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Recreational Fishing Coalition released a letter challenging 1993 &tll Chinook 

 harvest levels.' They contended that the harvest wsts too high and would result in 

 reduced fidl chinook escapement to the spawning grounds above Lower Granite 

 Dam. They believe the harvest should be reduced so that increasing numbers of 

 fiaU Chinook adults, which are listed as threatened imder the Endangered Spedies 

 Act. are allowed to pass Lower Granite Dam this yeair. 



Tbe harvest managers have responded that year to j'ear fluctuations in 

 spawning escapement should be expected and depend in significant part on the 

 conditions that obtained during the juvenile migration of fall chinook four years 

 prior to their return.* Tliey also contend that requiring heuvest managers to 

 guarantee increeised escapement levels every year is tm&ir given that the river 

 operators are not required to provide increased juvenile escapement every year. 

 Tbe managers also noted their belief that fiall chinook runs aire rebuilding in the 

 Snake. 



The Coimcil h£is been assured by harvest managers that the 1993 harvest 

 wiU be lower than the 55 percent harvest rate specified in the Strategy for Satnon. 

 These issues will be discussed in more detail in the unified harvest report being 

 prepsired by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Tliat report will be late. While 

 scheduled for conq>letion in the summer. NMFS has advised it will not be 

 submitted to the Council until the end of the year. 



wuHMVwwMMnvsixiuaaaa 



^tter to Senator Hatfield. eLaL. from WOliam Drummond, et aL. Jufy 28. 1993 

 ^Letter to \A^l]iam DmnuDond. et aL from Bob Turner. August 3. 1993: letter to WOliam 

 Drummond. et aL. from Ted Strong. August 2. 1993. 



