496 



The current Pacific Northwest Coordination Agreement (PNCA) contains limited provisions 

 for treatment of fish and wildlife system requirements in operation of the hydropower 

 system, and does not allow non-signatories to submit fish and wildlife requirements to the 

 annual planning process. The Agreement should be modified to enable non-signatories to 

 submit fish and wildlife requirements for annual planning, and broadened to require meeting 

 system fish and wildlife needs. Again, biological opinions should be completed in time for 

 PNCA annual planning. 



d) Adopting a new agreement or creating a new regional entity among BPA. the Corps 

 of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Council and other to administer annual 

 river operations: 



River operations have clear and dramatic impacts on fish populations and restoration of 

 salmon stocks. At present, fishery agencies and Tribes have forums for advisory input such 

 as commenting on the Strategy for Salmon, the System Operation Review, and the 

 Coordination Act reports on river operations. However, these advisory consultations do not 

 always translate into the prescribed actions that we believe to be necessary. 



Given that the Northwest Power Act calls for proper consideration of fish and wildlife in 

 decisions on system operations, and given that the Endangered Species Act calls for 

 protective actions for recovery of listed species, fishery agencies and Tribes must be strong 

 participants in river operational decisions tht affect the fishery resources for which they are 

 the primary stewards. We are hopeful that this can occur within the existing statutory 

 framework. 



One area where greater fishery agency involvement and authority could be provided is the 

 Pacific Northwest Coordinated Agreement process by which international river operations 

 with Canada and U.S. water management agencies are negotiated. In addition, the NPPC's 

 Fish Operations Executive Committee process could provide the Tribes and fishery agencies 

 a greater voice in river operational decisions. This group has been effective in resolving 

 conflicts related to river operations and fish passage. 



