Goal

     Rebuild salmon and steelhead populations that were adversely affected by the
     construction or operation of the Federal hydroelectric system and other human caused
     effects.
 
    Maintain the multiple-purpose public benefits of Columbia and Snake River dams and
     river system.
 
    Develop and implement system and detailed subbasin plans, scientific fish stock
     management and other applied science and technology that utilize cost-effective
     expenditure of public and ratepayer funds.

                                Objectives

     Develop and implement a regional salmon enhancement plan to increase spawning runs of
     salmon and steelhead stocks. Actions should meet the requirements of federal law and
     take great care to maintain other resident fish and wildlife populations.
 
    Continue the progress of improving the passage survival of juvenile and adult salmonids at
     federal dams.

     Provide greater scientific certainty in mitigation efforts.

     Implement a least cost program that ensures the highest level of biological benefit for the
     public and ratepayer dollars spent.

     Expand ongoing effort to gather scientific data through scientific evaluation and monitoring.
     Maintain the public purpose benefits and continue to develop the economic potential of
     the Columbia River system.

          *Maintain hydroelectric generation of Columbia River Basin dams.
          *Maintain existing irrigation and allow increased consumptive use of Columbia Basin
          water.
          *Maintain navigation to existing river ports.
          *Enhance recreational opportunities and continue to provide regional flood control
          benefits.

                     Salmon Enhancement Strategies

Adopt a two tiered approach to salmon recovery that promotes the continued implementation of
immediate salmon recovery actions while pursuing the development of a new approach for
basin-wide salmon management.

          RECOVER1-PLUS: Immediate Solutions for Northwest Salmon

Continue the progress of the regional program as described in the 1995 Federal Hydro
Biological Opinion requiring technological improvements in dam operations. In addition, expand
strategy to adopt measures that affect salmonids in other aspects of their lifecycle, including both
ocean and fresh water habitat. The program should limit funding requirements to measures that
provide the most biological benefit for the dollars spent. The key elements of this strategy are
contained within CRA’s RECOVER1-PLUS and are described below:

          RECOVER1-PLUS Strategy for Endangered Salmon

     Maximize the transportation of juvenile smolt and reduce ineffective flow augmentation
     and harmful spill at hydroelectric dams.

     Investigate the use of surface collectors and other devices to enhance guidance at dams.

     Reduce predator populations in the mainstem and estuary.

     Expand genetic diversity by allowing sufficient escapement to achieve full seeding of each
     protected stock’s spawning habitat.

     Reduce mixed stock harvest and mark all hatchery fish to facilitate selective harvest.

     Eliminate or modify hatcheries and hatchery practices that negatively impact wild stocks.

     Complete all subbasin plans and utilize watershed councils, Conservation Reserve
     Programs and other financial incentives to encourage land owners and managers to
     improve riparian and other habitat conditions.

     Aggressively continue research and monitoring programs.

                A New Northwest Approach to Salmon Recovery

Improve decision making through the establishment of a central regional organization to manage
salmonid species recovery. The organization represents the residents of the four Pacific
Northwest states and would develop, implement, and manage the basin-wide recovery program.
The new organization should focus on activities that address all aspects of the species lifecycle.
In addition, it should ensure the continued utilization of natural resources by the citizens of the
Northwest while preserving the needs of other fish and wildlife species.

The following principles could be used in this new fish governance structure:

     Use research and monitoring data to improve computer models to assemble existing data
     and relationships to predict effects on salmon and steelhead from management actions.

     Select fish and wildlife measures for implementation based on cost-effectiveness analysis
     to maximize the public benefit from expenditures of finite salmon recovery funds.

     Decentralize decisionmaking concerning local-specific habitat problems through
     watershed councils.

     Segregate habitat into "nature preserve" tributaries and "production/supplementation"
     (hatchery) tributaries.

     Manage harvest to protect weakest protected stocks (initially, current ESA-listed stocks)
     to achieve adequate spawning ground escapement.

     Use computer metapopulation models to predict extinction probabilities for listed stocks,
     and annually reassess extinction probabilities to reconsider listing decisions.

     Restructure hatchery management to improve success in meeting fish and wildlife
     objectives.

     Link habitat restoration and stock management to provide full seeding for "nature
     preserve" tributaries, and report the degree to which this is achieved annually.