Angie Craig: “today, as you may know, Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, called for a…”

“today, as you may know, Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, called for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to salmon recovery in the Pacific Northwest. While I may not agree completely with Chairman Connaughton's statement, we must stop ignoring what is going on. It is about time that someone speaks out about the reality of the situation in the Northwest in regards to salmon recovery. He proposed to end outdated hatchery programs and to stop harvest levels and practices that impede recovery of salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act, ESA. He also outlined a comprehensive collaborative process to promote a shared goal and responsibility of salmon recovery. As early as next week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's fisheries service, NOAA Fisheries, will launch a collaborative review of how harvest and hatcheries are affecting the recovery of ESA-listed salmon and steelhead. There has been no clear direction in the past, and CEQ is taking the first step to provide a meaningful direction. We have sat back and idly watched while the region moved from injunction to injunction and lawsuit to lawsuit. In fact, over the past 2 years, two injunctions have been ordered and more lawsuits are being filed. This situation just fosters mistrust and the inability to meet common goals and objectives.…”