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INTRODUCTION 



There are currently three "species" of Snake River salmon listed 

 under the Endangered Species Act. The final determination to 

 list Snake River sockeye as endangered was published on November 

 10, 1991, and the final determination to list the Snake River 

 spring/ summer Chinook salmon and Snake River fall Chinook salmon 

 as threatened species was published on April 22. 1992. In 

 evaluating the status of these species for Listing, numerous 

 factors were identified as potentially causing or contributing to 

 decline of the stock or otherwise affecting their continuea 

 existence. No single or primary factor could be identified as 

 the primary cause for the decline or as tr.s primary source of 

 mortality; but based on the combination of factors affecting the 

 continued existence of the species, NMFS determined that the 

 SDecies were in danger of extinction or likely to become 

 endangered within the foreseeable future. "-.fter listing, it 

 became necessary for Federal agencies and . V TMFS to evaluate the 

 irrroacts of individual actions on listed salmon stccics in section 

 7 consultations. However, changes to any one action alone would 

 not likely be sufficient to insure the continued existence of 

 these SDecies. Therefore, the goal should be to achieve 

 irrrorovements simultaneously in the federal actions affecting all 

 stages cf the species' life cycles. 



NMFS generally conducts consultations on an annual basis. 

 Although it is generally preferable to consult on long-term 

 projects as a whole, NMFS believes that such comprenensive 

 consultations should be conducted after a recovery plan is 

 developed. Recognizing that impacts cannot be viewed in 

 isolation, the recovery plan will evaluate all sources of 

 mortality and specify measures needed to ensure the survival of 

 the species and, further, to result in recovery. NMFS expects 

 that the recovery plan will provide a sound basis for evaluating 

 the impacts of all federal actions on listed Snake River salmon. 

 When final, NMFS anticipates conducting comprenensive, long-term 

 consultations that further address the measures necessary for the 

 long-term conservation of the listed salmon species. 



The Endangered Species Act requires that agencies consult with 

 the Secretary of Commerce or Interior to ensure that actions 

 authorized, funded, or carried out by that agency are "not likely 

 to jeopardize the continued existence" of a listed species "or 

 result in the destruction or adverse modification of habitat of 

 such species." NMFS has defined "jeopardize the continued 

 existence" to mean 



to engage in an action that reasonably would be expected, 

 directly or indirectly, to reduce appreciably the likelihood 

 of both the survival and recovery of a listed species in the 

 wild by reducing the reproduction, numbers, or distribution 

 of that species (50 CFR 402.02). 



