|
Portland, OR-- Today Congressman David Wu issued the following statement regarding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) draft hatchery listing policy. A public hearing on NOAA's draft hatchery listing policy was held today in Portland.
"I fully recognize the role hatcheries can play in fulfilling treaty obligations, providing for sport and commercial harvest, and recovering natural runs of salmon. However, considering all hatchery and natural fish as identical, and not providing protection for any natural fish, could severely hinder our efforts to restore critical salmon habitat and rebuild wild stocks. While I believe that hatchery fish can contribute to the return of robust salmon runs, particularly for sport and commercial harvest, they should never be a substitute for self-sustaining, naturally spawning fish.
"Salmon have been a part of the Northwest fabric for many centuries and continue to be an important symbol of the Northwest. Numerous constituencies, including Tribes, electric utilities and ratepayers, commercial and sport fishers, water users, and states and other federal agencies, all have a stake in salmon restoration and the new hatchery policy. Since the federal government released the 2000 Biological Opinion, federal taxpayers and northwest utility ratepayers have spent billions of dollars on habitat restoration and salmon recovery.
"NOAA must be steadfast in its commitment that the new hatchery policy will not threaten recovery of natural salmon runs and habitat restoration.
"While I appreciate NOAA hosting tonight's hearing, I am troubled by NOAA's implementation of the new hatchery policy before properly vetting it through a public comment process. I am perplexed as to why public comment is happening only after final policy decisions have been made and find such a public comment process to be wholly inadequate."
### |
