8 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



[Statement of Hon. Jim Saxton follows:] 



Statement of Hon. H. James Saxton, a U.S. Representative from New Jersey, 

 AND Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Environment and Natural 

 Resources 



Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for holding this hearing today on an issue 

 that, at first glance, would seem to have very little to do with my State of New Jer- 

 sey and its fisheries resources. But the institutional changes in the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service to respond to the Pacific Northwest salmon crisis could have a sig- 

 nificant impact on New Jersey fishermen. 



I look forward to hearing in detail from our witnesses about the process "NMFS" 

 will use in developing a comprehensive recovery plan. I also welcome Congressman 

 Crapo of Idaho, who brings specialized knowledge of this issue after years of ad- 

 dressing it on the State level. 



Thank you. 



Mr. Studds. I am going to ask the first panel, four people, to 

 come forward as a group and as they do so express my apologies. 

 My own obligations preclude my remaining much longer. I am 

 going to ask the gentlewoman from Washington to take the chair 

 if she will. 



Ms. Unsoeld. We will take the panel participants in the order 

 in which they appear on the agenda so Mr. Bottiger, you are first. 



STATEMENT OF TED BOTTIGER, CHAIRMAN, NORTHWEST 

 POWER PLANNING COUNCIL 



Mr. Bottiger. Congresswoman Unsoeld, thank you very much. 

 My name is Ted Bottiger and I am the chairman of the Northwest 

 Power Planning Council and I want to thank you for the oppor- 

 tunity to testify in this oversight hearing on the Columbia River 

 basin salmon stocks. 



The Committee asked three questions. Your first question asks 

 whether the Recovery Team's recommendation will lead to the re- 

 covery of listed stocks and I am sure that Dr. Bevan will concur 

 that there are substantial biological uncertainties that make it im- 

 possible to answer that question with certainty. 



Full implementation of the Team's recommendations and the 

 council's salmon strategy provide the best hope for not only recov- 

 ery but for rebuilding to levels that will support a sustainable fish- 

 ery. 



Your second question asks if there are alternative approaches 

 that would increase the likelihood of recovery. I will discuss more 

 in a minute but the council will be reviewing a number of addi- 

 tional salmon survival improvements this summer and fall. 



We are undertaking this review because we have acknowledged 

 that the existing measures in our salmon strategy are by them- 

 selves insufficient to protect all weak stocks or to rebuild fishable 

 levels. 



Your third question concerns the essential elements of a recovery 

 plan. We believe that a recovery plan must improve salmon sur- 

 vival at all stages of the life cycle. We believe, however, that an ef- 

 fective recovery effort must also go beyond the immediate listed 

 stocks if we are ever to get off the endangered species treadmill. 



In addition, as noted in our written statement, we have other 

 legal mandates that include the Federal Clean Water Act, tribal 



