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David Yockton, Chehalis Indian Tribe 



Questions for Chehalis Hearing Witnesses 



Questions for the entire panel: 



Can hatcheries continue to play a role in restoring salmon stocks and what are the risks to wild 

 stocks? 



Yes, hatcheries must play an important role in restoring the salmon stocks on the Chehalis River Basin. 

 There are possible risks to the wild stocks which could disrupt the genetic integrity to wild stocks (e.g., 

 diseases, over fishing, etc.). When hatchery stocks are abundant and are fished heavily, they could over 

 fish weak wild stocks at the same time. But these risks could be overcome with proper management. 



Who should fund the restoration of the Chehalis River Basins fishery resources? 



Present distribution of funds as administered by the Fish & Wildlife Services seems logical. However, any 

 in kind contributions by cooperating groups and agencies would be welcomed. 



What are the Task Force members doing to restore the Chehalis River Basin? 



There is a cooperative effort to collect brood stock at various locations in the basin and rear them in 

 acclimation ponds. Present efforts stress fishery enhancement and not habitat restoration. Studies are 

 presently being done in water quality investigations. 



What should be done to improve watershed stewardship on Federal, State, and private lands in the 

 Chehalis River Basin and in other pacific Northwest watersheds? 



Promote better communication and coordination utilizing state of the art information. 



What are the key factors that must be initially addressed in the Chehalis Basin? In other coastal 

 basins? In the Columbia River Basin? 



The key factors are relationship between the hatcheries and wild production. Understanding environmental 

 limitations, such as the so called pollution block in the Aberdeen, Hoquiam area. Also, catch distribution 

 issues in the various fisheries (e.g, success of the US-Canada negotiations is of extreme importance). 



What are the potential socio-economic benefits of restoring the Chehalis basin fishery resources? 



Increased catches in the various commercial Tribal and Sport Fisheries should increase social, as well as 

 economic benefits. The benefits should be a several fold increase in catches to the fisheries. What are the 

 socio-economic costs? The soci-economic costs are difficult to evaluate at this time. Is an 

 Environmental Impact Statement warranted? Yes, for major facilities (e.g, Proposed Chehalis Tribe Cedar 

 Creek Hatchery which has been completed). For minor NEPA projects a finding of no-significant impact 

 (FONSI) would suffice. For SEPA projects (State Environmental Policy Act) a DNS (Declaration of Non- 

 Significance) should be added. 



According to the American Fisheries society, 214 stocks of Pacific Northwest salmon and steelhead 

 are at risk of extinction. Are any of these "at risk 1 ' stocks in the Chehalis River Basin? 



Probably, the run of chum salmon in the Chehalis River upstream from the mouth of Black River. 



Additional questions for the Chehalis Tribe: 



What are the Tribes doing on their reservations to contribute to restoration? 



Brood stocking of fall chinook, in cooperation with the Chehalis River Basin Task Force (Save the Kings 

 Project). Which are planted in various areas of the basin. Our Fisheries personnel do spawning ground 

 surveys throughout the upper watershed to identify streams needing improvement. Additional projects are 

 being considered. The Chehalis Tribal Fisheries is allotted a quota of fish each season. If the fisheries 

 below the reservation over fishes or the run size expectancy is low, the Chehalis Tribe may reduce their 

 fishing time or may not fish at all to help preserve future fisheries. 



What are the Tribal benefits of restoring the fish runs to the Chehalis River Basin? 



The increased catches for ceremonial, subsistence and commercial fisheries will improve the Tribe's 

 economic and cultural growth. 



