Our Future and Our Fishby Senator Karen Fraser Special to the Green Pages If ever there were a symbol of the Northwest - its spirit, environment, and economy - it is the salmon. But the future of our wild salmon is now in question. Several weeks ago, Gov. Locke called the federal government's decision to protect some of Washington's wild steelhead runs under the Endangered Species Act "a wake-up call." The question many people are asking now is, "What happened while we were sleeping?" Less than a century ago, our rivers were thick with wild salmon. Then the human and technological competition arrived. Sadly, steelhead and wild salmon populations are at desperately low levels today because of a combination of growth and some short-sighted decisions. Hydroelectric dams, logging, over-harvesting, fish hatcheries, agriculture, manufacturing, and other development have all played a role in fish-stock decline. And while we may not like to admit it, we are all indirectly responsible for throwing nature off stride and imperiling our fish and other wildlife. Where salmon runs have already become extinct, the local ecosystem suffers. Species such as bear, eagle, mink, and river otter suffer devastating population losses. Other species show less dramatic but certainly significant declines. The result is a permanently altered ecosystem. Wild salmon are quite literally the energy that fuel our natural environment. Likewise, where salmon and steelhead runs approach extinction, the economy suffers. In Washington state, more than 11,000 jobs in the sport and commercial fishing industries are dependent on the salmon resource. Tackle and bait shops, charters, restaurants, and tour companies also rely on salmon - and the tourists they draw - for business. Unfortunately, our love of this species cannot erase the damage we've done to its habitat. And it's not as if we didn't see it coming. Currently, Snake River sockeye and chinook salmon are listed as "endangered," and an estimated six other Puget Sound and Southwest Washington salmon are expected to achieve that dubious distinction within the next two years - unless we act now! In order to avoid another "spotted-owl" battle and maintain control of our own resources and economy, we must develop a comprehensive salmon-recovery plan for Washington. Oregon came up with a $30 million strategy to save its fish, enabling it to stave off future Endangered Species listings. But crafting a plan for our state that addresses the diverse interests of farmers, sport and commercial fisherman, Indian tribes, environmentalists, and timber owners will require compromise and sacrifice from everyone. Governor Locke is already moving into action, working with the governors of neighboring Oregon, Idaho, and California to develop wild steelhead restoration plans. He also has named a Joint Natural Resources Cabinet of state agency officials to work with farmers, timber industry, water users, local government officials, the Legislature, and others to draft a plan to protect and restore salmon habitat. Along with the Governor's efforts, the Legislature has established a bipartisan Salmon Recovery Task Force to identify the causes of fish stock decline, assess current restoration programs, and develop restoration programs to help communities. As a member of this task force, I will work hard to listen to all affected parties. But I will not lose sight of the ultimate and necessary goal: to make our rivers and streams livable for wild salmon once again so that their populations can again reach healthy and harvestable levels. There is no doubt that all of us will be affected in some way by the current and any future federal listings. Businesses and homeowners may have to pay a little more for electricity and water; public and private landowners in affected areas may need to change the ways they use their land and water; and both commercial and sport fishers may have to cut back on the number of fish they take. All of us will need to be flexible about our own special interests so that we can work together to solve the problem. But if these sacrifices can help restore wild salmon to our rivers and streams, they will be worth the effort. I welcome your suggestions for state action on a comprehensive salmon recovery plan. Let's keep salmon as a symbol of our present and future, not just our past. State Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Lacey, represents the people of the 22nd District in northern Thurston County. She can be reached at (360) 786-7642; 417 John A. Cherberg Building, P.O. Box 40482, Olympia, WA 98504-0482; e-mail, fraser_ka@leg.wa.gov.
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