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salmon and trout that are at risk of extinction. The entire 

 anadromous and resident salmonid ecosystem is at risk. The Snake 

 River salmon populations are only the tip of what is already an 

 ecological disaster. The problems confronting the Columbia River 

 salmonid populations are not unique in western North America. 



II. SUMMARY OF OBSTACLES TO RECOVERY 



• The natural productivity of the salmon ecosystem is severely 

 degraded. 



• Productivity of coho salmon has declined by 90%. 



• Columbia Basin productivity has declined by 97%. 



• The 130 year legacy of salmon management strongly suggests 

 it is a failure and requires total reform. This failure is 

 due to the predominate focus on commodity production rather 

 than maintaining a productive ecosystem and the evolutionary 

 potential of the species. 



• Land, water, and fish management agencies have conflicting 

 and competing missions. 



• While the region plans to spend more than $350 million on 

 Columbia River salmon recovery per year, there is still no 

 goal^- 



• There is no agreement among managers to protect native 

 salmon populations and their ecosystems. 



• There is no coordinated policy to conserve genetic and life 

 history variation and evolutionary potential of salmon. 



• There is no institutional means or technical e:<pertise 

 assembled to establish a strategy or collect the information 

 needed to conserve native salmon populations. 



• There is no single authority to implement salmon recovery 

 measures and evaluate the results. 



III. RESPONSE TO COMMITTEE QOESTIOMS ABOUT THE SNAKE RIVER 

 RECOVERY TEAM PLAN 



Oregon Trout reviewed the Draft Recovery Plan and submitted 

 detailed comments (Attachment A). We answer the committee's 

 questions on the Recovery Plan based on those comments. 



