Salmon fishing season in the lower Columbia River was closed a week ago, prompting people to demand more action to save the fish.
Bob Rees, Executive Director of the Northwest Association of Guides and Fishermensaid the April 6 shutdown directly impacts rural communities in Washington and Oregon.
“The industry that sustains us and our families truly represents one of the greatest transfers of wealth from urban communities to rural communities,” he said. “Most of our clientele are from the city. They want to get out and enjoy those beautiful rural landscapes along the lower Columbia River and have a chance at finding one of those precious salmon.”
Many rural communities are still recovering from the pandemic. Rees noted that at this time of year, sport fishing typically represents the only source of tourism for communities along the Columbia.
As salmon travel up the Columbia to Idaho to spawn, Rees said, four lower dams on the Snake River in southeastern Washington state turn the river into a series of warm water reservoirs that have reduces the number of wild salmon to a few hundred in some years. This, in turn, reduces the number of meaningful fishing days people get.
“Even though we’re only targeting hatchery fish,” he said, “the number of wild fish returning to those spawning grounds directly dictates what our opportunity is to catch those hatchery fish.”
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said they will have an action plan to replace the four lower Snake River dams by July. Rees said it was the most encouraging movement he’s seen working on this issue in the past two decades, but he warned that solutions will have to come quickly if salmon species are to survive in the region.
“These fish aren’t two decades old yet,” he said, “so it has to be something meaningful, and it has to have the support of other elected delegates in the Pacific Northwest. ”
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Salmon fishing season in the lower Columbia River was closed a week ago, prompting people to demand more action to save the fish.
Bob Rees, Executive Director of the Northwest Association of Guides and Fishermensaid the April 6 shutdown directly impacts rural communities in Oregon and Washington.
“The industry that sustains us and our families truly represents one of the greatest transfers of wealth from urban communities to rural communities,” he said. “Most of our clientele are from the city. They want to get out and enjoy those beautiful rural landscapes along the lower Columbia River and have a chance at finding one of those precious salmon.”
Many rural communities are still recovering from the pandemic. Rees noted that at this time of year, sport fishing typically represents the only source of tourism for communities along the Columbia.
As salmon travel up the Columbia to Idaho to spawn, Rees said, four lower dams on the Snake River in southeastern Washington state turn the river into a series of warm water reservoirs that have reduces the number of wild salmon to a few hundred in some years. This, in turn, reduces the number of meaningful fishing days people get.
“Even though we’re only targeting hatchery fish,” he said, “the number of wild fish returning to those spawning grounds directly dictates what our opportunity is to catch those hatchery fish.”
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said they will have an action plan to replace the four lower Snake River dams by July. Rees said it was the most encouraging movement he’s seen working on this issue in the past two decades, but he warned that solutions will have to come quickly if salmon species are to survive in the region.
“These fish aren’t two decades old yet,” he said, “so it has to be something meaningful, and it has to have the support of other elected delegates in the Pacific Northwest. ”
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North Dakota is a haven for wildlife, but climate change and development threaten some species and their habitat. Supporters of a bill in Congress say that states would see much-needed investments to protect them from extinction.
North Dakota leads all other states in the number of wildlife sanctuaries, but some species are struggling. Northern pintails have declined by about 70% in recent decades.
Mike Leahy, director of wildlife policy, hunting and fishing for the National Wildlife Federation, said states often rely on hunters to fund wildlife preservation through royalties. But he argued that a federal proposal would keep funding consistent.
“The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act finally gives states, territory and tribes the money to do proactive, collaborative wildlife conservation to keep species off the endangered species list,” Leahy said. .
Under the plan, North Dakota would receive $15 million a year. Donors argued that this would allow the state to work with private landowners to restore wetlands and protect grasslands. The Senate version, co-sponsored by Sen. Kevin Cramer, RS.D., could get a committee vote on Thursday. Although the plan has bipartisan support, how the federal government should pay for it has led to divisions.
The loss of more species also creates concerns for states where hunting is popular, and in North Dakota waterfowl hunting creates an estimated $30 million in economic activity.
John Bradley, executive director of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation, said it goes beyond protecting sports interests.
“The hunter and people who just like to hike or bird watch like to know that there are healthy wildlife populations,” Bradley explained. “This bill does exactly that. It actually focuses primarily on non-game species.”
According to North Dakota Wildlife Action Plan115 species need to be protected through conservation efforts.
Meanwhile, the bill would commit nearly $100 million to tribal nations and their endangered species protection programs. Indigenous conservation leaders have pointed out that their work is often hampered by competing grants and the uncertainty of securing annual funding.
Disclosure: The National Wildlife Federation contributes to our fund for reporting on climate change/air quality, endangered species and wildlife, energy policy, environment, public lands/ wilderness, salmon retrieval and water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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Habitat loss threatens the wildlife, lands and waters that hunters and anglers depend on, and a new report from the National Wildlife Federation describes the consequences in states like Texas.
Texas is home to tens of thousands of native animal and plant speciesplus a booming outdoor recreation economy worth about $31 billion a year, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.
Aaron Kindle, the federation’s sports advocacy director, called habitat loss perhaps the biggest threat to wildlife.
“The time has come,” he said. “I can’t take too much habitat loss and still enjoy the things we’ve enjoyed in the past.”
The report says wildlife and plant species in the United States have lost an average of 6.5 million acres of vital habitat over the past two decades. The amounts and consequences vary by species, but the outdoor recreation industry supports nearly 300,000 jobs in the Lone Star State.
As Congressional leaders consider historic investments in natural infrastructure and wildlife habitat, report urges hunters and anglers to take the lead and use their own on-the-ground knowledge to speak out on wildlife issues and habitat loss. Kindle said the report is a call for these groups to engage and advocate.
“Hunters and anglers, those who go out and pursue these species, are the ones in the best position to find the solutions, advocate for the solutions, talk to members of Congress, and make it all happen,” he said. he declares.
The report cites the America the Beautiful initiative and the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act as strategies to conserve, connect and restore 30% of public lands and water by 2030. Kindle said it was important to give species of game and fish the opportunity to stabilize and recover.
“When you have a healthy river with vegetation on both sides, that provides habitat, but it also slows flooding,” he said. “It cleans the water before it reaches a source of human drinking water.”
The report says energy development and development as towns and cities expand are making the situation worse. He said that ultimately the lost habitat jeopardizes the survival of sporting traditions such as hunting and fishing – which in turn affects the mainly rural communities that depend on them.
Disclosure: The National Wildlife Federation contributes to our fund for reporting on climate change/air quality, endangered species and wildlife, energy policy, environment, public lands/ wilderness, salmon retrieval, water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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