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From: Kate Wing <[log in to unmask]>
Norwegian 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]
Fish as Pollutants. In late May 1997, the WA state Pollution
Control Hearings Board declared Atlantic salmon escaping from
fish farms to be a "living pollutant" to be regulated similarly
to sewage and industrial waste. The Board has scheduled a 5-day
hearing in Olympia, beginning July 24, 1997, to consider whether
escaped salmon harm native fish and, if so, what options might be
considered. [Assoc Press]
Freshwater Fisheries
{Greenback Cutthroat Trout Restoration. On June 24, 1997,
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt announced a $97,000 grant under
the "Bring Back the Natives" program to the Uncompaghre-Gunnison
National Forest, CO, for fish passage work on Beaver Creek to aid
recovery of native greenback cutthroat trout.} [Assoc Press]
{Flaming Gorge Dam Spill. On June 21, 1997, the spillway at
Flaming Gorge Dam on the UT-WY border was used for the first time
in more than a decade after an outlet tube failed and the power
plant flooded. Biologists expressed concern that the warmer
surface water discharge COULD harm coldwater fish such as trout
in the Green River below the Dam.} [Assoc Press]
Zebra Mussel Funding. On June 18, 1997, the House voted 422-3 to
pass H.R. 437, reauthorization of the National Sea Grant College
Program Act, providing $2.8 million annually for zebra mussel
research. [Assoc Press]
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]
CITES Proposal - Sturgeons. In mid-June 1997, the delegates to
the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) conference in Zimbabwe adopted a
joint German and U.S. proposal to list all sturgeons on CITES
Appendix II. [Reuters]
Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plans. 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]
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. {IN LATE JUNE 1997,
THE GOVERNORS OF MT AND ID, REPRESENTATIVES OF NATIVE AMERICAN
TRIBES, AND OFFICIALS OF WASHINGTON WATER POWER SIGNED AN
AGREEMENT TO COORDINATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A UNIFIED BULL TROUT
RECOVERY EFFORT WITH WA WATER POWER'S HYDROPOWER PROJECT
RELICENSING ON THE LOWER CLARK FORK RIVER.} [Assoc Press,
WASHINGTON WATER POWER PRESS RELEASE]
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. Others at NC State Univ. contend that Pfiesteria
piscicida is causing the Pocomoke River lesions. [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]
Marine Mammals
{TUNA-DOLPHIN LEGISLATION. ON JUNE 26, 1997, THE U.S. SENATE
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION MARKED-UP AND
ORDERED S. 39 REPORTED AS AMENDED TO ALLOW THE USE OF THE
'DOLPHIN-SAFE' LABEL IF NO DOLPHINS ARE OBSERVED TO HAVE BEEN
KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED DURING TUNA HARVEST.} [REUTERS]
{Japanese Research Whaling. On June 25, 1997, officials of
Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research announced the terms of
sale for 1,995 tons of meat from 440 minke whales taken in the
Southern Ocean between November 1996 and March 1997. This meat
is to be sold primarily to processor of canned foods, with
projected revenue of 3.5 billion yen. Prime-quality meant for
general consumption would be sold wholesale for 3,840 yen per
kilogram, with the retail price to be three times the wholesale
price.} [Dow Jones News]
Captive Orcas Die. In mid-June 1997, two of the 5 orcas captured
off Taiji, Japan, on Feb. 7, 1997, died in captivity. On June
14, 1997, the youngest male orca captured died at Nanki Shirahama
Adventure World. On June 17, 1997, a female orca at the same
facility died; this whale was pregnant when captured, but had a
miscarriage in April 1997. [personal communication]
Mortality Events. In mid-June 1997, nine dead dolphins washed
ashore on Delaware beaches, many of them newborn animals. Cause
of the mortality could not be immediately determined. Between
late May and mid-June 1997, 17 adult harbor seals have been found
dead on beaches in Marin County, CA. The cause of death is
undetermined. [Assoc Press]
Pirate Whaling? In mid-June 1997, NMFS requested an
investigation of reports that as many as 12 sperm whale carcasses
were sighted in the central Atlantic, 200 miles west of the
Azores Islands, with large orange buoys and radar
reflectors/beacons nearby. The Portuguese government is
reportedly sending a naval vessel to investigate. Dead whales
began to be reported by yachts on May 13, 1997, and two possible
whaling vessels operating without lights were reported on May
27-28. [personal communication]
CITES - Whales. On June 13, 1997, delegates at the meeting of
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora) Parties in Zimbabwe voted 27-51 by secret
ballot to defeat a Japanese proposal to sever linkage between
CITES and the International Whaling Commission, giving whale
conservation monitoring to CITES exclusively. On June 16, 1997,
CITES delegates rejected by a 47 to 64 vote a Japanese proposal
to downlist eastern Pacific gray whales. On June 17, 1997, CITES
meeting delegates rejected additional proposals by Japan and
Norway to downlist several minke whale populations and allow
international trade in certain whale products. Norway's request
on minke whales failed on a secret ballot vote of 57-51, not
having achieved the two-thirds majority required. Delegates
voted 45-65 by secret ballot to defeat Japanese proposal on west
Pacific minke whales and voted 53-59 by secret ballot to defeat a
Japanese proposal on Southern Ocean minke whales. Subsequently,
Japan withdrew a third proposal to downlist Bryde's whales in the
northwest Pacific. [Reuters, Dow Jones News, Assoc Press]
Hawaiian Whale Sanctuary. June 6, 1997, was the deadline by
which HI Governor Ben Cayetano was to have decided how much, if
any, of a proposed 1,680 square miles of state waters and
submerged lands should be included within the Hawaiian Islands
Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and managed under its
federal management plan. [Assoc Press]
Norwegian Whaling. On June 9, 1997, a Dutch court decided not to
grant Norway's request for extradition of Paul Watson; Watson was
subsequently released. On June 11, 1997, Oslo district court
rejected whalers' arguments in a lawsuit against the Norwegian
government, and ruled that the government had the right to stop
whaling from 1988 to 1992. [Assoc Press, High North Alliance
News, Dow Jones News, personal communication]
Items in this summary are excerpted from a variety of information
sources. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is not
responsible for the accuracy of the various news items. For
additional information on items in this summary or their sources,
congressional staff may call Gene Buck (CRS-ENR) at 7-7262 or
send a fax to 7-7289. This summary is available daily or weekly
(each Friday) via e-mail to congressional staff; requests from
congressional staff to be added to the daily or weekly
distribution lists may be sent to "[log in to unmask]".
....
End of Part 4/4
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Aldo-Pier Solari, Fisheries Res. Gr./ULP <[log in to unmask]>
home-page --> http://segate.sunet.se/fish-ecology/aps/index.html
Oath --> "I will not fail those with whom I serve"
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