Columbia Basin Collaborative Schedules Organizational Workshop To Discuss ‘Proposed Process Approach’; Goal To Create ‘Salmon Ethic’
January 29th, 2021
The Columbia Basin Collaborative, a new effort to bring parties together to rebuild threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead stocks while addressing the needs of the regional economy, will hold an organizational workshop next month.
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Guest Column: Gorton Amendment To NW Power Act Moved Goal Posts, Created New Ones Slowing Tribal Programs To Restore Wild Salmon Runs
January 8th, 2021
Approval of the Yakama Nation Hatchery Master Plan by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council on December 6th was a long-awaited step towards restoring wild salmon runs above Bonneville Dam. . . 38 years to be exact. Why did it take so long?
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Washington State Approves New Rules For Commercial Viewing Of Killer Whales; Less Time Up Close
December 30th, 2020
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife last week announced new rules for commercial viewing of Southern Resident killer whales to reduce the impacts of vessel noise and disturbance on the whales' ability to forage, rest, and socialize while, the agency says, enabling sustainable whale watching.
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EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK: Will Governors’ Pledge To Seek ‘Collaborative Framework’ Change Trajectory Of Columbia Basin Salmon Recovery?
November 25th, 2020
There is a lot of talk now about finding a new way to coordinate and improve Columbia Basin salmon recovery. A diverse group of river users, utilities and environmentalists is calling on Northwest governors to lead the way in finding collaborative solutions to recover Columbia/Snake River Basin salmon and steelhead populations listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
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Montana Inspectors This Year Inspecting Far More Boats For Invasive Species, And Finding More Contaminated; One With Red Rim Melania Snails (Africa, Asia)
June 11th, 2020
Montana watercraft inspection stations have intercepted 13 boats carrying invasive mollusks into the state this year. As of May 30, inspectors have caught 12 boats with invasive zebra or quagga mussels and one boat with red rim melania snails attached to watercraft.
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Senators Urge Trump Administration To Pause Federal Rulemakings During COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency, Extend Comment Periods
April 23rd, 2020
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined 20 colleagues in the Senate Democratic caucus in sending a letter to Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought calling on OMB to indefinitely extend existing public comment periods and hearings until the public can safely gather after the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic have passed.
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Covid-19: ODFW Used Livestream For Public Hearing On Possibly Creating Thermal Angling Sanctuaries For Summer Steelhead
April 2nd, 2020
With Covid-19 halting public meetings, The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife last week instead conducted a livestream to explain and gather public input on the potential for “thermal angling sanctuaries” in select Oregon tributaries upstream of Bonneville Dam.
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Willamette Valley Landowners Can Apply For Habitat Conservation Easements Funded Through BPA For Dam Impacts
March 26th, 2020
Willamette Valley landowners interested in permanently protecting their lands for fish and wildlife habitat conservation can apply by April 10 for funding through ODFW’s Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program.
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Parties React: Draft EIS Says Breaching Lower Snake Dams Highest Benefit For Fish, But High Adverse Impacts To Other Resources
March 5th, 2020
Breaching all four lower Snake River dams – Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite dams – would result in the highest benefits for Snake River salmon and steelhead listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, according to an assessment by federal dam operating agencies released last week.