope cutthroat trout
as a threatened species. [Assoc Press]
Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plans. On May 20, 1997, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service officials announced that Michigan's
"Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species State Management Plan"
had been approved by the federal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task
Force. MI is the second state to have a management plan
approved, which permits MI to request federal funds for
implementation. {On June 11, 1997, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service announced approval of OH's Aquatic Nuisance Species
Management Plan and the awarding of a $25,000 grant to the Ohio
Dept. of Natural Resources to begin the Plan's implementation.}
[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service press release, Assoc Press]
....
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