468 



PNUCC supports up- 

 to-date scientific 

 information on which 

 to base salmon 

 recovery measures. 



We call on Congress 

 for fish detectors at 

 all federal Colurnbia 

 and Snake River 

 dams. 



After the juvenile fish passed through turbines at Rocky Reach 

 Dam, the balloons inflated, allowing scientists to collect the fish 

 and measure mortality rates. 



Nearly all of the tagged Chinook survived in good health; the 

 average mortality rate for all releases was 6.45 percent. By 

 modifying turbine design, investigators hope to reduce turbine 

 mortality to as low as 5 percent. 



Demanding Results 



Trial and error has been costly for the region and costly for the 

 sahnon. "We just don't have enough science," NMFS regional 

 director Rollie Schmitten said recently. "There should be a lot 

 of shame passed out if we can't do bener in the near future." 



Unfortunately, some fish advocates oppose the PIT Tag snidy. 

 In place of science, they advocate a "just do it" point of view 

 for their favorite recovery measure. "That approach might sell 

 shoes," said Wright, "but it doesn't give us the information we 

 need to do what's right for salmon." 



To get that information, Wright said, there's a critical need for 

 new fish detectors on the lower Columbia. Fish detectors at 

 Bonneville Dam and John Day Dam currently sample too few 

 fish to be effective. And there are no detectors at The Dalles 

 dam. 



The region should call on Congress to appropriate funds for fish 

 detectors at all federal Columbia and Snake River dams, 

 PNUCC believes. And it's imperative that the PIT Tag swdies 

 go forward. "BPA must provide the funding, and the region 

 must provide the political will to support this essential 

 research," Wright said. 



"The Northwest is spending an enormous amount on salmon 

 recovery," he added. "We need to mm on the scoreboard so we 

 can see what works and what doesn't and stop relying on 

 guesswork. The stakes are too high to do anything else." 



