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Basin salmon runs continue to improve
March 29th, 2007
by Pratik Joshi, Herald staff writer

Salmon runs have improved dramatically in the Columbia River Basin in the last six or seven years, thanks to improvements at the dams and long-term fish monitoring, says an official of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Spillway weirs, or fish slides, at the dams have helped provide juvenile fish with less-stressful passage, and fish tags have led to more effective monitoring, said Bob Lohn, northwest regional administrator of the federal agency.

Lohn spoke Wednesday at a luncheon sponsored by Tri-Ports, Tri-City Development Council and area chambers of commerce in Pasco. He said the new analysis can potentially move the dialogue forward on a highly controversial topic: The possible breaching of dams on the four lower Snake River dams.

The issue pits conservation groups, tribes and commercial fishermen against a coalition of organizations and businesses that support science-based measures and promote a holistic strategy to salmon recovery.

"We need to focus on a strong regional economic focus and strong salmon revival," Lohn said.

Better monitoring also suggests that salmon have steadily adapted to changes in river currents. But there's a need to protect their habitat and recommend appropriate harvest levels to continue the recovery process, he said.

Federal agencies, including fisheries and the Army Corps of Engineers, are working on a program for ecosystem management, Lohn added. Earlier this month, the Corps installed a prototype surface bypass spillway at McNary Lock and Dam.

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