APPEALS COURT HALTS SEA LION LETHAL REMOVAL; LIVE TRAPPING BEGINS Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

With legal battles looming in the background, the Washington and Oregon departments of fish and wildlife on Thursday launched efforts to trap and remove California sea lions that have made a habit of feasting on spawning salmon in the turbulent waters below the lower Columbia River's Bonneville Dam. Read More...

PINNIPED NUMBERS BELOW BONNEVILLE HIT NEW RECORD; REPORTED SIGHTINGS ABOVE DAM Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

The pinniped dynamics appear to have changed a bit this spring with Steller sea lions an ever-growing presence, though California sea lions remain ever relentless in their pursuit of spawning salmon in the tailrace of the Columbia River's Bonneville Dam, according to preliminary data compiled by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers researchers. Read More...

RANGE OF PARTIES EXPRESS CONCERNS ABOUT F&W PROJECT FUNDING AGREEMENTS Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

Four draft memorandums of agreement announced this month that pledge nearly $1 billion in Columbia River basin fish and wildlife funding over the next 10 years have drawn some praise, much criticism and threats of continued, rather than reduced, litigation in the region. Read More...

COURT: MORE INFO NEEDED ON COLUMBIA ESTUARY IMPACTS ON COASTAL CUTTHROAT Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service needs to take a longer look at how degraded Columbia River estuary and nearshore habitat has affected the status of ocean-going southwest Washington-Columbia River coastal cutthroat trout, according to a "memorandum" issued April 18 by a federal appellate panel. Read More...

STUDY: NORTHERN PIKE EATING BIG NUMBERS OF TROUT IN FLATHHEAD SYSTEM Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

Every year, eight metric tons of fish don’t make it through the gauntlet of northern pike that inhabit the slow-moving waters of Montana's Flathead River. Read More...

TOO EARLY TO TELL IF SPRING RUN LATE OR LESS THAN FORECASTED Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

Gill-netters will get an extra, though small opportunity to pursue spring chinook salmon in lower Columbia off-channel "select" areas while mainstem fishers, both sport and commercial, stay ashore hoping that the numbers of upriver spawners start to soar. Read More...

AGREEMENT REACHED TO REMOVE MONTANA DAM, CLEANUP MINING TAILINGS Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

State of Montana and federal officials today announced a $37 million settlement of litigation with Atlantic Richfield Co. and ASARCO LLC to remove the aging Mike Horse Dam and the contaminated tailings behind it, and to clean up and restore the Upper Blackfoot River and Mining Complex. Read More...

NINTH CIRCUIT, REPLYING TO IDAHO FILING, AGAIN SAYS 2004 BIOP INCOMPATIBLE WITH ESA Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

Just 10 days before a new Federal Columbia River Power system "biological opinion" is scheduled to spring to life, a federal appeals court panel has declared its predecessor officially dead, again. Read More...

GOVERNORS PUSH FOR EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR SALMON FISHERMEN, BUSINESSES Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire have sent a letter to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking Congress to begin working on securing emergency appropriations for ocean salmon fishermen and related businesses that will be affected by the expected closure of much of the West Coast commercial and recreational ocean salmon fishing season. Read More...

COUNCIL ADOPTS EARLY-WARNING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICITY SHORTAGES Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 (PST)

The Northwest now has an early-warning system for potential electricity shortages and high prices to consumers. Read More...