Author Archives: bbougher

A BOLD MOVE FOR SALMON HABITAT

Being Frank is a column written by the Lorraine Loomis, chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. As a statement from the NWIFC chair, the column represents the natural resources management interests and concerns of the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington. Originally published at https://nwtreatytribes.org/a-bold-move-for-salmon-habitat/

The greatest obstacle to salmon recovery in western Washington is that we continue to lose salmon habitat faster than it can be fixed and protected. Until that changes, salmon populations will continue to decline.

That’s why we are encouraged by Gov. Jay Inslee’s leadership to challenge the status quo and take an important step needed for salmon recovery.

The potentially groundbreaking move came last November at the annual state/tribal Centennial Accord meetings. Created in 1989 to mark the state’s 100th anniversary, the gathering brings together the tribes and state in a government-to-government forum to address issues of mutual interest such as health care, education, and natural resources.

As part of the 2019 Centennial Accord commitments, Inslee recognized the importance of healthy riparian, or streamside, areas as critical to both our region’s salmon recovery efforts and climate change resiliency. In a bold move, he directed his state natural resources agencies to develop a consistent approach for uniform, science-based riparian management, and guidance to protect salmon and their habitat.

We know what needs to be done, so let’s stop debating and do it.

Riparian habitat is among the most important for salmon. Shade from trees and other vegetation help keep water temperatures low to aid salmon survival at all life stages. Riparian vegetation also filters harmful runoff and slows erosion to prevent eggs from being smothered. When trees fall into a stream, they help create diverse habitat such as pools where salmon can rest, and gravel spawning beds that are crucial to reproduction.

Stream temperatures near 70 degrees can be lethal to salmon. According to state data, more than 1,700 miles of streams and rivers in western Washington do not meet state or federal water quality standards for water temperatures.

The best way to protect salmon habitat is to establish streamside buffers.

An approach used for many years to establish buffer widths in state and national forests is called site potential tree height. That’s the maximum height of the tallest dominant species of trees – usually 200 years or older – in a streamside location. When converted to buffer widths, the distance ranges from about 100 to 300 feet depending on soil conditions, rainfall, and other factors.

Since 2004 tribes have documented the decline of salmon habitat throughout western Washington in the State of Our Watersheds Report. It details habitat conditions and limiting factors for salmon recovery. The updated 2020 report will be completed this summer.

We are also advancing solutions to support salmon recovery and treaty rights protection through gw∂dzadad, our strategy for protecting and rebuilding salmon habitat that takes its name from the Lushootseed word that means “Teachings of our Ancestors.”

The reports are available at: geo.nwifc.org/sow and nwtreatytribes.org/habitatstrategy.

We know the status quo isn’t working when it comes to salmon recovery. We know what the science says needs to be done, and we know that we must move forward together.

Gov. Inslee is coordinating state agencies to bring order and a scientific approach to habitat protection and salmon recovery in Washington. We applaud that effort and rise to meet him.

Lorraine Loomis is the chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.

FIXING HABITAT IS THE KEY TO SALMON RECOVERY

Being Frank is a column written by Lorraine Loomis, chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. As a statement from the NWIFC chair, the column represents the natural resources management interests and concerns of the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington. Originally published at https://nwtreatytribes.org/fixing-habitat-is-the-key-to-salmon-recovery/

Until we take real action to protect and restore salmon habitat, we are looking toward a future with more tightly restricted fisheries for everyone.

That’s the lesson after treaty tribal and state fisheries managers reached an agreement last month through the North of Falcon process on a package of salmon fishing seasons for the 2020-21 season that provides greatly reduced harvest opportunity compared to recent years while still contributing to ongoing salmon recovery efforts.

The main reason for the decline of salmon throughout western Washington is that their habitat is being lost faster than it can be restored and protected, and the trend shows no signs of improvement.

We plan fisheries based on impacts to individual salmon stocks depending on their overall abundance and how many are needed to escape harvest and spawn. Treaty tribal and nontribal sport and commercial fisheries are structured to limit impacts on stocks of concern that are not expected to reach spawning goals.

Anticipated weak returns of chinook to the Stillaguamish River and mid-Hood Canal this year required extensive closures to protect dwindling populations. Coho returning to the Queets and Snohomish rivers also were stocks of concern.

We also are challenged by increasing predation by seals and sea lions, and the food needs of endangered southern resident orcas. Meanwhile, the ongoing effects of climate change threaten salmon and their habitat with drought, low streamflows and higher water temperatures.

The reductions we had to make this year are painful for both tribal and nontribal fishermen and fishing communities.

We already have steadily reduced tribal fisheries over time in response to declining salmon runs. Depressed chinook stocks mean there will be no tribal fishing on river systems in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, such as the Hoko, Elwha and Dungeness.

Unfortunately, the state had to substantially reduce its popular winter chinook recreational fishery in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, San Juan Islands and Hood Canal areas, to protect imperiled Stillaguamish chinook.

Stillaguamish chinook presented a management constraint greater than usual this year because only 990 total fish were forecast to return: 363 natural origin and 627 hatchery fish.

Under Endangered Species Act guidelines, the National Marine Fisheries Service determined that we need at least 400 returning Stillaguamish chinook to reach spawning grounds. That decision made the returning hatchery salmon especially important because they are produced for escapement, not harvest. They are key to an integrated recovery program that uses both hatchery and natural origin salmon to increase the abundance of adults returning to the spawning grounds.

Tribes rely on ceremonial and subsistence fisheries to feed our families and preserve our cultures. The Stillaguamish Tribe hopes to harvest just 30 chinook from the river this year for its annual First Salmon Ceremony and other traditions. Many tribal chinook fisheries have disappeared altogether. Tribal fishermen haven’t had a directed salmon harvest on chinook in the Nooksack River for more than 40 years.

We won’t be able to manage our way around the ongoing loss of salmon habitat much longer, but hope may be on the horizon.

A bright spot appeared this year when – for the first time – treaty tribal and state salmon co-managers included habitat recovery as part of fisheries management planning. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife director Kelly Susewind pledged to work with the tribes to address habitat issues in the watersheds that are limiting natural production of salmon. Part of that effort will include a science-based instream flow assessment from a salmon point of view.

This is cause for hope because habitat protection and restoration – and cooperation – are the keys to salmon recovery. Working together to address habitat is the most important thing we can do to help salmon. We know what the future holds if we don’t.

Lorraine Loomis is the chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.