30 



When I talked about the use of temporary hatchery programs, 

 the reason why I think that is the best use is, first of all, you then 

 have a clear endpoint to spending dollars on the hatchery oper- 

 ations, and, secondly, if you achieve the objective, which is to suc- 

 ceed in restoring a population to self-sustainability through natural 

 reproduction, you now also have an indicator that you have suc- 

 ceeded in improving the health of the ecosystem. 



Restoration and assurance of long-term survival of salmon popu- 

 lations depends on maintaining their existing genetic diversity. But 

 in 1991, I did an analysis of different hatchery policies and guide- 

 lines used in the Columbia River Basin, and my analysis showed 

 that these policies are inadequate for maintaining genetic diversi- 

 ty. My recommendations called for improved quality and greater 

 consistency in approaches of different agencies that are running 

 hatcheries, and the report of my analysis is appended to my writ- 

 ten testimony. 



Changes are needed in hatchery operating guidelines; for exam- 

 ple, guidelines on how to collect and which adult fish to collect, 

 how to make matings of adults, all the way to guidelines on how 

 smolts should be released. A comprehensive system for genetic risk 

 assessment and for genetic monitoring of hatcheries is lacking al- 

 though some necessary pieces do exist or are under development. 

 As part of the Yakima/ Klickitat Fisheries Project, I am on a scien- 

 tific team which is currently developing genetic guidelines for day- 

 to-day hatchery operations, for risk assessment, and for monitor- 

 ing. And I believe that incentives are needed to encourage uniform 

 application of these types of guidelines to all salmon hatchery pro- 

 grams. 



We also need independent and scientifically based evaluations of 

 all hatchery programs so that we can track their progress and 

 whatever problems they cause in restoring naturally spawning pop- 

 ulations and also so that we have the capability to inake midcourse 

 corrections in an informed way rather than doing it by trial and 

 error. 



And, finally, I think we really need improved coordination 

 among the myriad agencies that are responsible either for manag- 

 ing different hatcheries or very often responsible for managing dif- 

 ferent parts of the ecosystems that salmon are a part of. 



[The prepared statement of Ms. Kapuscinski can be found at the 

 end of the hearing.] 



Mrs. Unsoeld. Thank you very much. I will call on the other 

 committee members first for your questions. The gentlewoman 

 from Oregon. 



Ms. FuRSE. Dr. Koenings, in your testimony you mentioned a 

 very astonishing fact, that your wild fish population had increased 

 from 20 million fish in 71 to 150 million fish. In your opinion, 

 what is the single most important element in the use of hatcheries 

 for restoring the naturally spawning populations under your use of 

 hatcheries? 



Mr. Koenings. Again, to the Chair, in Alaska the rebound of the 

 natural spawning population from the 1970's was principally due to 

 better management practices, fisheries managers who were willing 

 to make decisions to close fisheries, and get fish on the spawning 

 grounds. The habitat is there. The two together took off, and now 



