indicated, we began in 1990 with the cooperation of this Subcom- 

 mittee and full Committee. 



I want to welcome our witnesses today and particularly my 

 Washington State colleague, who will be over [from the Floor], Rep- 

 resentative Norm Dicks, because he has been a strong supporter of 

 the Chehalis River Fishery Restoration Act and, as a senior 

 member of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, he has taken 

 an active interest in its implementation. 



The Act exists and is important to us for two reasons: First, 

 whether through the pursuit of salmon, trout, halibut, crab or 

 shellfish by recreational, commercial or tribal fishermen, fish and 

 fishing help define the way we live in the Pacific Northwest. 



Second, these fisheries are essential to our economic way of life 

 and have been mainstays of our coastal and harbor communities. 

 The cultural and economic importance of our fisheries make it im- 

 perative that we not only maintain but enhance these resources. 



Instead, we have seen our fish runs strained to the point of be- 

 coming threatened and endangered. Trying to reverse this dismal 

 trend is what prompts a number of my initiatives in this Commit- 

 tee, including the Chehalis River Fishery Restoration Act. The 

 act's stated goal is simple and straightforward: Restore the once 

 abundant salmon runs of the Chehalis River. 



This is an ambitious goal and one that is no doubt shared with 

 other Federal fisheries restoration programs. The important differ- 

 ence, however, and the reason I believe the Chehalis River Fishery 

 Restoration Act can succeed when others have failed, is that we in- 

 volve the people and the communities within the Chehalis Basin in 

 the management decisions affecting their environment and their 

 communities. 



Mr. Chairman, a number of witnesses here today have traveled 

 clear across the country at their own expense to talk about the 

 Chehalis River Fishery Restoration Act. This personal commitment 

 is a testament to the local support for this program and to the 

 dedication these people have to restoring the Chehalis River fisher- 

 ies. These are true champions of the act and I again want to wel- 

 come them here this afternoon. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Manton. The Chair would recognize Ms. Furse for an open- 

 ing statement. 



STATEMENT OF HON. ELIZABETH FURSE, A U.S. 

 REPRESENTATIVE FROM OREGON 



Ms. Furse. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I just want to congratulate you and Mrs. Unsoeld for this won- 

 derful piece of legislation. It looks to me as though it is one of the 

 proper ways to restore fisheries, particularly that community in- 

 volvement. I certainly see it as a way we in Oregon can work to 

 restore our very depleted runs and hope that this can be used as a 

 guidance. 



I want to congratulate the tribes of Washington State for the 

 great work that they have done in trying to restore fisheries. Cer- 

 tainly the Oregon tribes work together to try and make sure that 



