17 



3 



The watersheds on the National Forests encompass approximately- 

 one- half of the remaining freshwater anadromous fish spawning 

 and rearing habitat in the lower 48 states and about one-quarter 

 of such habitat in Alaska. Habitat conditions on National 

 Forest System lands are an important element in conserving many 

 of the Pacific anadromous fish stocks. Forest Service efforts 

 to manage this habitat requires commitment within five western 

 Regions, encompassing the States of California, Oregon, 

 Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. 



THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT FOR ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL 

 REASONS. 



Historically, Pacific Coast salmon, steelhead and sea-run 

 cutthroat trout resources have provided economic, subsistence, 

 cultural, religious, symbolic, recreational, and psychological 

 benefits to native people and other residents of the Pacific 

 Northwest. In the mid- 1980 's, annual ex- vessel values of U.S. 

 and Canadian commercial salmon landings were over $500 million. 

 Expenditures on salmon sport fishing trips for the Pacific 

 Northwest averaged about $162 million, and Pacific anadromous 

 fishes supported a subsistence fishery in California, the 

 Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. Healthy watersheds are a 

 prerequisite for long-term sustainability of resources, and the 

 penalties of degraded watersheds extend far beyond the loss of 

 fish stocks. Watershed management is related to nearly all 

 other resource programs on National Forests, such as fish 

 habitat, timber, range, minerals and recreation. 



