104 



Tributary to the Salmon River. (Photo by D.R. Orcutt) 



back the Snake River salmon stocks would be 

 overwhelmingly positive; jobs would return; recreational 

 and aesthetic benefits would expand; and. most importantly, 

 a priceless heritage of the Northwest would be restored and 

 preserved for future generations. The Team has attempted 

 to speak for these silent beneficiaries in devising a plan that 

 can ward off the imminent threat of extinction and lay the 

 groundwork for perpetuating self-sustaining runs that will 

 benefit the region and the nation. 



In short, there will be social and economic costs with any 

 recovery plan broad-based enough to get the job done, and 

 every effort should be made to identify and ameliorate those 

 costs as far as possible. But from the longer view, these are 

 investments in treasured natural assets of profound 

 importance to the people of the Northwest. 



24 



CONCLUSION 



The recovery of Snake River salmon is a difficult and 

 compUcated public policy issue. It is important to achieve 

 recovery, and ultimately to reap the social, cultural, and 

 economic benefits of restored salmon populations. But it is 

 also important to do so in an organized, scientifically based, 

 and economically efficient manner. The Team's 

 recommendations provide a realistic basis for achieving 

 these objectives. 



