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March 11, 1993 

 Chairman Vento 

 Page Two 



Not surprisingly, our findings showed that no single factor, but rather a multitude of factors, 

 including forestry, contributed to the reduced abundance of wild anadromous salmon and trout 

 in Oregon and Washington. We identified two major categories of factors, environmental and 

 fisheries management. Environmental factors included water-use and land-use practices, 

 natural phenomena, and biological interactions. Fisheries management factors included agency 

 policies and actions, harvest, and hatchery practices. 



We found that wild fish abundance was reduced by lost productivity caused by habitat loss and 

 degradation, by additional mortality caused by environmental and fisheries management 

 factors, and by changes in fish size and genetics caused primarily by fisheries management 

 practices. 



Both reports present a balanced and comprehensive scientific review of the factors that have 

 lead to the decline of salmonid runs in Oregon and Washington. The reports identify the 

 following as significant contributors to the decline of Pacific Northwest salmon populations: 



o Permissive salmon management policies 



o Overfishing and inadequate spawning escapement 



o Major irrigation, hydropower, and flood control projects 



o Intensive land use practices 



o Predation, and 



o Climatic factors. 



The reports also provide information on impacts such as: 



o Changes in ocean survival of fish 



o Increases in the populations of salmon predators and competitors, such as marine 



mammals, including seals and sea lions, American shad, and northern squawfish o 



Changes in the Columbia-Snake River aquatic environment 



o Loss of river and estuary habitat and food supply, and 



o Large influx of hatchery produced fish into the system. 



Again, thank you for the opportimity to comment. We hope that our findings will be helpful. 

 Respectfully, 



E>r. John F. Palmisano 



For The NORTHWEST FOREST RESOURCE COUNCIL 



