TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS LETHAL REMOVAL OF CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 (PST)

An 18-member "Pinniped-Fishery Interaction Task Force" this week voted by an 17-1 margin to recommend approval of an application from the states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington for authority to lethally remove California sea lions that feast each spring on salmon and steelhead returning to the Columbia River. Read More...

SALMON PLAN IMPLEMENTATION COULD INCREASE FED SPENDING BY ABOUT $1 BILLION OVER 10 YEARS Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 (PST)

Federal officials this week said that a better scientific understanding of the fish and their needs, and an infusion of resources to meet those needs over the next 10 years, will lift 13 threatened or endangered Columbia River Basin salmon and steelhead stocks toward recovery. Read More...

PARTIES REVIEW DRAFT BIOPS; REDDEN TO SET STATUS CONFERENCE Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 (PST)

Initial impressions this week of a "draft" federal Columbia River Basin salmon protection strategy ranged from sharp criticisms of the tome, to praise, to "wait and see" attitudes. Read More...

MONTANA TRIBES PURSUE NATIVE FISH RESTORATION IN FLATHEAD LAKE, RIVER Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 (PST)

Despite scientific and economic rebuffs, Montana's Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes continue to pin hopes on fishing contests to restore ecological balance in the Flathead Lake/River system. Read More...

CAN MONTANA'S SWAN LAKE BE SAVED FROM LAKE TROUT INVASION? Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 (PST)

The numbers are in, and the invasion of Montana's Swan Lake is well under way. An unprecedented netting project on the lake from Sept. 17 through Oct. 4 turned up 2,174 lake trout, a non-native species that was first detected in the lake through an angler's report in 1998. Read More...

CAN MONTANA'S SWAN LAKE BE SAVED FROM LAKE TROUT INVASION? Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 (PST)

The numbers are in, and the invasion of Montana's Swan Lake is well under way. An unprecedented netting project on the lake from Sept. 17 through Oct. 4 turned up 2,174 lake trout, a non-native species that was first detected in the lake through an angler's report in 1998. Read More...

COUNCIL FORMALLY REQUESTS AMENDMENTS TO BASIN F&W PROGRAM Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 (PST)

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council this week distributed by letter its "Request For Recommendations to Amend the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program." Read More...

NOAA FISHERIES RELEASES DRAFT COLUMBIA/SNAKE RIVER SALMON RECOVERY PLAN Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 (PST)

NOAA Fisheries Service today released two draft biological opinions which determine that federal Columbia/Snake River hydropower and irrigation projects do not jeopardize the survival of 13 salmon and steelhead stocks that are listed under the Endangered Species Act. Read More...

TUCANNON CASE STUDY SHOWS HOW BIOP APPLIED TO SALMON POPULATIONS Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 (PST)

One of the documents released today is a "case study" of Tucannon River chinook salmon, which NOAA Fisheries says illustrates the "All-H" analytic approach at the population level. Read More...

SOME PRAISE PLAN AS SCIENCE-BASED; OTHERS URGE CONGRESS TO STEP IN Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 (PST)

Tribes say they will work to improve the draft salmon recovery plan issued today, while industry and river-user interests said the new plan is science-based and a significant improvement over past plans. Read More...