180 



a 



OREGON TROU 



TESTIMONY OF OREGON TROUT, INC. 



before 



UNTIED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



COMMTTtEE ON 



MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES 



SUBCOMMTTTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 



MARCH 5, 1<><>3 



The Honorable Gerry E. Studds, Chairman 



Dear Mr. Chairman: 



Oregon Trout, Inc. welcomes your invitation to provide written testimony to the 

 committee regarding the role of hatcheries in recovery of Padfic safanon. We would 

 appredate this statement being inchided in the committee record. 



Oregon Trout, Inc. is the lead petitioner on four q>ecies of Columbia River 

 safanon that were listed under the Enoangered Species Act in 1991. Oregon Trout 

 incorporated in 1983 with the mission of conservmg and restoring long-term abundance 

 of wOd safanon, trout, and steelhead. The organization in headquartered in Portland, 

 Oregon and has several thousand members throughout the Pacfic Northwest 



TTie Committee's Inanlrv should be expanded. 



The Committee's letter of February 19, 1993 asks three questions each of which 

 presumes that some form of artificial production, a very expensive process, is necessary 

 for the survival and restoration of "naturally-spawning" salmon populations. That 

 presumption is not necessarily true and could lead the Committee to erroneous 

 conchiaons. We suggest that the Committee ask the threshold questions: "Is any form 

 of artificial production necessary to protect and restore naturally-q}awning salmon 

 populations? If so, what are the criteria for use of artificial production and what steps 

 can be taken without artificial production to protect and restore those populations? 



With an expanded focus the Conmiittee will learn that in many cases artifidal 

 production is neither necessary nor beneficial to naturally-spawning salmon populations.. 



To Protect and Restore Native Fish and their Ecosystems ^w 



Water Tower BuUding • 5331 S.W. Macadam • Suite 228 • Portland, Oregon 97201 • (503) 222 9091 • FAX (503) 222-9187 



