mony presented at this hearing should get us off to a good start. 

 The distinguished gentlewoman from Washington. 



STATEMENT OF HON. JOLENE UNSOELD, A U.S. 

 REPRESENTATIVE FROM WASHINGTON 



Ms. Unsoeld. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As a number of wit- 

 nesses indicate, this is an issue of enormous importance to the Pa- 

 cific Northwest. For thousands of years the native salmon stocks of 

 the Pacific Northwest have not only sustained our many peoples 

 and cultures but entire societies that have revolved around these 

 extraordinary fish. 



Recently, however, the numbers of native salmon returning from 

 the sea to their birth waters have declined dramatically. Over har- 

 vesting, degradation of spawning habitat, hydroelectric dams, and 

 natural disasters such as drought and the El Nino current have all 

 contributed to the alarmingly low numbers of adult salmon return- 

 ing to native waters to produce another generation of magnificent 

 fish. 



Indeed, many runs of salmon are now seriously threatened, en- 

 dangered or extinct. While the Columbia River has been a lightning 

 rod for conflicts over appropriate restoration actions, solutions are 

 needed regionwide, ecosystem wide. As stewards of these resources, 

 we can no longer ignore the warning signs. We must respond ag- 

 gressively to this situation and support activities that promote 

 long-term sustainable fisheries. 



Many, many long hours have been dedicated to developing strate- 

 gies for salmon recovery in the Columbia River. The question on 

 everyone's mind is, can we rise to the enormous challenge and 

 work together to restore our salmon or will our differences result 

 in a gridlock, court-imposed management and attempts to legislate 

 a solution? 



To those of us who experienced the spotted owl conflict, the latter 

 choice appears to be a deja vu all over again. Mr. Chairman, I am 

 very, very grateful to you for initiating this hearing and" allowing 

 these people who are intimately involved with this issue on a daily 

 basis to be here. 



I look forward to our witness' views on these important issues. 

 Thank you very much. 



Mr. Studds. Thank you. The distinguished gentlewoman from 

 Oregon. 



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

 REPRESENTATIVE FROM OREGON 



Ms. FuRSE. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you personally for ac- 

 commodating the wishes of the Committee's Northwest members by 

 calling for this hearing. It is of the utmost importance to my dis- 

 trict and the entire Pacific Northwest. Your attention to this issue 

 is deeply appreciated. 



The rivers of the Pacific Northwest, as you mentioned, Mr. 

 Chairman, once flowed so thickly with the spawning salmon that 

 people used to say you could walk across the water on their backs. 

 As many as 16 million salmon would return to the Columbia River 

 each year making a herculean effort to migrate 900 miles up- 

 stream. 



