[Fishlink] ~~>FISHLINK SUBLEGALS 11/23/01<~~
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~~>FISHLINK SUBLEGALS 11/23/01<~~
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A WEEKLY QUOTA OF FISHERY SHORTS CAUGHT AND
LANDED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES
AND THE PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S
ASSOCIATIONS
VOL. 4, NO. 21 23 NOVEMBER 2001
##########################################################
IN THIS ISSUE.......
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DUNGENESS CRAB FISHERY
REMAINS CLOSED IN PRICE DISPUTE. 4:21/01.
COAST GUARD FINDINGS IN MISS BRITTANY
ACCIDENT. 4:21/02.
WASHINGTON STATE JUDGE OVERRULES COUNTY
"SALMON PROTECTION" PLAN. 4:21/05.
TANKER ACCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR
COASTAL TANKER PROTECTIONS. 4:21/10.
NEW SEABIRD AVOIDANCE REGS PROPOSED
IN ALASKA FISHERY. 4:21/16.
AND MORE.......
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4:21/01. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DUNGENESS CRAB
FISHERY REMAINS CLOSED OVER PRICE DISPUTE,
THANKGIVING MARKET LOST: The Central California Dungeness
crab fishery remains closed due to an impasse between fish processors
and crabbers on an ex-vessel price (see Sublegals, 4:20/03; 4:19/01).
Marketing associations representing crab fishermen have submitted
market orders for $2.25 per pound, the same opening price as last
season, but processors have only been willing to offer $1.85 per pound.
Meanwhile one large trawler from Half Moon Bay did go without a
market order and delivered 15,000 lbs. of crab into San Francisco's
Fisherman's Wharf shortly after the legal opening of 15 November,
selling them for $2.40 per pound (this fisherman, John Dooley, had said
he would fish for $2.00 per pound, but having been the one boat
unwilling to honor the tie-up he ended up with the higher price in a
market desperate for fresh product). Aside from Dooley's load the only
fresh crab reaching the markets traditionally served by the Central
California fishery are those from the Tribal fishery off the coast of
Washington. There Tribal fishermen are reportedly getting $2.15 per
pound and San Francisco wholesalers are paying $2.55 per pound for
their delivered live crab. The willingness of the processors to pay higher
prices for the "scab crab" and the Tribal crab from Washington than the
price asked for by local fishermen has led some to charge that a few
large processors are actively attempting to break the fishing
associations.
The Northern California (Mendocino County north), Oregon and
non-Tribal Washington fishery is scheduled to open on 1 December if a
price agreement can be reached. The California Department of Fish &
Game has authorized a 64-hour preset for the 1 December opening,
pursuant to a request by PCFFA.
4:21/02. COAST GUARD FINDINGS IN MISS BRITTANY
ACCIDENT BLAME NEGLIGENCE: The U.S. Coast Guard
investigation of the 7 August capsizing of the crab boat Miss Brittany in
the Columbia River estuary has concluded that captain negligence, plus
failure to wear life jackets, not wave amplification due to mounding of
dredge spoils, was the primary cause of the loss of life to two crew
members. In findings released 21 November, the Coast Guard noted
that the captain of the Miss Brittany was fishing in an area known to be
very dangerous at ebb tides, where waves break from three different
directions, and was very near the bar. The missing crew members,
because of the bulkiness while working on deck, were not wearing life
jackets. Rescue crews arrived within 15 minutes, but rescue efforts
failed. The Coast Guard ruled out wave amplification in this specific
case, considering the direction of the swells. However, boats have been
lost in the area in the past because of the wave amplification
phenomenon, caused by mounding of dredge spoils dumped in the
estuary by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). The Columbia
River Crab Fishermen's Association (CRCFA) and PCFFA have
recently sued the Army Corps over the Corps failure to reduce the wave
amplification safety hazard for small fishing boats in the estuary (see
Sublegals 4:15/01). For more information on the Coast Guard findings
contact: Amy Gaskill, US Coast Guard, (503) 247-4011.
4:21/03. BIG ROCK PROPOSES HYDRO PROJECTS ON
TRINITY: Big Rock Power Partners has filed preliminary permits with
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the construction
of two small hydropower projects on the Willow and Old Campbell
Creeks in the Trinity River basin. Willow Creek is well known for its
whitewater and boaters provide a substantial amount tourism and
business for the town of Willow Creek, as well as being a salmon
stream. While Big Rock Power maintains that, "The use of small designs
results in lesser environmental impact making these projects superior to
most other modes of power generation," the Environmental Protection
Information Center (EPIC) has found the permits contrary to several
federal policies. Both sites are located within the Six Rivers National
Forest, meaning that the proposed projects must comply with the Six
Rivers Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) as well as the
Northwest Forest Plan both of which emphasize the protection of
in-stream flows and riparian habitat. The two projects are also
inconsistent with efforts to restore salmon resources in the Trinity, a
major tributary of the Klamath River, in northern California.
The Old Campbell Creek project also falls under the jurisdiction of
the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act which prohibits the licensing of any dam,
water conduit, or reservoir. The Old Campbell Water Project proposes to
divert from 5 to 140 cubic feet per second (cfs) through a 2500-foot
pipeline. The power plant would have the capacity to generate 3
megawatts of electricity. The Willow Creek Water Project proposes to
divert from 10 to 450 cfs also through a 2500-foot pipeline. That power
plant would have the capacity to generate 5 megawatts of electricity.
More information and the ability to comment on the projects is available
on Big Rock Power's website at www.bigrockpower.com. Comments
can also be sent to FERC to the attention of James Goris, Regional
Director 901 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94103.
4:21/04. FOURTH ANNUAL SALMON OCEAN ECOLOGY
CONFERENCE IN JANUARY: The 4th Annual Salmon Ocean
Ecology Meeting will take place on 15-16 January, 2002, at the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Santa Cruz, California Laboratory.
Following on previous meetings in Newport, Seattle, and Nanaimo,
B.C., this is the fourth in a series of informal meetings designed to foster
communication among researchers working on the ocean ecology of
Pacific salmonids. The purpose of the meeting will be to highlight work
in progress, including presentations of speculative and
"not-quite-polished" results. The first day of the meeting will be devoted
to the theme "Adaptations of Pacific Salmon to Extreme Ocean
Environments." The second day will be devoted to more general
ecosystem observations and ecological papers. The first Conference
announcement and more information is available on their website at:
http://www.pfeg.noaa.gov/events/SalmonMeeting.
4:21/05. WASHINGTON STATE JUDGE OVERRULES COUNTY
"SALMON PROTECTION" PLAN, CALLING IT INADEQUATE: The
Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported 22 November that Thurston County
Superior Court Judge Christine Pomeroy overturned Washington's
Skagit County salmon-protection plan for agricultural areas, saying it
did not employ the "best available science" in determining the size of
streamside buffers. The Judge ruled in favor of the Swinomish Indian
Tribe and the Washington Environmental Council, who called the case
an important test of what the state will allow in terms of salmon
protection buffers. The issue has proved a flash point in agricultural
communities, according to the P-I article, because crops cannot be
grown inside the buffers. Skagit County proposed a system of buffers
that could be expanded. To see the complete article, go to:
http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/local/47785_salm22.shtml.
4:21/06. NATIONAL GUIDANCE ON MEASURES TO PROTECT
AND RESTORE WETLANDS AND RIPARIAN AREAS AND
ABATE NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION AVAILABLE FOR
COMMENTS: The U.S. Environmental Protection Administration
(EPA) has developed and is requesting comments on a draft technical
guidance for protecting and restoring wetlands and riparian areas from
sources of nonpoint pollution and using vegetated treatment systems
(vegetative filter strips and constructed wetlands) for controlling
nonpoint source pollution. This guidance is intended to provide
technical assistance to state program managers, fishermen and others on
the best available, economically achievable means of protecting and
restoring wetlands and riparian areas damaged by nonpoint source
pollution. Additionally, this guidance provides technical assistance for
state program managers on the use of vegetated treatment systems to
control nonpoint source pollution. EPA says that the draft technical
guidance is consistent with the Guidance Specifying Management
Measures for Sources of Nonpoint Pollution in Coastal Water (EPA
840-B-92-002), which EPA published in January 1993 under the
authority of section 6217(g) of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization
Amendments of 1990 (CZARA).
The draft document does not supplant or replace the requirements of
the 1993 document. The complete text of the draft guidance is available
on EPA's Internet site on the Nonpoint Source Control Branch's
homepage at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/wetmeasures. Copies of
the complete draft can also be obtained in electronic or hard copy format
by request from Chris Solloway at the above address, by E-mail at:
Solloway.Chris@epa.gov, or by calling (202) 260-3008.
4:21/07. CALIFORNIA WATER POLICY CONFERENCE: "The
Price of Water: Are We Counting All the Costs?" is the theme of the
California Water Policy Conference being held 6-7 December in Los
Angeles. The conference includes workshops on privatization and
deregulation, water use efficiency, CALFED and watershed
management. For more information, go to:
http://www.cawaterpolicy.org.
4:21/08. PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS FOR MARINE
SANCTUARY JOINT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW,
BOUNDARY LINE LIKELY TO BE MAJOR ISSUE: A series of 20
scoping meetings for the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine
Sanctuary (NMS), Cordell Bank NMS and Monterey Bay NMS begins
28 November in Santa Cruz and ends 17 January in San Jose. The
meetings are to receive public input on the management plan review for
the three NMS located along California's north central coast. Members
of the public, fishermen and others will have the opportunity to
comment on the plan and the sanctuaries. The fishing industry had been
one of the major proponents of the sanctuary designations for these
waters in order to protect important fishing grounds from proposals at
the time for oil drilling, deep sea mining and even the scuttling of
decommissioned nuclear submarines in these waters.
One of the major issues is likely to be the boundary line between the
Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey sanctuaries. Fishermen, the
counties of Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo, as well as some
conservation groups have pressed to adjust the boundaries between the
two sanctuaries at Ano Nuevo, which not only demarks the geographic
and ecological boundary between the two sanctuaries, but the political
one as well (it is the boundary line between San Mateo and Santa Cruz
counties).
Persons unable to attend any of the scooping sessions may submit
comments by e-mail to jointplancomments@noaa.gov or on their
website. The comment period remains open until 31 January 2002. To
see the full schedule of 20 meetings, make a comment, or read about the
management plan visit their website at:
http://sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/jointplan
4:21/09. SUSTAINING SEASCAPES CONFERENCE
SCHEDULED FOR 7-8 MARCH 2002: The Center for Biodiversity &
Conservation (CBC) will host their seventh annual spring symposium,
'Sustaining Seascapes: The Science & Policy of Marine Resource
Management.' The symposium will explore the conservation of marine
biodiversity and fisheries through the integrated design of marine
protected areas (MPAs), MPA networks, and other complementary
coastal management frameworks. Topics will include an overview of
marine fisheries and biodiversity; the economics of coastal zones;
fisheries, tourism, and other sectors, and; analytical and practical
approaches to linking social and ecological systems. To register, please
contact: Central Reservations, American Museum of Natural History,
Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, Tel: (212)
769-5200 or (212) 769-5272. For more information visit
http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity
4:21/10. TANKER ACCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR
COASTAL TANKER PROTECTIONS: On 23 November the retired
906-foot oil tanker Atigun Pass broke a tow line in 30 foot swells at the
mouth of the Columbia River and threatened to run aground.
Fortunately, the Atigun Pass was carrying only about 20,000 gallons of
fuel oil, and was being towed from Portland to China for salvage
because it did not meet current double hulled oil tanker vessel standards.
The ship was saved over the weekend, but the accident highlights the
need for state oil tanker vessel safety standards that meet the specific
conditions of local ports and coastlines. Current U.S. law (the Oil
Pollution Act (OPA), 33 U.S.C. 2701-2761) apparently pre-empts state
legislatures from passing tanker safety laws that are more stringent than
the very weak national standards. Yet there is a long history of major oil
tanker spills on the west coast, including a 2.3 million gallon spill off
the Washington Olympic peninsula in 1972; a 239,000 gallon spill off
Port Angeles, Washington in 1985; a 231,000 gallon spill along Grays
Harbor, Washington in 1988; a 400,000 gallon spill along the Olympic
peninsula in 1991; and of course the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska in
1989.
An average of two oil tankers per day transit Washington State
waters, the largest carrying as much as 40 million gallons of crude oil -
three times the amount that spilled from the Exxon Valdez. An oil spill
accident in the navigationally treacherous Puget Sound would destroy
major fisheries in both Washington and Canada. Most coastal states,
PCFFA and many other fisheries organizations have advocated
Congressional legislation that would allow states to set higher safety
standards for oil tanker shipments within their state waters that address
unique safety risks better than the very minimal federal laws. Late in the
106th Congress, then Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA) introduced S. 2506
and Representative Jack Metcalf (R-WA) introduced H.R. 4385, to give
states more authority in setting oil tanker safety standards. However,
these bills have not been reintroduced as yet in the 107th Congress. For
the article on the Atigun Pass accident see the Seattle Times for 23
November, going to the Archive page at:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com for that date.
Alaskans, meanwhile, who had sued Exxon for punitive damages
from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill were stunned and angered by the
recent U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the $5 billion fine
against the petroleum giant Exxon-Mobil was excessive. Many plaintiffs
had been counting on payments from the punitive verdict to solve
problems including the effects of a declining fishing economy.
4:21/11. FAST TRACK TRADE BILL SET FOR VOTE 6
DECEMBER: Congress will be voting on H.R. 3005 "Fast Track
legislation" which gives the President authority to negotiate trade
agreements while denying Congress the opportunity to add amendments
or have in-depth debate on the agreement (see Sublegals, 4:16/15;
4:14/11). The President would also draft all of the implementing
legislation required to bring U.S. law into accordance with the
agreement. Global Exchange states "while the U.S. Constitution invests
in Congress the exclusive authority to 'regulate Commerce with foreign
Nations,' it bestows upon the Executive exclusive authority for
managing 'relations with foreign sovereigns.' This design is one of many
checks and balances built into the U.S. Constitution to avoid one branch
of government from having absolute control of a vital policy area. Fast
Track would concentrate the power to set the terms of international trade
in the hands of the President."
The legislation also sets time limits for Congressional action on any
agreements. Congress would be forced to either reject or accept the
entire package within 60 days of when it is introduced, with only 20
hours allowed for debate. This not only prevents detailed analysis and
debate of trade agreements, but limits opportunities for public access
and input. This would greatly restrict public participation in the
formation of trade policies. President Bush has stated that besides
expanding NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) to the
entire Western Hemisphere, he will use fast track to prioritize free trade
deals with Chile (see Sublegals, 4:17/03). This worries fishing groups
because it could exacerbate the dumping of imported fish into the U.S.
market, particularly Chilean farmed salmon (see Sublegals 4:14/10).
This would put U.S. fishermen, who must adhere to strong conservation
standards, at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace, absent
safeguards placed on seafood imports. To read about fast track
legislation in more detail visit Global Exchange at
http://www.globalexchange.org/ftaa or http://thomas.loc.gov for a copy
of the bill by number.
4:21/12. AQUATIC INVASIVE WEED THREATENS FISHERIES:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is warning against the spread of a
Brazilian exotic weed, Salvinia molesta, which has recently arrived in
the U.S. Craig Springer said that the invasive plant, also known as giant
molesta, "could impact our economy by causing irreparable damage to
the environment, affecting hunting and fishing, farming and
hydropower." Giant molesta grows phenomenally quickly, doubling its
area in as little as a week. It grows in 3-foot thick mats that can block
out all sunlight below, killing beneficial plants, bugs and fish. Farming
and water-dependent economies in Australia and Africa have been
decimated by infestations of this vegetative menace. It is almost
impossible to mechanically remove because the mats weigh around 36
tons/acre and it will regrow from small shredded pieces. Salvinia
molesta has already appeared in southern states from California to North
Carolina; coastal inland waters of Oregon and Washington are also at
risk. The best defense against invasion is early detection and prevention.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service encourages fishermen to immediately
report any suspected sighting toll-free to the Aquatic Nuisance Species
Hotline 1(877)STOP-ANS. For additional information, contact Bob
Pitman at 505/248-6471 or: bob_pitman@fws.gov.
4:21/13. AUSTRALIAN ECOLOGIST VISITS SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA: Jeremy Prince is a worldwide expert on abalone from
Western Australia who has studied reef by reef management and the
rights and duties of abalone divers. He will be presenting information on
how to equip fishermen to do assessments on 2 December at noon at
Cannetti's Restaurant in San Pedro, California (front of 22nd Street) and
at 1800 hours on December 2 at the Santa Barbara Docks upstairs
classroom. For more information contact Peter Halmay at:
phalmay@earthlink.net.
4:21/14. REWARD FOR RETURN OF TAGGED ALBACORE:
The American Fishermen's Research Foundation (AFRF), in cooperation
with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), has implanted
electronic, archival tags in albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunge) and
released them in the North Pacific Ocean. Tagged fish can be identified
by the presence of a yellow dart tag in the back of the fish near the
second dorsal fin and a plastic coated wire protruding from the rear
portion of the belly. A reward of $500 U.S. dollars will be paid for the
return of the tagged fish with the archival tag in place along with the
date, latitude and longitude of where the tagged fish was caught and the
gear used to catch the fish. Return the tagged fish and capture
information to: Paul Crone NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Service Center,
PO Box 271, La Jolla, CA 92038. Email Paul.Crone@noaa.gov or
telephone at (858) 546-7096.
4:21/15. CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
POSITION: California CoastKeeper, a non-profit environmental
organization that preserves, restores and protects California's aquatic
ecosystems is hiring an Executive Director. CoastKeeper is currently
involved in running a pollution hotline, citizen water quality monitoring,
reducing sewage overflows in coastal communities and other projects to
protect communities and the waters they depend on. To learn more
about the organization visit www.coastkeeper.org. To learn more about
the position email Denise Washko at cacoast@cacoastkeeper.org.
4:21/16. NEW SEABIRD AVOIDANCE REGS PROPOSED IN
ALASKA FISHERY: The US National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) sent its revised Environmental Assessment and Regulatory
Impact Review (EA/RIR) for "A Regulatory Amendment to Revise
Regulations for Seabird Avoidance Measures in the Hook-and-line
Fisheries off Alaska To Reduce the Incidental Catch of the Short-tailed
Albatross and Other Seabird Species" to the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council office in Anchorage on Monday, November 19.
Contact the Council office directly if you'd like a hard copy to:
(907)271-2809. The amendment itself will be considered by the North
Pacific Fisheries Management Council at its 5-10 December 2001
meeting. The EA/RIR documents are now available from the Alaska
Region NMFS website at:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/protectedresources/seabirds/newsitems.htm.
For more information about the Council and the proposed amendment
see: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc.
4:21/17. CALIFORNIA WATERSHED PROJECT FUNDING
DATABASE: A potentially valuable new tool for identifying watershed
restoration project funding is the California Watershed Foundation
Funding Database, a combined project of the California Resources
Agency, California State University at Chico and InfoEd. Though
specific to California, it is the first statewide web searchable database of
watershed restoration funding sources currently available.
Organizations that are involved in watershed restoration funding
generally are particularly encouraged to visit the website at:
http://watershed.ecst.csuchico.edu/new_spin/spinmain.asp. An online
form is available for entering new programs into the index at:
http://watershed.ecst.csuchico.edu/new_spin/sendmail1.asp. Please
direct comments on the website back to Kristin Carter at:
kcooper-carter@csuchico.edu.
4:21/18. EAST COAST COOPERATIVE FISHERIES RESEARCH
NEWSLETTER: 'Collaborations' is a monthly update newsletter of
cooperative research news put out by the Northwest Atlantic Marine
Alliance (NAMA), with support from the Northeast Consortium. The
update service is designed for individuals and groups committed to the
future of fisherman-scientist cooperative marine research. For more
information see: www.namanet.org. For the first issue of the newsletter
see: http://www.namanet.org/newsletter.htm. NAMA also has a
collaborative research vessel coordination service to link fishing vessels
with researchers in need of at-sea research platforms, available from
their 'Collaborative Research' link from their home page.
4:21/19. NMFS SALMON SCIENCE PANEL CHASTIZES NMFS
FOR POOR MANAGEMENT: An independent science review panel,
the Salmon Recovery Scientific Review Panel (RSRP), has issued a
report severely criticizing the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) for its lack of a scientifically credible rationale for allowing
high levels of harvest on certain ESA listed fish, as well as its ongoing
failure to account for loss of habitat, hydropower and hatchery impacts
on salmon runs as part of its analysis of harvest options and tradeoffs.
The report, dated 27-29 August but released only recently, also faults
NMFS for failure to use the best available population models to predict
escapement, failure to collect the data necessary to make good
management decisions, and failure to include in its procedures for
setting allowable harvests the data assessing the impacts from
hydropower dams, loss of habitat and other non-harvest factors so that
the impact of all factors could be compared. The Panel also noted the
need to design in a sufficient time period in which to test whether true
recovery has been achieved, so that the cyclical nature of ocean
conditions does not lead to false impressions based on a few good years.
The full report is available at:
http://research.nwfsc.noaa.gov/cbd/trt/rsrp.htm.
NEWS, COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS: Submit your news items,
comments or any corrections to Allison Vogt, Editor at:
ifrfish@pacbell.net or call the IFR/PCFFA office with the news and a
source at either: (415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000
(Northwest Office).
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<BR>##########################################################
<BR> ~~>FISHLINK SUBLEGALS 11/23/01<~~
<BR>##########################################################
<BR> A WEEKLY QUOTA OF FISHERY SHORTS CAUGHT AND
<BR> LANDED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES
<BR> AND THE PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S
<BR> ASSOCIATIONS
<BR>
<BR> VOL. 4, NO. 21 23 NOVEMBER 2001
<BR>##########################################################
<BR>
<BR>IN THIS ISSUE.......
<BR>
<BR>CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DUNGENESS CRAB FISHERY
<BR>REMAINS CLOSED IN PRICE DISPUTE. 4:21/01.
<BR>
<BR>COAST GUARD FINDINGS IN MISS BRITTANY
<BR>ACCIDENT. 4:21/02.
<BR>
<BR>WASHINGTON STATE JUDGE OVERRULES COUNTY
<BR>"SALMON PROTECTION" PLAN. 4:21/05.
<BR>
<BR>TANKER ACCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR
<BR>COASTAL TANKER PROTECTIONS. 4:21/10.
<BR>
<BR>NEW SEABIRD AVOIDANCE REGS PROPOSED
<BR>IN ALASKA FISHERY. 4:21/16.
<BR>
<BR>AND MORE.......
<BR>##########################################################
<BR>
<BR>4:21/01. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DUNGENESS CRAB
<BR>FISHERY REMAINS CLOSED OVER PRICE DISPUTE,
<BR>THANKGIVING MARKET LOST: The Central California Dungeness
<BR>crab fishery remains closed due to an impasse between fish processors
<BR>and crabbers on an ex-vessel price (see Sublegals, 4:20/03; 4:19/01).
<BR>Marketing associations representing crab fishermen have submitted
<BR>market orders for $2.25 per pound, the same opening price as last
<BR>season, but processors have only been willing to offer $1.85 per pound.
<BR>Meanwhile one large trawler from Half Moon Bay did go without a
<BR>market order and delivered 15,000 lbs. of crab into San Francisco's
<BR>Fisherman's Wharf shortly after the legal opening of 15 November,
<BR>selling them for $2.40 per pound (this fisherman, John Dooley, had said
<BR>he would fish for $2.00 per pound, but having been the one boat
<BR>unwilling to honor the tie-up he ended up with the higher price in a
<BR>market desperate for fresh product). Aside from Dooley's load the only
<BR>fresh crab reaching the markets traditionally served by the Central
<BR>California fishery are those from the Tribal fishery off the coast of
<BR>Washington. There Tribal fishermen are reportedly getting $2.15 per
<BR>pound and San Francisco wholesalers are paying $2.55 per pound for
<BR>their delivered live crab. The willingness of the processors to pay higher
<BR>prices for the "scab crab" and the Tribal crab from Washington than the
<BR>price asked for by local fishermen has led some to charge that a few
<BR>large processors are actively attempting to break the fishing
<BR>associations.
<BR>
<BR>The Northern California (Mendocino County north), Oregon and
<BR>non-Tribal Washington fishery is scheduled to open on 1 December if a
<BR>price agreement can be reached. The California Department of Fish &
<BR>Game has authorized a 64-hour preset for the 1 December opening,
<BR>pursuant to a request by PCFFA.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/02. COAST GUARD FINDINGS IN MISS BRITTANY
<BR>ACCIDENT BLAME NEGLIGENCE: The U.S. Coast Guard
<BR>investigation of the 7 August capsizing of the crab boat Miss Brittany in
<BR>the Columbia River estuary has concluded that captain negligence, plus
<BR>failure to wear life jackets, not wave amplification due to mounding of
<BR>dredge spoils, was the primary cause of the loss of life to two crew
<BR>members. In findings released 21 November, the Coast Guard noted
<BR>that the captain of the Miss Brittany was fishing in an area known to be
<BR>very dangerous at ebb tides, where waves break from three different
<BR>directions, and was very near the bar. The missing crew members,
<BR>because of the bulkiness while working on deck, were not wearing life
<BR>jackets. Rescue crews arrived within 15 minutes, but rescue efforts
<BR>failed. The Coast Guard ruled out wave amplification in this specific
<BR>case, considering the direction of the swells. However, boats have been
<BR>lost in the area in the past because of the wave amplification
<BR>phenomenon, caused by mounding of dredge spoils dumped in the
<BR>estuary by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). The Columbia
<BR>River Crab Fishermen's Association (CRCFA) and PCFFA have
<BR>recently sued the Army Corps over the Corps failure to reduce the wave
<BR>amplification safety hazard for small fishing boats in the estuary (see
<BR>Sublegals 4:15/01). For more information on the Coast Guard findings
<BR>contact: Amy Gaskill, US Coast Guard, (503) 247-4011.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/03. BIG ROCK PROPOSES HYDRO PROJECTS ON
<BR>TRINITY: Big Rock Power Partners has filed preliminary permits with
<BR>the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the construction
<BR>of two small hydropower projects on the Willow and Old Campbell
<BR>Creeks in the Trinity River basin. Willow Creek is well known for its
<BR>whitewater and boaters provide a substantial amount tourism and
<BR>business for the town of Willow Creek, as well as being a salmon
<BR>stream. While Big Rock Power maintains that, "The use of small designs
<BR>results in lesser environmental impact making these projects superior to
<BR>most other modes of power generation," the Environmental Protection
<BR>Information Center (EPIC) has found the permits contrary to several
<BR>federal policies. Both sites are located within the Six Rivers National
<BR>Forest, meaning that the proposed projects must comply with the Six
<BR>Rivers Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) as well as the
<BR>Northwest Forest Plan both of which emphasize the protection of
<BR>in-stream flows and riparian habitat. The two projects are also
<BR>inconsistent with efforts to restore salmon resources in the Trinity, a
<BR>major tributary of the Klamath River, in northern California.
<BR>
<BR>The Old Campbell Creek project also falls under the jurisdiction of
<BR>the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act which prohibits the licensing of any dam,
<BR>water conduit, or reservoir. The Old Campbell Water Project proposes to
<BR>divert from 5 to 140 cubic feet per second (cfs) through a 2500-foot
<BR>pipeline. The power plant would have the capacity to generate 3
<BR>megawatts of electricity. The Willow Creek Water Project proposes to
<BR>divert from 10 to 450 cfs also through a 2500-foot pipeline. That power
<BR>plant would have the capacity to generate 5 megawatts of electricity.
<BR>More information and the ability to comment on the projects is available
<BR>on Big Rock Power's website at www.bigrockpower.com. Comments
<BR>can also be sent to FERC to the attention of James Goris, Regional
<BR>Director 901 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94103.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/04. FOURTH ANNUAL SALMON OCEAN ECOLOGY
<BR>CONFERENCE IN JANUARY: The 4th Annual Salmon Ocean
<BR>Ecology Meeting will take place on 15-16 January, 2002, at the National
<BR>Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Santa Cruz, California Laboratory.
<BR>Following on previous meetings in Newport, Seattle, and Nanaimo,
<BR>B.C., this is the fourth in a series of informal meetings designed to foster
<BR>communication among researchers working on the ocean ecology of
<BR>Pacific salmonids. The purpose of the meeting will be to highlight work
<BR>in progress, including presentations of speculative and
<BR>"not-quite-polished" results. The first day of the meeting will be devoted
<BR>to the theme "Adaptations of Pacific Salmon to Extreme Ocean
<BR>Environments." The second day will be devoted to more general
<BR>ecosystem observations and ecological papers. The first Conference
<BR>announcement and more information is available on their website at:
<BR>http://www.pfeg.noaa.gov/events/SalmonMeeting.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/05. WASHINGTON STATE JUDGE OVERRULES COUNTY
<BR>"SALMON PROTECTION" PLAN, CALLING IT INADEQUATE: The
<BR>Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported 22 November that Thurston County
<BR>Superior Court Judge Christine Pomeroy overturned Washington's
<BR>Skagit County salmon-protection plan for agricultural areas, saying it
<BR>did not employ the "best available science" in determining the size of
<BR>streamside buffers. The Judge ruled in favor of the Swinomish Indian
<BR>Tribe and the Washington Environmental Council, who called the case
<BR>an important test of what the state will allow in terms of salmon
<BR>protection buffers. The issue has proved a flash point in agricultural
<BR>communities, according to the P-I article, because crops cannot be
<BR>grown inside the buffers. Skagit County proposed a system of buffers
<BR>that could be expanded. To see the complete article, go to:
<BR>http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/local/47785_salm22.shtml.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/06. NATIONAL GUIDANCE ON MEASURES TO PROTECT
<BR>AND RESTORE WETLANDS AND RIPARIAN AREAS AND
<BR>ABATE NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION AVAILABLE FOR
<BR>COMMENTS: The U.S. Environmental Protection Administration
<BR>(EPA) has developed and is requesting comments on a draft technical
<BR>guidance for protecting and restoring wetlands and riparian areas from
<BR>sources of nonpoint pollution and using vegetated treatment systems
<BR>(vegetative filter strips and constructed wetlands) for controlling
<BR>nonpoint source pollution. This guidance is intended to provide
<BR>technical assistance to state program managers, fishermen and others on
<BR>the best available, economically achievable means of protecting and
<BR>restoring wetlands and riparian areas damaged by nonpoint source
<BR>pollution. Additionally, this guidance provides technical assistance for
<BR>state program managers on the use of vegetated treatment systems to
<BR>control nonpoint source pollution. EPA says that the draft technical
<BR>guidance is consistent with the Guidance Specifying Management
<BR>Measures for Sources of Nonpoint Pollution in Coastal Water (EPA
<BR>840-B-92-002), which EPA published in January 1993 under the
<BR>authority of section 6217(g) of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization
<BR>Amendments of 1990 (CZARA).
<BR>
<BR>The draft document does not supplant or replace the requirements of
<BR>the 1993 document. The complete text of the draft guidance is available
<BR>on EPA's Internet site on the Nonpoint Source Control Branch's
<BR>homepage at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/wetmeasures. Copies of
<BR>the complete draft can also be obtained in electronic or hard copy format
<BR>by request from Chris Solloway at the above address, by E-mail at:
<BR>Solloway.Chris@epa.gov, or by calling (202) 260-3008.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/07. CALIFORNIA WATER POLICY CONFERENCE: "The
<BR>Price of Water: Are We Counting All the Costs?" is the theme of the
<BR>California Water Policy Conference being held 6-7 December in Los
<BR>Angeles. The conference includes workshops on privatization and
<BR>deregulation, water use efficiency, CALFED and watershed
<BR>management. For more information, go to:
<BR>http://www.cawaterpolicy.org.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/08. PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS FOR MARINE
<BR>SANCTUARY JOINT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW,
<BR>BOUNDARY LINE LIKELY TO BE MAJOR ISSUE: A series of 20
<BR>scoping meetings for the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine
<BR>Sanctuary (NMS), Cordell Bank NMS and Monterey Bay NMS begins
<BR>28 November in Santa Cruz and ends 17 January in San Jose. The
<BR>meetings are to receive public input on the management plan review for
<BR>the three NMS located along California's north central coast. Members
<BR>of the public, fishermen and others will have the opportunity to
<BR>comment on the plan and the sanctuaries. The fishing industry had been
<BR>one of the major proponents of the sanctuary designations for these
<BR>waters in order to protect important fishing grounds from proposals at
<BR>the time for oil drilling, deep sea mining and even the scuttling of
<BR>decommissioned nuclear submarines in these waters.
<BR>
<BR>One of the major issues is likely to be the boundary line between the
<BR>Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey sanctuaries. Fishermen, the
<BR>counties of Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo, as well as some
<BR>conservation groups have pressed to adjust the boundaries between the
<BR>two sanctuaries at Ano Nuevo, which not only demarks the geographic
<BR>and ecological boundary between the two sanctuaries, but the political
<BR>one as well (it is the boundary line between San Mateo and Santa Cruz
<BR>counties).
<BR>
<BR>Persons unable to attend any of the scooping sessions may submit
<BR>comments by e-mail to jointplancomments@noaa.gov or on their
<BR>website. The comment period remains open until 31 January 2002. To
<BR>see the full schedule of 20 meetings, make a comment, or read about the
<BR>management plan visit their website at:
<BR>http://sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/jointplan
<BR>
<BR>4:21/09. SUSTAINING SEASCAPES CONFERENCE
<BR>SCHEDULED FOR 7-8 MARCH 2002: The Center for Biodiversity &
<BR>Conservation (CBC) will host their seventh annual spring symposium,
<BR>'Sustaining Seascapes: The Science & Policy of Marine Resource
<BR>Management.' The symposium will explore the conservation of marine
<BR>biodiversity and fisheries through the integrated design of marine
<BR>protected areas (MPAs), MPA networks, and other complementary
<BR>coastal management frameworks. Topics will include an overview of
<BR>marine fisheries and biodiversity; the economics of coastal zones;
<BR>fisheries, tourism, and other sectors, and; analytical and practical
<BR>approaches to linking social and ecological systems. To register, please
<BR>contact: Central Reservations, American Museum of Natural History,
<BR>Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, Tel: (212)
<BR>769-5200 or (212) 769-5272. For more information visit
<BR>http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity
<BR>
<BR>4:21/10. TANKER ACCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR
<BR>COASTAL TANKER PROTECTIONS: On 23 November the retired
<BR>906-foot oil tanker Atigun Pass broke a tow line in 30 foot swells at the
<BR>mouth of the Columbia River and threatened to run aground.
<BR>Fortunately, the Atigun Pass was carrying only about 20,000 gallons of
<BR>fuel oil, and was being towed from Portland to China for salvage
<BR>because it did not meet current double hulled oil tanker vessel standards.
<BR>The ship was saved over the weekend, but the accident highlights the
<BR>need for state oil tanker vessel safety standards that meet the specific
<BR>conditions of local ports and coastlines. Current U.S. law (the Oil
<BR>Pollution Act (OPA), 33 U.S.C. 2701-2761) apparently pre-empts state
<BR>legislatures from passing tanker safety laws that are more stringent than
<BR>the very weak national standards. Yet there is a long history of major oil
<BR>tanker spills on the west coast, including a 2.3 million gallon spill off
<BR>the Washington Olympic peninsula in 1972; a 239,000 gallon spill off
<BR>Port Angeles, Washington in 1985; a 231,000 gallon spill along Grays
<BR>Harbor, Washington in 1988; a 400,000 gallon spill along the Olympic
<BR>peninsula in 1991; and of course the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska in
<BR>1989.
<BR>
<BR>An average of two oil tankers per day transit Washington State
<BR>waters, the largest carrying as much as 40 million gallons of crude oil -
<BR>three times the amount that spilled from the Exxon Valdez. An oil spill
<BR>accident in the navigationally treacherous Puget Sound would destroy
<BR>major fisheries in both Washington and Canada. Most coastal states,
<BR>PCFFA and many other fisheries organizations have advocated
<BR>Congressional legislation that would allow states to set higher safety
<BR>standards for oil tanker shipments within their state waters that address
<BR>unique safety risks better than the very minimal federal laws. Late in the
<BR>106th Congress, then Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA) introduced S. 2506
<BR>and Representative Jack Metcalf (R-WA) introduced H.R. 4385, to give
<BR>states more authority in setting oil tanker safety standards. However,
<BR>these bills have not been reintroduced as yet in the 107th Congress. For
<BR>the article on the Atigun Pass accident see the Seattle Times for 23
<BR>November, going to the Archive page at:
<BR>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com for that date.
<BR>
<BR>Alaskans, meanwhile, who had sued Exxon for punitive damages
<BR>from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill were stunned and angered by the
<BR>recent U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the $5 billion fine
<BR>against the petroleum giant Exxon-Mobil was excessive. Many plaintiffs
<BR>had been counting on payments from the punitive verdict to solve
<BR>problems including the effects of a declining fishing economy.
<BR>4:21/11. FAST TRACK TRADE BILL SET FOR VOTE 6
<BR>DECEMBER: Congress will be voting on H.R. 3005 "Fast Track
<BR>legislation" which gives the President authority to negotiate trade
<BR>agreements while denying Congress the opportunity to add amendments
<BR>or have in-depth debate on the agreement (see Sublegals, 4:16/15;
<BR>4:14/11). The President would also draft all of the implementing
<BR>legislation required to bring U.S. law into accordance with the
<BR>agreement. Global Exchange states "while the U.S. Constitution invests
<BR>in Congress the exclusive authority to 'regulate Commerce with foreign
<BR>Nations,' it bestows upon the Executive exclusive authority for
<BR>managing 'relations with foreign sovereigns.' This design is one of many
<BR>checks and balances built into the U.S. Constitution to avoid one branch
<BR>of government from having absolute control of a vital policy area. Fast
<BR>Track would concentrate the power to set the terms of international trade
<BR>in the hands of the President."
<BR>
<BR>The legislation also sets time limits for Congressional action on any
<BR>agreements. Congress would be forced to either reject or accept the
<BR>entire package within 60 days of when it is introduced, with only 20
<BR>hours allowed for debate. This not only prevents detailed analysis and
<BR>debate of trade agreements, but limits opportunities for public access
<BR>and input. This would greatly restrict public participation in the
<BR>formation of trade policies. President Bush has stated that besides
<BR>expanding NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) to the
<BR>entire Western Hemisphere, he will use fast track to prioritize free trade
<BR>deals with Chile (see Sublegals, 4:17/03). This worries fishing groups
<BR>because it could exacerbate the dumping of imported fish into the U.S.
<BR>market, particularly Chilean farmed salmon (see Sublegals 4:14/10).
<BR>This would put U.S. fishermen, who must adhere to strong conservation
<BR>standards, at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace, absent
<BR>safeguards placed on seafood imports. To read about fast track
<BR>legislation in more detail visit Global Exchange at
<BR>http://www.globalexchange.org/ftaa or http://thomas.loc.gov for a copy
<BR>of the bill by number.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/12. AQUATIC INVASIVE WEED THREATENS FISHERIES:
<BR>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is warning against the spread of a
<BR>Brazilian exotic weed, Salvinia molesta, which has recently arrived in
<BR>the U.S. Craig Springer said that the invasive plant, also known as giant
<BR>molesta, "could impact our economy by causing irreparable damage to
<BR>the environment, affecting hunting and fishing, farming and
<BR>hydropower." Giant molesta grows phenomenally quickly, doubling its
<BR>area in as little as a week. It grows in 3-foot thick mats that can block
<BR>out all sunlight below, killing beneficial plants, bugs and fish. Farming
<BR>and water-dependent economies in Australia and Africa have been
<BR>decimated by infestations of this vegetative menace. It is almost
<BR>impossible to mechanically remove because the mats weigh around 36
<BR>tons/acre and it will regrow from small shredded pieces. Salvinia
<BR>molesta has already appeared in southern states from California to North
<BR>Carolina; coastal inland waters of Oregon and Washington are also at
<BR>risk. The best defense against invasion is early detection and prevention.
<BR>The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service encourages fishermen to immediately
<BR>report any suspected sighting toll-free to the Aquatic Nuisance Species
<BR>Hotline 1(877)STOP-ANS. For additional information, contact Bob
<BR>Pitman at 505/248-6471 or: bob_pitman@fws.gov.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/13. AUSTRALIAN ECOLOGIST VISITS SOUTHERN
<BR>CALIFORNIA: Jeremy Prince is a worldwide expert on abalone from
<BR>Western Australia who has studied reef by reef management and the
<BR>rights and duties of abalone divers. He will be presenting information on
<BR>how to equip fishermen to do assessments on 2 December at noon at
<BR>Cannetti's Restaurant in San Pedro, California (front of 22nd Street) and
<BR>at 1800 hours on December 2 at the Santa Barbara Docks upstairs
<BR>classroom. For more information contact Peter Halmay at:
<BR>phalmay@earthlink.net.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/14. REWARD FOR RETURN OF TAGGED ALBACORE:
<BR>The American Fishermen's Research Foundation (AFRF), in cooperation
<BR>with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), has implanted
<BR>electronic, archival tags in albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunge) and
<BR>released them in the North Pacific Ocean. Tagged fish can be identified
<BR>by the presence of a yellow dart tag in the back of the fish near the
<BR>second dorsal fin and a plastic coated wire protruding from the rear
<BR>portion of the belly. A reward of $500 U.S. dollars will be paid for the
<BR>return of the tagged fish with the archival tag in place along with the
<BR>date, latitude and longitude of where the tagged fish was caught and the
<BR>gear used to catch the fish. Return the tagged fish and capture
<BR>information to: Paul Crone NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Service Center,
<BR>PO Box 271, La Jolla, CA 92038. Email Paul.Crone@noaa.gov or
<BR>telephone at (858) 546-7096.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/15. CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
<BR>POSITION: California CoastKeeper, a non-profit environmental
<BR>organization that preserves, restores and protects California's aquatic
<BR>ecosystems is hiring an Executive Director. CoastKeeper is currently
<BR>involved in running a pollution hotline, citizen water quality monitoring,
<BR>reducing sewage overflows in coastal communities and other projects to
<BR>protect communities and the waters they depend on. To learn more
<BR>about the organization visit www.coastkeeper.org. To learn more about
<BR>the position email Denise Washko at cacoast@cacoastkeeper.org.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/16. NEW SEABIRD AVOIDANCE REGS PROPOSED IN
<BR>ALASKA FISHERY: The US National Marine Fisheries Service
<BR>(NMFS) sent its revised Environmental Assessment and Regulatory
<BR>Impact Review (EA/RIR) for "A Regulatory Amendment to Revise
<BR>Regulations for Seabird Avoidance Measures in the Hook-and-line
<BR>Fisheries off Alaska To Reduce the Incidental Catch of the Short-tailed
<BR>Albatross and Other Seabird Species" to the North Pacific Fishery
<BR>Management Council office in Anchorage on Monday, November 19.
<BR>Contact the Council office directly if you'd like a hard copy to:
<BR>(907)271-2809. The amendment itself will be considered by the North
<BR>Pacific Fisheries Management Council at its 5-10 December 2001
<BR>meeting. The EA/RIR documents are now available from the Alaska
<BR>Region NMFS website at:
<BR>http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/protectedresources/seabirds/newsitems.htm.
<BR>For more information about the Council and the proposed amendment
<BR>see: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/17. CALIFORNIA WATERSHED PROJECT FUNDING
<BR>DATABASE: A potentially valuable new tool for identifying watershed
<BR>restoration project funding is the California Watershed Foundation
<BR>Funding Database, a combined project of the California Resources
<BR>Agency, California State University at Chico and InfoEd. Though
<BR>specific to California, it is the first statewide web searchable database of
<BR>watershed restoration funding sources currently available.
<BR>Organizations that are involved in watershed restoration funding
<BR>generally are particularly encouraged to visit the website at:
<BR>http://watershed.ecst.csuchico.edu/new_spin/spinmain.asp. An online
<BR>form is available for entering new programs into the index at:
<BR>http://watershed.ecst.csuchico.edu/new_spin/sendmail1.asp. Please
<BR>direct comments on the website back to Kristin Carter at:
<BR>kcooper-carter@csuchico.edu.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/18. EAST COAST COOPERATIVE FISHERIES RESEARCH
<BR>NEWSLETTER: 'Collaborations' is a monthly update newsletter of
<BR>cooperative research news put out by the Northwest Atlantic Marine
<BR>Alliance (NAMA), with support from the Northeast Consortium. The
<BR>update service is designed for individuals and groups committed to the
<BR>future of fisherman-scientist cooperative marine research. For more
<BR>information see: www.namanet.org. For the first issue of the newsletter
<BR>see: http://www.namanet.org/newsletter.htm. NAMA also has a
<BR>collaborative research vessel coordination service to link fishing vessels
<BR>with researchers in need of at-sea research platforms, available from
<BR>their 'Collaborative Research' link from their home page.
<BR>
<BR>4:21/19. NMFS SALMON SCIENCE PANEL CHASTIZES NMFS
<BR>FOR POOR MANAGEMENT: An independent science review panel,
<BR>the Salmon Recovery Scientific Review Panel (RSRP), has issued a
<BR>report severely criticizing the National Marine Fisheries Service
<BR>(NMFS) for its lack of a scientifically credible rationale for allowing
<BR>high levels of harvest on certain ESA listed fish, as well as its ongoing
<BR>failure to account for loss of habitat, hydropower and hatchery impacts
<BR>on salmon runs as part of its analysis of harvest options and tradeoffs.
<BR>The report, dated 27-29 August but released only recently, also faults
<BR>NMFS for failure to use the best available population models to predict
<BR>escapement, failure to collect the data necessary to make good
<BR>management decisions, and failure to include in its procedures for
<BR>setting allowable harvests the data assessing the impacts from
<BR>hydropower dams, loss of habitat and other non-harvest factors so that
<BR>the impact of all factors could be compared. The Panel also noted the
<BR>need to design in a sufficient time period in which to test whether true
<BR>recovery has been achieved, so that the cyclical nature of ocean
<BR>conditions does not lead to false impressions based on a few good years.
<BR>The full report is available at:
<BR>http://research.nwfsc.noaa.gov/cbd/trt/rsrp.htm.
<BR>
<BR>NEWS, COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS: Submit your news items,
<BR>comments or any corrections to Allison Vogt, Editor at:
<BR>ifrfish@pacbell.net or call the IFR/PCFFA office with the news and a
<BR>source at either: (415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000
<BR>(Northwest Office).
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