MORRIS L BRUSETT 



CHAIRMAN 



Montana 



George Turman 

 Montana 



;red HaUock 

 Oregon 



Norma Paulus 

 Oregon 



NORTHWEST POWER PLANNING COUNCIL 



851 S.W. SIXTH AVENUE • SUITE 1100 

 PORTLAND, OREGON 97204-1348 • (503) 222-5161 



Toll free number for Idaho, Montana & Washington; 1-800-222-3355 

 Toll free number for Oregon: 1-800-452-2324 



TOM TRULQVE 



VICE CHAIRMAN 



Washington 



R, Ted Botoger 

 Washington 



James A GoUer 

 Idaho 



Robert (Bob J Saxvik 

 Idaho 



Northwest Power Planning Council 

 Staff Issue Paper- 

 Salmon and Steelhead Research and Monitoring 



September 21. 1988 



Many important unceriainties remain about the biO'Dgy of Columbia River Basm salmon and 

 steelhead and the success of the region s efforts to protect ana enhance them. Research and 

 monitenng should provide information that will improve our understanding of this important resource. 

 But the life cycle of these fish is complex. They migrate between river and marine environments, and 

 are affected by a variety of human development activities withm these environments. They travel 

 through many jurisdictional boundaries, and many entities are responsible for managing them. In 

 addition, numerous parties have been interested m conducting research on a wide variety of topics 

 related to salmon and steelhead. As a result, the development of a basinwide research and monitoring 

 program has not been easy. 



The significance of problems in research and monitoring and the urgency to find solutions were 

 highlighted recently at the Council's Salmon and Steelhead Round Table, held m late June 1988. 

 Although the Round Table was intended to be a general evaluation of the fish and wildlife program 

 during the past five years, speaker after speaker focused on the need to solve research and monitoring 

 problems. For example, Tim Wapato, executive director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish 

 Commission, stated, ' Research and monitoring continue to operate m a very fragmented fashion, 

 which results m technical and policy disputes. ... A process is needed to address such complex 

 issues. ' Other participants echoed his call for coordinated research planning and monitoring. In 

 developing this issue paper. Council staff has found that all major parties involved m salmon and 

 steelhead research believe these issues must be addressed m the near future. 



Therefore, the Council seeks comment on the following questions 



1. What mechanism should be employed to provide policy guidance on research and monitoring 

 questions, such as management needs and priorities, overall levels of research effort, and dispute 

 resolution"^ 



2. How can cooperation m planning Corps of Engineers-funded research be improved while 

 recognizing the Corps' authority and responsibility for its research program'' 



3. How might the technical quality of research and monitoring be unproved'' 



4. What method should be used to measure fish and wildlife program progress toward the doubling 

 goaP 



