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Endangered Species: Salmon and Steelhead Trout Listings

The desperate decline of the Northwest's signature fish prompted the National Marine Fisheries Service on March 16, 1999 to extend federal protection under the Endangered Species Act to nine runs of salmon and steelhead trout. These species reside largely across Oregon and Washington states. The area's rivers, once full of salmon, are now polluted from industrial waste, fertilizers, and household wastes that seep into the streams through storm drains.

As news of the new endangered and threatened species listings spread around the world Charting Nature artist's, Ron Pittard provided salmon illustrations for the March 22, 1999 issue of US News & World Report. Joseph Tomelleri' illustrations also appeared in Associated Press reports issued on March 16, 1999.

US News succinctly pointed out the problem: "Little more than a century ago, the Columbia basin - home of the Columbia, Snake, and Salmon rivers had runs of 10 to 16 million fish. Today, Idaho's Salmon River doesn't live up to its name. Last year, fewer than 10,000 wild adult salmon made it back past the last dam before Idaho. That's roughly one eighth the number that returned 30 years earlier. Idaho's Redfish Lake, not far from the headwaters of the Salmon, earned its name from a fabled sockeye salmon run that originated there, more that 900 miles from the ocean. Last year, one sockeye returned to the lake."

Threatened fish include:

Chinook Salmon

• Upper Columbia spring-run chinook
  
• Puget Sound chinook
• Lower Columbia chinook
• Upper Willamette River chinook
  Potential additions (due Sept. 1999):
• Snake River fall-run chinook
• Southern Ore./Cal. coastal chinook
• Central Valley spring-run chinook
• Central Valley fall-run chinook

Chum Salmon

Steelhead

• Middle Columbia River steelhead
  
• Upper Willamette River steelhead
  

Sockeye Salmon

• Ozette Lake sockey

What this means to the Salmon and residents of the Northwest:

The impact of the listing affects land use and water-related activities in the entire Western United States and is unprecedented. Protection for salmon and steelhead will include all major rivers of the Northwest -- from the Canadian border to Northern California, and eastward from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Montana border.

The Salmon and Steelhead Trout listings will bring the Endangered Species Act into the everyday experience of most people living in the Northwest. Protecting the quality of waterways could direct changes in the region's construction, farming, public utility's ability to provide drinking water and electricity, even residential use of water, fertilizers and pesticides.

About the Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted in 1973. Its purpose is to identify and conserve species of fish, wildlife and plants that are in a declining population to the point where they are now, or in the foreseeable future at the risk of extinction.

Under the ESA, species likely to become extinct in the foreseeable future are categorized as endangered; one likely to become endangered is categorized as threatened.

Hurting threatened fish or their habitat will become a federal crime after the Fisheries Service releases detailed rules in late spring. In May or June, when the Fisheries Service issues its final rules, hurting a threatened salmon or its habitat will become a federal crime punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 or a prison term of up to six months.

Hurting a species classified as endangered in this case the Upper Columbia Chinook in northern Washington -- becomes a federal crime 60 days from the listing date, no matter when the rules are released.

Fish Identification

Charting Nature's charts and prints recently used in the March 22 issue of US News & World Report and March 16 Associated Press report:

• Ichthyologia - Joseph Tomelleri collection of fine art fish prints.
• Western Gamefish Identification Chart - the West's most popular gamefish.
• Trout, Salmon and Char of North America (Males) - male trout in spawning colors.
• Trout, Salmon and Char of North America (Females) - female trout in spawning colors.

National Marine Fisheries Service - Northwest Region

Oregon Live's Special Report
(http://www.oregonlive.com/special/issues/endangered_fish.html) The Oregonian newspapers special report on the listing.

The Pacific Rivers Council (http://www.pacrivers.org/) Nonprofit whose mission is protecting streams and their inhabitants.

Fish & Wildlife Service -- Endangered Species Page (http://www.fws.gov/r9endspp/endspp.html)

Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (http://www.dfw.state.or.us/)

The Oregon Plan Home Page (http://www.oregon-plan.org/) Oregon's own plan to restore trout/salmon runs.

Endangered Species Page (http://www.endangeredspecie.com/) For rare and endangered species information and wildlife conservation efforts.