House Passes Mandate for Klamath River Restoration
December 9, 2006
Rep. Thompson provision adopted
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill setting a six-month deadline for a finalized comprehensive recovery plan for salmon on the Klamath River. The provision was included in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act at the request of North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson and California Senator Barbara Boxer. It is the first time Congress has ever required the implementation of a disaster recovery plan.
“Declining salmon stocks on the Klamath River has brought the salmon to near extinction and had a devastating impact on tribal fisheries and the North Coast economy. We have waited too long for a plan to restore the salmon population from the responsible federal agencies,” said Thompson. “This bill makes sure there are no more delays. It sets a firm deadline for putting a restoration plan into action and makes sure Congress can keep careful track of the progress.”
In 1997, the Department of Commerce listed the Coho salmon of the Klamath River as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In 2002, poor federal management of the Klamath River caused 80,000 adult salmon to die, constituting the largest adult salmon kill in our nation's history. Since that time, the salmon population has continued to deteriorate, forcing the Pacific Fisheries Management Council to sizably reduce the fishing seasons in 2005 and 2006. As a result, the tribal subsistence fishery has nearly collapsed and the commercial fishing season has been cut by more than 90 percent this year, costing fishing families and associated fishing businesses more than $60 million.
The provision requires the Secretary of Commerce to complete the recovery plan by April 2007. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress detailing their progress. This report must also detail progress made on the restoration of salmon spawning habitat, including water conditions, as they relate to salmon health and recovery; the status of other Klamath River anadramous fish populations, particularly Chinook salmon, and the actions taken to address the National Research Council recommendations regarding monitoring and research on Klamath River Basin salmon stocks.
“This is important for the future of salmon, and reviving the North Coast salmon industry,” said Thompson. “However, we still need to get disaster aid to the fishermen, tribes and businesses that are suffering from this year's salmon closure. I will continue to fight to get disaster funding through Congress.”
“Declining salmon stocks on the Klamath River has brought the salmon to near extinction and had a devastating impact on tribal fisheries and the North Coast economy. We have waited too long for a plan to restore the salmon population from the responsible federal agencies,” said Thompson. “This bill makes sure there are no more delays. It sets a firm deadline for putting a restoration plan into action and makes sure Congress can keep careful track of the progress.”
In 1997, the Department of Commerce listed the Coho salmon of the Klamath River as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In 2002, poor federal management of the Klamath River caused 80,000 adult salmon to die, constituting the largest adult salmon kill in our nation's history. Since that time, the salmon population has continued to deteriorate, forcing the Pacific Fisheries Management Council to sizably reduce the fishing seasons in 2005 and 2006. As a result, the tribal subsistence fishery has nearly collapsed and the commercial fishing season has been cut by more than 90 percent this year, costing fishing families and associated fishing businesses more than $60 million.
The provision requires the Secretary of Commerce to complete the recovery plan by April 2007. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress detailing their progress. This report must also detail progress made on the restoration of salmon spawning habitat, including water conditions, as they relate to salmon health and recovery; the status of other Klamath River anadramous fish populations, particularly Chinook salmon, and the actions taken to address the National Research Council recommendations regarding monitoring and research on Klamath River Basin salmon stocks.
“This is important for the future of salmon, and reviving the North Coast salmon industry,” said Thompson. “However, we still need to get disaster aid to the fishermen, tribes and businesses that are suffering from this year's salmon closure. I will continue to fight to get disaster funding through Congress.”
Issues:Energy & Environment