King County today responded to the listing of chinook salmon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) with a conservation plan aimed at saving the salmon and ensuring continued success of the area's vibrant economy.
"Our Wild Pacific salmon have great cultural, economic, recreational and symbolic importance in the Pacific Northwest.
An abundant chinook salmon population is indicative of a thriving environment," said King County Executive Ron Sims in presenting the plan that represents the work
of the county and its cities.
"Conversely, an environment that causes the extinction of this species raises serious issues about our region's future quality of life. We will not damage either."
The listing of the chinook salmon as a threatened species under the federal ESA challenges the Puget Sound region to reverse the trends that threaten or endanger the existence of our native salmon, Sims said.
"Our goal is to ensure long-term protection of our salmon resources at not only sustainable, but harvestable levels for today and tomorrow with the least economic impact possible. In short, we must meet the challenge of saving the salmon in harmony with our population growth and economic prosperity," Sims said.
The ESA listing will define reasons for the decline of salmon, and determine how these activities should be restricted. If local governments don't develop an acceptable recovery plan, the federal government could place restrictions on local land and water use, which will affect everyone in the Puget Sound region.
King County's recovery plan, "Return of the Kings: Strategies for the Long Term Conservation and Recovery of the Chinook Salmon," was submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Services on March 3. In anticipation of the ESA listing, King County has been working for the past year in close partnership with Pierce and Snohomish Counties to develop a substantive, science-based, habitat conservation three county regional proposal that will lead to recovery of the chinook salmon.
A Tri-County effort was formed a year ago when the announcement was made that the salmon would likely be listed. It has included all the municipal jurisdictions of King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, as well as the tribes in the area, in shaping, planning and writing the plans. King County cities, environmental and business groups are participating through watershed planning. Several jurisdictions submitted a description of current or early actions they believe will conserve the salmon.
The end product is known as the "Tri-County Initiative To Recover the Puget Sound Chinook." It contains King County's plan and the specific plans from Snohomish and Pierce Counties. The Tri-County initiative presents an economically sound, comprehensive, science-based regional recovery plan for the entire urban King/Snohomish/Pierce Counties area. In addition, the Tri-County approach joins together with the State of Washington's draft statewide strategy to recover salmon.
"Our successful, multi-jurisdictional, approach to salmon restoration is the largest, cooperative effort ever undertaken in our region's history," Sims said. "Collectively, the counties' plans demonstrate this region's commitment to voluntarily protect the species and to direct its own destiny at the local level."
Included in the comprehensive King County plan are short and long-term strategies that draw together the county efforts with the Tri-County and watershed level efforts. Long term strategies for the King County and the Tri-County effort include coordinated, watershed-based salmon conservation and recovery actions.
Short-term strategies include:
- Habitat protection and acquisition projects drawn from existing scientific-based plans and information;
- Enhanced use of the State Environmental Policy Act to better protect salmon habitat;
- Evaluation of programs and regulations to determine their effectiveness in contributing to species conservation;
- Enhanced enforcement of existing protective regulations;
- Improved roads maintenance Best Management Practices;
- Over 100 other departmental initiatives in habitat, research, development regulations, and improving environmental practices in county services;
- Public education and involvement.
These plans also include both "early action" projects that counties already have undertaken or propose to undertake that are designed specifically to bring back dwindling numbers of chinook salmon, and long-term conservation plans focused at the watershed level that will lead to recovery of the chinook salmon.
As part of its "early actions" effort, King County also convened a seven-member panel of scientists and ecologists to begin an evaluation of our programs and policies most relevant to the conservation of salmon (e.g. Sensitive Areas Ordinance, Clearing and Grade Code, and Stormwater Management). The intent of the panel's work was to identify and assess elements of County programs, policies and regulations that may directly or indirectly benefit or hinder the conservation of chinook salmon.
Four key state and federal programs implemented by the counties are valuable tools for ensuring protection of the environment, including water quality and quantity, and will be an integral part of salmon conservation actions. State programs include the Growth Management Act, the Shoreline Management Act and State Environmental Policy Act, and on the federal level, the Clean Water Act.
The proposals have been submitted for review to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
