61 



STATEMENT OF CONGRESSMAN RON WYDEN 



COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES 



PORTLAND, OREGON 



8/10/93 



Thank you Chairman Studds for allowing me the opportunity to 

 speak before the Committee. 



The salmon is one of the region's most potent cultural 

 symbols, as well as a critical economic resource. Tragically, this 

 beautiful fish is now among the region's most vulnerable species. 



As salmon runs continue to be listed under the Endangered 

 Species Act, the region is required to give up its most precious 

 resource, water, to meet the demands of declining salmon 

 populations. As a result, the entire region is restricted 

 economically. 



This situation is similar to the recent controversy 

 surrounding the spotted owl where short sighted natural resource 

 policy and planning resulted in the strangulation of an age old 

 industry and the tragic loss of many important communities. 



Even more so than the spotted owl, the salmon, and the river 

 water which is its sustenance is central to the region. If more 

 salmon are listed the restrictions placed on this region will 

 increase, and everyone in this region who has taken something from 

 the river will have to give something back. 



The gill -net and commercial fisherman may have to take less 

 fish from the river and the grain shipper may face an annual 

 temporary shutdown of barge traffic that links the region to 

 important foreign markets. The industries dependant on the 

 existing source of inexpensive hydro-electricity will have to pay 

 more, and the farmers in eastern Oregon and Washington may have to 

 pay more to irrigate their crops . 



It is in the best interest of this region to find a solution 

 to this impending crisis, to avoid the perils of the train wreck 

 which we encountered with the spotted owl . 



At this critical point in Northwest resource management we 

 must make certain that participating government agencies are doing 

 all that they can. Emphasis must be placed on the coordination of 

 federal and state efforts to ensure that the work of one agency 

 does not un-do the work of another. 



It is possible to point to many different areas of the salmon 

 debate which would benefit from better government coordination. 

 However, today I would like to focus on one piece of the multi- 

 faceted salmon debate, which I believe deserves concerted 

 attention: hatcheries. 



73-212 - 93 - 3 



