RISCH CALLS FOR RECOVERY OF SOCKEYE SALMON

(BOISE) Governor Jim Risch told the Northwest Power Planning Council this morning that “it would not be the policy of this administration to abandon the recovery of sockeye salmon.”  He said that a greater effort must be made for recovery of the species.

Governor Risch was responding to a report issued by the Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP) to the Northwest Power Planning Council that provided a preliminary review and recommendation of funding proposals for FY07 – FY09.  The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Shoshone Bannock Tribe and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had requested funding for various Redfish Lake Sockeye Salmon Captive Broodstock programs.  The ISRP recommended that the requests to continue spawning captive adults for reintroduction not be funded.

While recognizing that the Sockeye Salmon were in serious trouble, Governor Risch offered four areas where greater effort for the species to recover could occur: 

• Increased funding from the Federal government for the recovery program;
• Increased propagation of the species through the Idaho hatchery;
• Revisiting of incidental take and harvest allowances;
• Closer examination of out of basin issues, such as ocean conditions and predators.

Governor Risch said that ocean conditions play a large role in the health of the species.  He noted the rates of return of salmon on the Frazier River in Canada, which has no dams, and the Columbia River with its dams, were similar.  “The states and council do not have the resources to study ocean conditions and more help is needed from the Federal government in this area,” said Risch.  He also said that Idaho’s opposition to dam removal has not changed.

The Governor said he appreciated the effort of the ISRP and respected their work, but that the final decision whether to fund the programs was up to the Northwest Power Planning Council.

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