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Issue 254�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������
������October 30, 2006
In this issue:
Congressmen Hastings and Baird focus on feasting sea
lions
Dam breaching proposals take a narrow view of salmon recovery
PNWA releases 2007 Policies and Projects
2006 PNWA Annual Meeting � Success!
Congressmen Hastings and Baird focus on feasting sea lions
U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings (R, WA-4) and U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D, WA-3)
have introduced a bill that aims to reduce the predation of endangered
Columbia River salmon by sea lions.�
The Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act (H.R.6241) would create
a temporary expedited process for the states of Washington and Oregon and the
four Columbia River treaty tribes to obtain permits for the lethal removal of
a limited number of California sea lions preying on salmon and steelhead in
the Columbia River.� The streamlined
process could be used in cases where non-lethal methods to discourage sea
lion predation have been shown to be ineffective.
California sea lions are having a significant impact on spring salmon
returns.� In recent years, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers has observed that thousands of returning salmon are
killed by sea lions in the area around Bonneville Dam alone.� Despite dramatic population increases in
recent decades, California sea lions, like all marine mammals, enjoy strong
federal protection making it virtually impossible to remove them.� Under current law it can take 3 to 5 years
for wildlife managers to get permission from the federal government to remove
aggressive sea lions.� The existing
process has never been successfully used.
Non-lethal methods of scaring off the few brazen sea lions have been
unsuccessful.� And relocating the
animals hasn�t worked well in the past.�
The sea lions that plagued the Ballard Locks in the 1990�s were moved
hundreds of miles away.� Many of them
managed to return.
"Lethal removal of the most aggressive sea lions is necessary to deter
predation and help protect endangered salmon as they return to spawn,"
the lawmakers said.� "When we're
spending hundreds of millions per year in direct spending on salmon recovery,
our region cannot afford to ignore the impact of these sea lions," said
Hastings.�� "This bill is another
tool to use in limited situations after all other options have been
exhausted.� It will send a strong
message that the 'all-you-can-eat' salmon buffet at Bonneville Dam is
closed," said Baird.
Safeguards are included in the bill to ensure that the overall California sea
lion population is not impacted.� A
number of groups have already made statements in support of the bill,
including the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Yakama Nation,
and the Warm Springs Tribe.�
Additionally, Congressmen Norm Dicks (D, WA-6) and Greg Walden (R,
OR-2) have already signed on as original co-sponsors.� PNWA supports this legislation, and urges
Congress to move forward with this bill as soon as possible.� PNWA appreciates the efforts of our
Northwest delegation to support effective salmon recovery measures.
Dam breaching proposals take a narrow
view of salmon recovery
Former U.S. Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt and former Oregon
Governor John Kitzhaber addressed a Portland City Club forum promoting the
idea of "restoring salmon through dam breaching". Their proposal to
breach dams was echoed in an editorial in the Daily Astorian. Neither
presenter broke new ground in their October 6th address. Neither mentioned
the significant improvement in survival of juveniles migrating out of the
system, nor did they cite the increases in returning adults that began in
2000. Neither reported on the extensive formal study and review that dam
breaching has received, including the 2002 federal EIS that rejected breaching
as a solution for salmon.
PNWA responded with a press release that said, �The focus on dam breaching is
an overly narrow perspective on salmon and the environment. It ignores 22 of
the 26 fish runs from northern California to the Canadian border that are
listed as threatened or endangered, but do not pass these dams. It may not
even help the four runs that do pass the Snake River dams.�
The PNWA response continued, �The focus on dam breaching ignores the broader
environmental benefits the river system provides. Most know that hydropower
has zero air emissions. Many may not know that navigation is the lowest cost,
most fuel efficient and cleanest form of transportation. One barge tow,
moving 14,000 tons of cargo, keeps 480 trucks off Interstate 84 through the
Columbia Gorge. The inland barge system on the Columbia and Snake Rivers
moves the equivalent of 350,000 truck loads of cargo each year. Without
barging, it would take 2,400 semi-trucks to fill each 60,000 ton wheat ship
that calls in the Columbia River.�
The call for breaching dams ignores the tremendous investment this region has
made in salmon. That investment has resulted in dramatic increases in
juvenile salmon survival through the system. According to NOAA Fisheries,
juvenile survival is higher today than it was before the last four dams were
built. Those who advocate dam breaching ignore the record returns of salmon
the region has enjoyed over the last five years. And, they ignore the
tremendous economic benefits the region and the nation gain from the Columbia
Snake River System.
More information about the Columbia Snake River System, navigation,
hydropower, and why dam breaching is not the answer is available at
www.pnwa.net.
PNWA releases 2007 Policies and
Projects
At PNWA�s 2006 Annual Meeting in Tacoma, the association�s membership
completed work on the 2007 Policies and Projects, and adopted the document by
acclimation.� This document provides a
framework for PNWA staff efforts in the coming year, and showcases the issues
and projects that are supported by PNWA�s broad-based regional
membership.� To view the 2007 Policies
& Projects, please visit www.pwna.net, click �Action Agenda�, and select
�2007 Policies and Projects�.
2006 PNWA Annual Meeting � Success!
Our 2006 PNWA Annual
Meeting was a great success, and we owe it all to our wonderful members,
speakers, and sponsors!
Our program was chock
full of engaging and informative speakers.�
All speaker presentations are now available on our website, along with our program, speaker biographies, and speaker
contact information.
We had a wonderful
reception at the Washington State History Museum, with plenty of terrific
food and great friends.� All exhibits
were open to our attendees, and we are grateful to the Port of Tacoma for
their sponsorship of this event.
Gov. Gregoire with PNWA President Larry Paulson, Executive Director of
the Port of Vancouver USA.
Rep. Brian Baird receives PNWA�s 2006 Legislator of the Year Award
from Larry Paulson.
Rep. Adam Smith with PNWA member Kay Gabriel of Weyerhaeuser
Pacific Northwest Waterways
Association�������������������������������
www.pnwa.net
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