Draft Report Pegs BPA’s 2019 Fish/Wildlife Costs At $788 Million, $17 Billion Since 1981; 25 Percent Of Wholesale Power Rate
March 19th, 2020
Direct expenses in fiscal year 2019 by the Bonneville Power Administration for costs it incurred by funding the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program amounted to $240.4 million, some $19 million lower than its direct expenses in FY 2018, according to a draft report released this week for public review by the Council.
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Corps Seeks Comments On Assessment For Increasing Fall Chinook Production To Mitigate John Day, Dalles Dam Impacts
March 19th, 2020
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, is seeking public comment on the draft Finding of No Significant Impact for The Dalles and John Day Mitigation Program Limited Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment. The program produces and releases hatchery fall chinook as mitigation for impacts to fisheries.
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Science Panel Reviews Yakama Nation Master Plan To Use Hatcheries To Boost Tribal Fisheries
February 27th, 2020
A panel of scientists completed this month its fourth review since 2012 of a master plan for Yakima River fisheries submitted by the Yakama Nation. The master plan describes a far-reaching plan to use hatcheries to boost tribal fisheries in the Columbia River.
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Science Panel Wants More Answers On Hood River Hatchery Program Seeking Increased Smolt Releases, Steelhead Supplementation
February 20th, 2020
Operators of the Hood River hatchery program want to increase the number of yearling spring chinook smolts by 40 percent, from 150,000 smolts released every year to 250,000 smolts, but a panel of scientists says it has more questions before the program should proceed.
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Washington Looking At Changes To Hatchery Reform Policies; First Report Details Risks, Benefits
February 13th, 2020
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff reviewed the findings of a recent report on hatchery reform at the state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting Thursday, Feb. 6.
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WDFW Issues Justification For Steelhead Farming Permit In Puget Sound, Comments Expressed Concerns
February 6th, 2020
When the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife approved in late January a new permit allowing Cooke Aquaculture to begin growing rainbow trout/steelhead in its Puget Sound net pens, there were a number of groups and tribes that had already lined up in opposition to the permit. And one group may seek legal action to stop it.
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Hatchery Plan Proposes Producing One Million Additional Upper Columbia Summer Chinook Subyearlings To Aid Orca Recovery
January 9th, 2020
NOAA Fisheries has released for comment a Hatchery and Genetics Management Plan for the Wells Hatchery in the Upper Columbia River that would guide the additional production of up to one million subyearling summer chinook salmon to aid in orca recovery.
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Steelhead Hatchery Broodstock Concerns Prompts Continued Angling Closures; 2019 Return Far Below 10-Year Average
January 3rd, 2020
Oregon and Washington fisheries agencies are continuing their closure of a 17-mile stretch of the mainstem Columbia River upstream of McNary Dam to the state line to steelhead angling and retention through March 31, 2020 due to fears that some hatcheries may not make their steelhead brood stock collection goals. The run of summer steelhead in 2019 is the fifth lowest run size since 1954, when McNary Dam was built near the Oregon town of Umatilla.
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Ceremony Set For Construction Of New Walla Walla Fish Hatchery; Goal Is First Smolt Release 2023
January 2nd, 2020
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 10 for the South Fork Walla Walla River Fish Hatchery about 10 miles east of Milton-Freewater, Oregon.