53 ' 



Pacific Northwest Salmon Stock Status 



In contrast. Pacific Northwest salmon slocks are experiencing grave difficulties. The American 

 Fisheries Society, a professional society of fisheries scientists and managers, published a report in 

 1991 that documented 106 Pacific Northwest salmon stocks as extinct and 214 stocks at risk of 

 extinction or of special concern. Since this report, the National Marine Fisheries Service has Usled a 

 number of these stocks as threatened or endangered. Furthermore, they have received petitions to list 

 hundreds of additional stocks from the Pacific Northwest, including the following: 



All Steelhead Trout Stocks in CA, ID. OR, & WA (178 stocks) 



All Coho Salmon Stocks in CA, ID, OR, & WA 



Mid-Columbia River (WA) Summer Chinook Salmon 



White River (WA) Spring Chinook Salmon 



Dungeness River (WA) Spring Chinook Salmon 



North Fork Nooksack River (WA) Spring Chinook Salmon 



South Form Nooksack River (WA) Spring Chinook Salmon 



Baker River (WA) Sockeye Salmon 



Hook Canal (WA) Summer Chum Salmon 



Mud Bay/Eld Inlet (WA) Chum Salmon 



Elwha River (WA) Pink Salmon 



The demise of Pacific Northwest salmon stocks represents a tragic loss of cultural as well as economic 

 values to both present and future generations. Significant habitat restoraUon efforts coupled with 

 conservative fisheries management efforts, as undertaken by the Pacific Fisheries Management 

 Council in 1994, are required to rebuild these stocks. 



TREATY SUCCESSES--AND SHORTCOMINGS 



I would now like to briefly discuss some of the treaty's successes, and some of its shortcomings from 

 the northern perspective. 



Pre-treatv Expectations 



When the treaty was ratified in 1985, there were many expectations-some of them realistic, others 

 not. People generally believed the treaty would improve cooperation between the two countries in 

 conserving and managing intermingling salmon stocks. Managers and fishery scientists anticipated 

 that such cooperation would contribute to increased knowledge regarding the status and nature of the 

 salmon runs, and the effects of fisheries harvesting these resources. Fishermen, many of whom were 

 apprehensive over some of the changes, generally believed the treaty would improve their future. 

 These were all realistic expectations, and they have been met to varying degrees. 



Coast wide Chinook Rebuilding Program 



A coastwide Chinook rebuilding program established under the treaty in 1985 reversed a trend of 

 overfishing and underescapement for many chinook salmon stocks. The 15-year rebuilding 

 program was to achieve escapement goals by 1998. The best results to date have been for chinook 

 originating in northern treaty areas, and for "far-north" migrating chinook which originate in 

 southern treaty areas. Escapement goals are now being met for most major stocks. Based on Pacific 

 Salmon Commission data, only 6% of the Alaska harvest comes from stocks categorized as not 

 rebuilding. 



However, some chinook stocks which originate and remain to rear in southern treaty areas have not 

 been adequately protected, in part due to deviations from "pass-through" provisions established by 

 the treaty. Many Columbia River chinook salmon stocks have been exterminated or drastically 

 reduced as a result of hydropower development, and it is clearly not possible to reverse such 

 population declines through fishery actions alone. 



A number of these Columbia River stocks, such as Snake River chinook and sockeye, have been listed 

 as threatened or endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), and additional future 

 listings are likely. In fact, hundreds of Pacific Northwest salmon stocks are currently being 

 considered for ESA lisUng. Many of these stocks will not recover unless a major habitat and 



