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Of assigned tasks often results in delays in implementing 

 important tasks. Until new institutional arrangements can be 

 implemented such as those being considered in the System 

 Operation Review or similar reviews, actions important to salmon 

 survival, such as evaluations of land management practices, 

 development of harvest management alternatives, the installation 

 of juvenile fish bypass screens and other mainstem passage 

 improvements, and the evaluation of drawdown alternatives for 

 Snake River reservoirs are likely to continue serious delays. 



On measures to atabi liza funding — Stable funding for the 

 Council's fish and wildlife program is critical to the success of 

 the program and essential to securing the commitments of the 

 regional partners to accomplishing the priority salmon rebuilding 

 tasks in a timely way. This is particularly crucial if the 

 overall Council's strategy is to protect and rebuild the Basin's 

 fish and wildlife populations to a level that will preclude 

 further listings under the ESA. 



NMFS believes that the present funding process for the Council's 

 fish and wildlife program could be re-examined to consider 

 alternatives that will assure adequate funding from all sources 

 to allow program priorities and commitments to proceed in a 

 timely and orderly way. NMFS also believes that effective 

 planning, staffing, and implementation of the Council's program 

 require firm funding commitments from the BPA and other Federal 



