Salmon salvation In the Pacific Northwest
(Washington, Oregon and Idaho)
For some time now, people have been campaigning,
for the protection of the salmon on the Columbia and Snake rivers. And recently, they had a victory when the court stopped the Bushes administration salmon plan.
Text is quoted out of a letter from The Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition:
" The court ruling invalidating the Bush Adminstration's $6
billion Federal Salmon Plan was a great victory for salmon, and
has created a stir throughout the Pacific Northwest - - not all of
it good...
Soon after the ruling, the Governors of Washington, Oregon, and
Idaho began to hold closed-door meetings with the Bush
Administration in an apparent effort to craft some type of
"compromise". Given the Administration's dismal record on salmon
recovery, salmon and fishing advocates are convinced that any
so-called "deals" that are reached in secret meetings with the
Bush Administration will only further harm wild salmon and
steelhead - and the businesses and communities that rely upon
them.
In order to protect and restore our wild salmon and steelhead,
they need real protections today.
"
Now the governors of Washington, Oregon and Idaho are holding talks behind closed doors with the Bush government. Should one be worried about this? Well that of course depends what they are talking about. I suspect that in due time, they will become open about it, and say what they might have to say.
However if this is good news for the salmon, I can not tell from where I am,
and as such I do support those in the Pacific Northwest who feel they should act,
in the importance of the salmon, and there ecological, economical and cultural heritage.
Saving the Salmon not only has ecological value, but also economic and cultural value. Let me be a bit more clear, not so long ago, there was this article about the Salmon being late, and people being worried that there were so few already mounting up from the sea. I have not followed it up, but would say that having read nothing new about it, or nothing worryingly that probably solved itself,
when the water got clearer allowing the salmon to swim upstream. As someone said there were probably large groups of salmon waiting just off stream.
Now some may wonder about the 3 parts mentioned here: ecological, economical and cultural.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Good post - fixed a few minor grammar and spelling issues.
On the point of farmed salmon vs. wild salmon, opinions vary which is better (or safer), but any kind of water management has risks and benefits. Countries like India, China and Egypt have benefitted immensely from dams, water conservation and fisheries. Yet, every benefit has a downside - displaced people, environmental issues, etc.
Like the Jedi, we too, must feel the Force when we act, to consider consequences of actions
2 - Amy Kober
It's important to remove the four outdated dams on the lower Snake River so we can recover healthy, fishable salmon runs. Those four dams are draining our region's resources.
The real story here is how we can remove the dams and replace their benefits, protecting and enhancing local economies. The benefits of the dams can be replaced.
Let's use the can-do spirit and ingenuity we used 30 years ago to build the dams, to unbuild them today.
You can read about the economics surrounding lower Snake dam removal at http://www.americanrivers.org/snakeriverecon
3 - Maurice
I have to agree with Amy. I don't believe any of those dams are producing electicity at this time. One thing to note: enviornment will be devastated if dams are removed without careful planning. They should be removed but I hope it will be with thoughtful care.
4 - Shark
"...the governors of Washington, Oregon and Idaho are holding talks behind closed doors with the Bush government. Should one be worried about this?"
Let's see...
the U.S.Government conspires to "manage" an important natural resource for the good of Native Americans?
Hey, let's ask the Bison!
Oh, nevermind...
feh.
The Unabomber was right.
5 - Richard
The lower 4 Snake River dams do produce electricity, but at the most, combined 10% of the NW grid. Their true purpose is to have the furthest inland port in the west, hauling grain and Potlach Corp. products from Lewiston. The Corps subsidises the ferry system so rich people get richer.
6 - Floris Vermeir
Thanks for correcting the mistakes. You are right, any kind of water managment has possitive and negative sides, and the quest is to find a balance, make a balanced decision, but it will hardley ever be good for everyone.
Does anyone else benefits next to the corps of those dams being there ?
You are corect in pointing out that removal of the dams should be well planned, and I will read the information you provide.
7 - steve
Salmon are vital to the Pacific Northwest’s ecosystems; they are a major source of nutrients for many animals, and also for some plants. When migrating salmon drift ashore or are eaten by animals, they cycle back into the land nitrogen, phosphorous, and other nutrients that are continually washing out of the land and into the ocean. Salmon directly link ecosystems that are half a world apart, all the way from their inland spawning grounds to their ocean feeding grounds, which extend north of the Aleutian Islands and to the Asian side of the Pacific.