11 



able management policy would be that some governmental fish 

 agencies commonly use the brood stock raised at central regional 

 locations to supplement natural populations located throughout the 

 region. 



These fish may not be genetically adapted to the drainages 

 where they are released and consequently may have less chance of 

 survival. Additionally, when breeding with local stocks, the newly 

 introduced fish contribute genetic traits which may not be well 

 suited to the area and can weaken the local stock. 



Now, the question becomes in this area hatchery policy, which I 

 would submit is a microcosm of the problem that we face in fishery 

 policy generally, is how do we turn this situation around. There 

 has been a special effort, the Integrated Hatchery Operations 

 Team, known as IHOT, that is working to try to create a central- 

 ized agenda. 



I think they are moving in the right direction. I think they de- 

 serve credit for their work, but because this has not been a priority 

 issue, this program is now significantly behind in terms of its 

 schedule. I want to see this program succeed. It is the key to better 

 coordination of government hatchery programs in the Columbia 

 River Basin. But if it is going to get on schedule, it is going to have 

 to be a higher priority and it is going to have to be better funded. 



That relates to my last point, Mr. Chairman, and that is the 

 question of funding. It seems to me that with respect to funding we 

 ought to focus on two areas: the first — and Congresswoman Furse 

 and Congresswoman Unsoeld deserve considerable credit in this 

 regard — is changing our priorities. The Northwest congressional 

 delegation I think made a good start by redirecting $30 million this 

 year in the appropriations bill from the Forest Service road build- 

 ing account to watershed restoration activities in the forests of 

 Washington, Oregon, and northern California. I think we have to 

 build on that. 



Clearly the road building account is just one example of an area 

 of natural resources spending that has been a priority in the past, 

 and it should not receive the same attention it has received in the 

 future. 



Finally, it seems to me, there is an overwhelming need for good, 

 objective and scientific analysis with regard to salmon population 

 levels. The last comprehensive inventory that was conducted in 

 this area was in the late 1930's and early 1940's, and it seems 

 amazing to think that half a century later we still are operating 

 with such an outdated inventory. 



I think you and Congresswoman Furse deserve great credit for 

 your efforts to try to update this with the National Biological 

 Survey, and as we look to how we allocate resources for the future 

 and particularly implement those new priorities, I would hope that 

 there would be significant support in the Congress for the work 

 that you and Congresswoman Furse are doing on the biological 

 survey. 



Mr. Chairman, I am going to break my filibuster off right at this 

 point. I know you have a tight schedule, and you have got a lot of 

 friends here: Mr. Andrews from my own subcommittee, Mr. 

 Manton who does great work on the Commerce Committee. I am 



