Endangered Snake River salmon recently found a
northern ally in their battle against Columbia River dams.
Republican Gov. Tony Knowles of Alaska announced April 28 that his
state had begun legal action to join a lawsuit brought by
environmental and fishing groups against the National Marine
Fisheries Service. The groups sued the agency this spring after it
ruled that Columbia and Snake River dams weren’t jeopardizing the
survival of wild chinook and sockeye salmon.
The
governor said Alaskans are angry at the Fisheries Service for
reducing the allowable catch of salmon in southeastern Alaska to
lower the risk of catching the endangered fish. He said people in
his state find it hard to believe that “penalizing our fishermen,
while allowing the Columbia River dams to kill up to 100 percent of
all young Snake River fall chinook, is a responsible policy.”
* John
Rosapepe
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Salmon find a friend.
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