Agreement to save Pacific Northwest salmon population signed

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A “landmark” agreement was signed by the federal government, the Pacific Northwest, and tribes to help save declining salmon populations in the Columbia Basin.

Friday’s ceremonial signing formalizes the Biden administration’s historic agreement made in December with Oregon, Washington, advocacy groups, and the “Six Sovereigns,” including the Yakima, Umatilla, Warm Springs, and Nez Pierce tribes.

The effort aims to preserve ecosystems supporting wild salmon, steelhead, and other native fish habitats in the region.

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The agreement includes efforts to expand tribally sponsored clean energy production and aims to provide stability to communities that rely on the Columbia Basin.

“This Agreement is a historic opportunity to help save our salmon and secure a just and prosperous future for everyone in the Columbia Basin,” said Jeremy Takala, Chair of the Yakama Nation Fish and Wildlife Committee. “We must restore Columbia Basin fisheries to healthy and abundant levels. The economic and ecological health of our region requires it, and tribal treaty rights demand it. Treaty fishing rights include the right to actually catch fish, not just the right to dip our nets into empty waters without salmon.”

“The Pacific Northwest is witnessing death to salmon by a thousand cuts,” according to the Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission — noting dams have harmed ecological conditions needed for salmon survival.

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“For nearly a century, hydropower operations on the Columbia River heavily impacted salmon runs. Today those impacts continue to grow as temperatures rise and precipitation, flows, and water demands become uncertain,” the commission said.

The agreement also addresses recommendations from the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative.

The CBRI learned of energy changes in the Pacific Northwest, which officials say, can be built on salmon-safe energy resources that must end over-reliance on dams that are driving the salmon population to extinction.

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“Without salmon, both the ecosystem and the way of life of all people who depend on healthy, abundant salmon runs will be irreversibly damaged,” the commission added.

“Since time immemorial, the strength of the Yakama Nation and its people have come from Nch’í Wána – the Columbia River – and from the fish, game, roots and berries it nourishes. We have fought to protect and restore salmon because salmon are not just a natural resource, they are a cultural resource,” Yakima Nation Chairman Gerald Lewis said.

“The Biden Administration has announced its commitment to partner with us, our sister tribes, and our neighbors in the work that we have been doing, and will continue to do, to restore healthy and abundant salmon runs to the Columbia River. We can, and must, restore our salmon; and working together we can, and will, do so in a way that ensures our communities will have the energy and other resources they need for generations to come,” Lewis added.

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Jonathan Smith, the chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs furthered, “It is an unfortunate truth that development in the Pacific Northwest, including in the energy sector, proceeded without, and in many cases hostile to, consideration for the Treaty rights, traditional knowledge, and cultural identity of the Treaty Tribes. Living up to past promises and using our indigenous knowledge is crucial to advancing an equitable and just future in the Columbia Basin.”

“I would like to thank the Biden Administration for its leadership in recognizing the need to depart from ‘business as usual’ in the Columbia Basin, and work towards effective lasting change. We greatly appreciate the time and effort the Administration has committed to develop this plan to rebuild our salmon and native fish stocks to healthy and abundant levels, and to advance the clean energy transition in partnership.”

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