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May 28, 2004
Sims, Phillips encouraged by federal announcement
regarding salmon ESA listings, hatchery policy
King County Executive Ron Sims and County Council Chair Larry Phillips said today they are “encouraged" that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is acknowledging that hatchery fish are not replacements for those spawning in the wild and that salmon protections and habitat restoration should continue.
"King County is very encouraged that the federal government is listening to local leaders who are working so hard to restore salmon runs," said Sims, who with Phillips helped pull the region together through the Tri-County process and build a comprehensive approach to salmon recovery.
"As we speak, citizens, elected officials, tribes and other stakeholders in our watersheds are working together to move our salmon to robust health,” Sims said. “We appreciate NOAA’s continued efforts through the Shared Strategy to work in partnership with our watersheds to improve habitat. This work must continue.”
NOAA Fisheries today announced it would continue protecting 27 Pacific salmon and steelhead populations listed under the Endangered Species Act. However, while emphasizing the need to conserve wild salmon and ecosystems on which they depend, NOAA also said hatchery fish that are closely related to naturally spawning salmon will be considered in all of the current ESA-listed salmon groups.
“At the end of the day, we want to see healthy wild salmon runs sustained by a flourishing environment,” said Phillips. “Salmon hatcheries must be managed very carefully if they are to help wild runs, rather than hinder them. At first glance it looks like NOAA is headed in a positive direction, in that they are recognizing that wild salmon need continued habitat protection, and that hatcheries have varying effects on wild runs.
We’ll need time to take a close look at their proposals. We know that saving and sustaining salmon requires local, state and federal cooperation, and I look forward to continuing those efforts. The fate of the Pacific Coast salmon runs depends on our success.”
Sims said King County is looking forward to a vigorous public discussion about the proposed policy and will develop specific comments during the 90-day public review process.
“We still need a better sense of the science NOAA considered and how they have incorporated that science into their decisions,” Sims said. “We also want to understand better what implications these decisions have for our programs that can continue to contribute to salmon recovery in our watersheds. Our fundamental interest is to ensure that our fragile salmon stocks are provided the science-based protection they need to thrive.
“Today’s announcement marks just one step in what is likely to be a long and complex legal process. We won’t wait for this process to end to do the right thing for these fish. This region must maintain our focus on protecting and restoring our streams, rivers and lakes to support healthy salmon populations and our quality of life.”
Updated: May 28, 2004
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