Scientists are divided over virus threat to Northwest salmon – Various Sources

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Al B.

Like mariners scanning the horizon from the crow’s nest, scientists have for years been on the lookout in the Pacific Northwest for signs that a dreaded salmon-killing disease, scourge to farmed salmon in other parts of the world, has arrived here, threatening some of the world’s richest wild salmon habitats. Most say there is no evidence. But for years, a biologist in Canada named Alexandra Morton — regarded by some as a visionary Cassandra, by others as a misguided prophet of doom — has said definitively and unquestionably that they are wrong.

Kirk Johnson reports. Scientists are divided over virus threat to Northwest salmon
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130505/NEWS/130509993/scientists-are-divided-over-virus-threat-to-northwest-salmon

See also: Fish farms allied with government, activists say
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/fish-farms-allied-with-government-activists-say-1.146182

and see the free hour long video on Alexandra and her work. Very damning to the BC Provincial and Canadian Government.

https://vimeo.com/61301410

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More details come to light on upcoming salmon fishing seasons – Seattle Times

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Al B.

Good overview of what the fishing season might bring.

Now that we’ve gotten all the obvious salmon fishing seasons finalized lets dissect what kind of summer and fall opportunities there are besides the expected gargantuan 6.2-million plus pink salmon return.

Read the rest of the story at:

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/reeltimenorthwest/2013/04/11/more-details-come-to-light-on-upcoming-salmon-fishing-seasons/

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Dead salmon found along silt-choked Elwha River after hatchery release – PDN

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Al B.

Piles of dead year-old chinook salmon, numbering at least in the hundreds, were found along the Elwha River’s lower banks and mouth after hatchery smolts were released last week. State Fish and Wildlife Department officials will consider alternatives for future releases of fish, said Mike Gross, Fish and Wildlife fish biologist for Clallam County and West Jefferson County, who called the release “a mistake.” Sediment from the river clogged the gills of most he examined, said Mike McHenry, a fish biologist and habitat manager for the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, who saw the dead fish at the river’s mouth and on sandbars Monday and Tuesday. Jeremy Schwartz reports.

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130412/NEWS/304129979/dead-salmon-found-along-silt-choked-elwha-river-after-hatchery-release

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Analysis on Federal Ruling Forcing Culvert Repair -NWIFC

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Al B.

Want to more fully understand last Friday’s landmark ruling that forces the State to accelerate it’s timetable for replacing fish-blocking culverts? Here’s a good place to start: Billy Frank Jr and Ron Allen comment for the NW Indian Fisheries Commission.

OLYMPIA – The state of Washington must fix fish-blocking culverts under state-owned roads because they violate tribal treaty rights, federal Judge Ricardo Martinez ruled on Friday, March 29.

“This is a historic day,” said Billy Frank Jr., Nisqually tribal member and chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. “This ruling isn’t only good for the resource, but for all of us who live here. It will result in more salmon for everyone. This is a great victory for all who have worked so hard to recover wild salmon.”

Read the whole article at:
http://nwifc.org/2013/04/federal-court-upholds-tribal-treaty-rights-in-culvert-case/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nwifc+%28NWIFC+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Roundup of other culvert coverage:
http://nwifc.org/2013/04/roundup-of-culvert-case-coverage/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nwifc+%28NWIFC+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

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Magnetism guides salmon migration, research suggests – Various Sources

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Al B.

One of the world’s great migration mysteries – how salmon find their way home from the distant ocean – may have been solved. Researchers studying the movement of sockeye salmon from British Columbia’s Fraser River say the fish are imprinted with a magnetic map when they are juveniles. And they later use that map as adults to read the Earth’s geomagnetic field, which guides them back from the North Pacific to the river mouth.

Mark Hume reports.
Magnetism guides salmon migration, research suggests http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/magnetism-guides-salmon-migration-research-suggests/article8368490/

Listen to: EarthFix Conversation: Salmon Use Earth’s Magnetic Field To Go Home
http://earthfix.kcts9.org/flora-and-fauna/article/earthfix-conversation-salmon-use-earths-magnetic-f/

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Leading Farmed Fish Opponent on the History of the Canadian Farmed Fish Opposition

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Al B.

Want a short but thorough read of the history of the silencing of the opposition to farming salmon in Canada? Here it is. Alexandra Morton, the woman who has done more to educate the population to the perils of farmed salmon, has done an overview of how the Canadian government has systematically worked to silence any and all critics of salmon farming. You also have a chance to sign a petition helping to put your voice out to end the practices of this industry. If you ever wondered what the hubbub over farmed wish was all about, here’s a chance to get a quick education on the subject.

http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2013/01/silenced.html

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Tribes: Hard-won fishing rights here worthless without fish

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Al B.

The Tribes are saying what is not politically acceptable to many. That the work to save the salmon here in Washington State is too little, maybe too late. More protection is needed. Likely not only in the watersheds, which is the thrust of this article, but out at sea as well. For those of us spending hundreds of volunteer hours to try and help restore this natural treasure, it is gratifying that someone is willing to say the impolite thing. That the emperors clothes might not be there. Can we even begin to think of calling for a 10 year fishing ban, both in the Straits, but more importantly out at sea? Would that help? It’s a idea I have heard from old time white fishermen who made a living off salmon prior to Boldt, tribal fishermen, scientists working on the problem, and environmentalists.

Here’s the Tribes’ point of view, as articulated by Billie Frank, Jr.

Lynda Mapes reports.

http://seattletimes.com/html/othersports/2020068220_fish06m.html

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Salmon grants will help Hood Canal estuaries – Kitsap Sun

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Al B.

More than $550,000 has been set aside to purchase and conserve lands within the estuaries of the Big Quilcene, Dosewallips and Duckabush rivers, all in Hood Canal. The Hood Canal grants were endorsed by the state’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board, which approved $19.2 million for salmon projects throughout the state. Chris Dunagan reports. http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/dec/10/salmon-grants-will-help-hood-canal-estuaries/

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Obama Administration pulls fast one on Supreme Court re:case on salmon protection

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Al B.

A most astonishing gambit was played in Washington at the Supreme Court yesterday, as the Obama administration changed a rule in the EPA, apparently to get out of having the Supreme Court rule on whether the Clean Water Act should be applied to logging roads. It seems to be a give away to the logging industry to allow them to continue creating logging roads without significant environmental review. The EPA came out of left field yesterday, as the court was hearing the case (!), to say that they no longer would consider logging road runoff as “industrial waste” though it’s creation is clearly caused by industrial activity. Whether or not this runoff would or should be considered as covered by the Clean Water Act is now moot.

This is interesting in many ways, as the ruling was apparently held until the last minute, maybe until after the election, on purpose, by the administration. They had warned the Justices back in the spring that there was new rules coming that could affect the case, but chose to wait until now to roll them out. One can assume so as not anger their environmental supporters prior to election day. An explanation by the EPA and the Administration would seem in order.

Once again, those who are trying to protect the salmon habitat from ongoing destruction, find that even our ‘friends’ in Washington DC can decide to change the rules to favor the ongoing logging practices. These industrial made culverts have been the reason for hundreds of thousands of miles of sediment runoff, over many decades, that many people have considered to be one of the primary reasons that salmon numbers have fallen so much since the 60s. It is certainly questionable, given the court’s interpretation of the Clean Water Act in previous rulings, whether it would have found in favor of the environmental side, but this now forces a rethink of the tactic, let alone of Administration motives. I would assume additional lawsuits against the runoff rule, will be forthcoming. A good guess would be that this could trigger tribal interests to weigh in. They have been very vocal that the government is not helping to protect watersheds. This should provide fuel to their argument, and might get them to invoke Treaty protections. Just last month, at the NW Straits Marine Resources Committees Annual Meeting, Billy Frank Jr. was telling people that after his trip back to meet with President Obama and others in the administration and Congress, that he felt that “no one is in charge” of salmon recovery. Now it seems that the administration could be pushing Billy and the NW Indian Fisheries Coalition to weigh in and take action in the courts.

Read the interesting back and forth between an astonished Chief Justice Roberts and the government side lawyers, who can’t even agree among themselves as to the proper course of action after this ‘rabbit out of the hat’ move.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/04/us/epa-rule-complicates-supreme-court-case-on-logging-runoff.html?_r=0

and

http://earthfix.kcts9.org/water/article/epa-rule-on-logging-road-runoff-throws-curveball-a/

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Ottawa moves against PEI lab that reported virus in B.C. salmon – Globe and Mail

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Al B.

This is yet another reason why the fish farming industry cannot be trusted. Now that it has been proven that the Canadian government and farming industry has been lying to the public for a long time over whether the fish were getting infected, the answer has been to go after the testing facilities for scientifically proving what they said wasn’t happening.

A lab that revealed the first evidence of an infectious virus in British Columbia salmon should be stripped of its international credentials, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. In a letter to the World Organization for Animal Health, the CFIA urges the international agency to accept the findings of an independent audit that recommends “suspension of the reference laboratory status,” of the facility. Mark Hume reports.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ottawa-moves-against-pei-lab-that-reported-virus-in-bc-salmon/article5582798/

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Long-time director of Belfair salmon center leaves legacy of education – Kitsap Sun

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Al B.

We continue to see the changing of the guard in the Northwest. As many of you know, there is no sure thing that these organizations will survive beyond their founders, as witnessed by the rapid end of People For Puget Sound after Kathy Fletcher’s retirement. We wish Neil Werner a wonderful retirement, and all the best to Ted Smith who takes over. The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group has accomplished a lot over their 17 years under Neil.

“Working at the helm of the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group for the past 17 years has not been unlike raising a family, says Neil Werner.”

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/nov/16/long-time-director-of-belfair-salmon-center-of/#ixzz2CV0YWdfO

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Tribal hatchery transports first fish of fall to Elwha tributaries – PDN

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Al B.

Report on the salmon returns this year on the Elwha. Good news here:
A number of salmon are getting a helping hand to two of the larger tributaries of the Elwha River from the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Fish Hatchery, where fish are taking refuge from increased sediment loads coursing down the river in the wake of dam removal. Some 300 coho and a handful of chum already have made their way to the tribal hatchery and the state rearing channel — enough to preserve this year’s run. Jeremy Schwartz reports.

Read the rest of the story at the link below:

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20121112/news/311129996/tribal-hatchery-transports-first-fish-of-fall-to-elwha-tributaries

Support your local newspaper, subscribe to the PDN.

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Island drought imperils salmon-spawning grounds

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Al B.

Rivers and streams throughout Vancouver Island are drying to trickles after a two-month drought and fears are growing that salmon will not be able to reach spawning grounds. Andrew Thomson, federal Fisheries and Oceans south coast area director, said his department, helped by volunteers, salmon enhancement societies and First Nations, are searching for ways to help the fish if rain doesn’t fall.

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Island+drought+imperils+salmon+spawning+grounds/7354934/story.html

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Treaty Tribes release the State of Our Watersheds Report – NW Indian Fisheries Commission

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Al B.

If you are into protecting the environment, here’s a good read. In some ways, a good compliment to the Puget Sound Partnership’s “State of the Sound” report

Ongoing damage and destruction of salmon habitat is resulting in the steady decline of salmon populations across western Washington, leading to the failure of salmon recovery and threatening tribal treaty rights, according to a report released today by the treaty Indian tribes.

http://nwifc.org/2012/09/treaty-tribes-release-the-state-of-our-watersheds-report/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nwifc+%28NWIFC+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

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Scientists tells of Elwha restoration progress during symposium – PDN

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Al B.

The PDN coverage of the first of two free public events during the four-day 2012 Elwha River Science Symposium. Arwyn Rice reports.

Scientists tells of Elwha restoration progress during symposium http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120822/news/308229990/scientists-tells-of-elwha-restoration-progress-during-symposium

And: More king salmon sightings upriver in Elwha

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120822/NEWS/308229991/0/news/more-king-salmon-sightings-upriver-in-elwha

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Return of the kings! Chinook salmon observed in undammed portion of Elwha River – Park & PDN

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Al B.

As the old saying goes, “nature abhors a vacuum”. The Olympic National Park have announced (and reported and commented on by The Peninsula Daily News) that chinook (King) salmon have been spotted above the site of the lower of the two dams that have been removed. This is the first time in almost a century that they have been able to reach this location. In addition to the Kings, Steelhead have also been seen in above the first dam.

The power of restoration again shows that once a place has been restored, nature tries and fill it, if the species still are alive.

The news bulletin from the park
http://www.nps.gov/olym/parknews/return-of-the-kings.htm

Additional information on the story at the PDN.

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120821/NEWS/308219989/return-of-the-kings-chinook-salmon-observed-in-undammed-portion-of

Filed under: Chinook, Clallam County, Elwa dam removal, Elwha River, Olympic National Park, Olympic Peninsula | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

BC Sockeye Season Likely to Close Again this Year – CBC

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Al B.

Just yesterday I heard the well worn argument by an opponent of environmental protections saying in a public meeting that the record return of BC Sockeye in 2010 was proof that scientists didn’t know what they were talking about. Well, it was a short lived record year.

British Columbia’s lucrative commercial and recreational sockeye salmon fishery is not likely to open this year, as Fisheries and Oceans Canada says there are simply not enough fish coming back.

Although there has been enough returning fish to fill the spawning grounds and open an aboriginal fishery, numbers have actually started to decrease.

In order for a commercial fishery to operate, the number of summer run sockeye salmon would have had to be roughly double last week’s count.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/08/15/bc-sockeye-salmon-fishery.html

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Oregon Ballot Measure seeking to ban gillnetting – Salem News

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Al B.

This apparently is not targeting the tribal seine netters. The petition is to move to a seine net method instead of gill nets.

(PORTLAND, OR) – Two powerful nonprofit organizations today announced their support for a proposed ballot measure to stop commercial gillnet fishing on the lower Columbia River.

The Humane Society of the United States and Oregon Wild endorsed the measure sponsored by the Stop Gillnetting Now coalition, which is headed for the November ballot.

“Gillnets are indiscriminate, catching and killing endangered wild salmon, as well as other marine life, such as seals, beavers, and seabirds,” said Scott Beckstead, Oregon state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “Animal welfare groups in Europe and Australia are fighting the deadly impacts of gillnets and we wholeheartedly support this local measure to enhance salmon recovery and to protect other creatures from harm.

Read the whole story here:
http://salem-news.com/articles/june072012/gillnetting-coalition.php

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Spring Brings New Life To Washington’s Recovering Elwha River – Earthfix

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Al B.

The work continues to restore the Elwha, and small changes in fish are already showing. I’ve talked to many people over the years about restoration, and many of them say the same thing, once a place is restored (or under way to restoration), nature starts working very quickly at times. While only showing up at the river’s estuary area, these are positive changes.

——————————-

On the Olympic Peninsula the largest dam removal project in history is well underway, and the Elwha River is starting to show signs of life not seen here for nearly a century. There haven’t been salmon in the upper Elwha for almost 100 years. But that’s changing. Ashley Ahearn reports.

http://earthfix.kcts9.org/water/article/spring-brings-new-life-to-washingtons-recovering-e/

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EPA Agreeing to Hold Seattle Bristol Bay Hearing on May 31

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Al B.

Seattle hearing requested by Cantwell will outline how the Pebble Mine would impact Bristol Bay salmon and WA state jobs, maritime economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement that the agency will hold a public hearing in Seattle next week to discuss how large scale development in Bristol Bay, Alaska – like the Pebble Mine proposal – could hurt salmon and Washington state jobs. The hearing will be held on Thursday, May 31st, at 2:00 p.m. Pacific time at the Federal Building in Seattle.

Earlier in May, Cantwell had asked EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to hold this Seattle hearing following the agency’s release of its draft watershed assessment, which itmade public last week. The EPA is also holding public hearings in Alaska June 4th-7th.

“I’m glad that Washington state voices will be heard as EPA works to finalize its scientific watershed assessment,” Cantwell said. “This public hearing is a critical step in ensuring Washingtonians’ livelihoods are protected. With thousands of Washington state jobs dependent on healthy, sustainable Bristol Bay salmon, I will continue fighting to ensure a final decision is based on sound science.”

Thousands of Washington state jobs – including commercial and recreational fishing, processing, shipbuilding and the restaurant industry – depend on Bristol Bay’s healthy, sustainable wild salmon populations. Nearly 1,000 Washingtonians hold commercial fishing permits in Bristol Bay. In 2008, Bristol Bay yielded over $113 million dollars in total value for Washington state commercial fishers. Recreational salmon fishers yielded an additional $75 million for Washington state businesses alone.

Bristol Bay is the most productive salmon run in the world, generating a total value of approximately $500 million dollars each year and supporting 14,000 full and part-time jobs.

In a September letter to Jackson, Cantwell became the first U.S. Senator to call on the EPA to use its Clean Water Act 404(c) authority to block any large development project in Bristol Bay if science determined that the project would “have unacceptable adverse impacts on water quality and the fish stocks that depend on it.”

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