Author: Charles P. Meacham

Publisher:

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 5

ISBN-13:

Recovery of Pacific Northwest salmon is not possible if holding on to only current traditional means of resource management. Meaningful conservation measures also need to be taken by individual states. Between 1991 and August 1994, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed certain stocks of salmon in the Snake River (of Wyoming to Washington), as endangered or threatened. Snake River fall chinook salmon in the Southeast Alaska fishery is estimated to be 1 per 5,000. The authors relate how NMFS has failed to protect these stocks due to a biologically unsound approach based on rule-making under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). They provide views on what actions need to be undertaken, such as ensuring instream flow protection and a change in NMFS attitude toward full state involvement in ESA related activities.