346 



no studies in the Tongass looking at this issue of which we 

 are aware. 



31. Prior to logging (1983), 8 million fish per year were 

 caught. Recent statistics show that 30 million fish are now 

 caught per year, representing a four-fold increase. How do 

 you explain the recent record fish runs? 



In our opinion, the increase in commercial salmon catch in 



southeast Alaska in recent years was largely a result of 



very favorable climatic conditions which has increased 



survival of the different life stages both in freshwater and 



marine environments. If all freshwater habitats in 



southeast Alaska were at optimum habitat capability, we 



would expect far greater returns. However, we suspect there 



has been a reduction in abundance of some stocks due to 



logging activities. 



32. Can you provide specific examples which show that existing 

 Forest Service policies are detrimental or have resulted in 

 a loss of fish? 



One of our research studies on the Tongass National Forest 



(Murphy et. al.,1986) documents the loss of juvenile 



salmonid habitat by clear-cutting to the stream bank without 



the use of buffer zones. Clear-cutting reduced winter 



carrying capacity for salmonid parr by removing large woody 



debris, collapsing undercut banks, and destabilizing or 



embedding channel substrate. In the same study, buffer 



zones protected habitat and provided a source for additional 



new debris after logging. Additional papers on different 



aspects of the above paper all reach basically the same 



conclusion (Thedinga et al . . 1989; Heifetz et al . , 1986; and 



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