232 



4 Testimony of Kaihryo Troll 



and tributaries Here is a summary of key observations and facis 



OBSERVATION: Low water conditions and lack or rain are the primary agents leading 

 to the fish fills that happened in Southeast in 1989 (Allan Foutch, Koncor Forest 

 Products and Phil Doherty. ADF&G biologist) 



FACT. "Logging activities can initiate pronounced temperature changes by the 

 removal of forest vegetation along channels " (The conclusion of a scientific review 

 of over 100 studies on: Stream Temperature and Aquatic Habitat: Fisheries and 

 Forestry Interactions, including Alaskan research by NMFS) 



FACT: "High temperatures can be an exacerbating factor in fish kills because warmer 

 water contains less oxygen than cooler water ." (ML. Murphy: Die-offs of pre- 

 spawned adult pink salmon and chum salmon in Southeastern Alaska. N. America 

 Journal Fisheries Manual 3(2B): 302-308, 1983) 



FACT: "Buffer strips with widths of 30 meters or more generally provide the same 

 level of shading as that of an old growth stand." (I. Steinblums Designing stable 

 buffer strips for stream protection Journal of Forestry 82(1): 49-52, 1984) 



OBSERVATION: In 1989, fish kills were observed in the logged tributary of Trocadero 

 Creek while no fish kills were observed at the same time in the unlogged tributary of 

 Trocadero Creek. 1989 fish kills on logged systems generally occurred before fish 

 kills on unlogged systems. (Phil Doherty and Gary Gunstrom, ADF&G biologists) 



Until conclusive studies are done, UFA feels that these facts and observations merit 

 the conservative approach of assuming that buffers will ameliorate the life 

 threatening effects that low water and high temperature have on spawning salmon 

 This conservative approach is also justified by the economics of salmon. 



Concluding Statement on Buffers 



Given the pattern of inadequate stream protection/management, given the lack of 

 commitment to improve such practices as exemplified in the current TLMP revisions, 

 given the common sense approach to minimize fish kills, and given the minimal 

 amount of timber needed for riparian retention, UFA urges the Senate to adopt a 

 buffer strip policy similar to that included in H. R. 987 . This request is well within 

 the multiple use objectives of the Tongass National Forest. Furthermore, this request 

 is well justified by long-term economic return. One economic analysis (See 

 Attachment D) concluded that the present net value of a foot of riparian vegetation 

 returns $2.19 in coho salmon production and $1 .23 in timber production. 



Set Aside Areas 



Buffer strips are a management tool for areas that will be logged. Buffer strips should 

 never be subsumes for managing entire watersheds for non-logging activities. In 

 the bigger picture of where to and where not to log, UFA supports legislating 

 permanent protection through LUD II designations for the important fishery areas 

 designated in H.R. 987 UFA has consistently supported setting aside entire watershed 

 areas, as spelled out in Attachment E. In reviewing the results of Tongass 

 negotiations last session it is clear that radical adjustments were being proposed for 



