199 



1995 Federal Appropriations Recommendations - 



Soil Conservation Service - Fund $8 million for providing technical and financial 

 assistance for pacific northwest salmon habitat protection efforts. 



Vra. PREDATION 



Background - Both squawfish and marine mammals are major predators for both 

 juvenile and adult salmon BPA has been operating a squawfish management program with 

 high management overheads providing only limited effectiveness. The Marine Mammal Act 

 has been recently revised allowing for some selective reductions of populations. 



1995 Federal Appropriations Recommendations - 



Bonneville Power Administration - Implement a revised squawfish rtumagement 

 program that more effectively and efficiently reduces salmon predatiorL 



National Marine Fisheries Service - Fund a one year study to determine level of 

 marine mammal predation on Columbia Kver salmon, and develop a plan in FY 



1996 to minimize marine mammal predatory impacts on salmon. 



Consistency with NMFS Recovery Team (Sevan) Plan - "The existing squawfish 

 control program should be revised to progressively reduce predation on 

 smoits. Impacts from bird and marine mammal predation should be assessed, and 

 control methods should be designed." pg 21, Team Final Recomm., Summary 



Consistency with NPPC Strategy for Salmon - "Reduce squawfish population by about 

 20 percent ... in the Columbia and Snake rivers. ' pg 38, Stiategy for Salmon Vol II 



K. SALMON OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE 



Background - Differing agency and consultant scientific views have resulted in reduced 

 salmon enhancement efforts. The National Marine Fisheries Service Recovery Team became 

 aware of this problem during the two year development of its salmon recovery plan and 

 recommended formation of an independent scientific team to oversee regional efforts. 



1995 Federal Appropriations Recommendations - 



National Mariiu Fisheries Service • Form a five-member scientific salmon oversight 

 commitiee to be responsible for ensuring that the Columbia-Snake salmon 

 enhancement efforts work effectively, priorities are set, and that decisions are made 

 using relevant science The initial team (Salmon Oversight Committee) shall be 



