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Bumper* Q&A 4/3 



ANSWER: We cannot recall saying timber harvesting ts responsible for the large runs of salmon 

 experienced lately in Southeast Alaska. Our position is that properly manage J timber harvesting will 

 not adversely affect spawning habitat over the long-term. The result is little if any effect on salmon 

 populations. 



QUESTION 3. Do you log right up to the banks of some of your salmon streams in Alaska? 



ANSWER: If the habitat management objective is to provide direct sunlight to the stream to improve 

 fish rearing conditions, limited timber harvest in the streamside management area could be prescriljed. 

 This harvest, however, would adhere to the standards and guidelines descritjed in the Alaska Region 

 Aquatic Habitat Management Unit Handbook. This handbook provides site-specific habitat manage- 

 ment prescriptions to achieve desired habitat objectives. 



QUESTION 4. The National Marine Fisheries Service recently called for maintenance of pristine 30 meter (1 00 

 foot) buffer zones of all salmon streams. Will you implement this policy? 



ANSWER: The NMFS policy is founded upon generalized information and as a result, prescribes a 

 uniform habitat protection standard that is based on a no-touch zone (mandatory buffer). This ap- 

 proach to habitat protection is quite rigid with few management options. Recent research shows that 

 more flexible streamside management techniques can protect existing fish habitat, and in some cases 

 improve fish production. The Alaska Region Aquatic Habitat Management Unit Handbook provides fish 

 habitat management standards and guidelines that are designed to protect and enhance fish habitat 

 productivity. Using these standards and guidelines, site-specific habitat management prescriptions 

 are developed to achieve desired habitat objectives. The Forest Service intends to use fisheries habitat 

 management prescriptions that are based upon site-specific information and will fijlly protect fish and 

 their habitat. 



QUESTION 5. This last year you issued a draft plan for Ketchikan Pulp that showed you planned to harvest 

 up to 80 percent of the timber in your Aquatic Habitat Management Units-which are your version of buffers. 

 Why do you plan so much logging so close to streams? 



ANSWER: Our present standards and guidelines specify adequate protection of fisheries habitat. To 

 meet this goal, the prescription in the 1 989-94 Operating Plan for the Ketchikan Pulp Company is based 

 upon the habitat protection standards and guidelines in the Alaska Region Aquatic Habitat Manage- 

 ment Unit Handbook. The State of Alaska and other Federal resource agencies assisted with the 

 development of the habitat management standards and guidelines for fish habitat protection in this 

 handbook. 



JOBS 



QUESTION 1 . How many direct, full time equivalent jobs in logging, sawmills and pulp mills did the Tongass 

 timber program support in 1 988? 



ANSWER: About 2,030 direct jobs in logging, sawmills, and pulp mills were supported by the Tongass 

 timber program in 1 988. 



QUESTION 2. How many of those same jobs were provided by the timber harvest from private lands in 

 Southeast Alaska, including of course Native Corporation lands? 



ANSWER: About 1 ,300 jobs in logging, sawmills, and pulp mills were supported by timber harvest from 

 private lands In Southeast Alaska in 1988. 



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