The Columbia River Restoration
Hello everyone! I was recently assigned to research a case study over the Columbia River Restoration. If you are not familiar with this study, it has to do with the decline of salmon fish in the Pacific Northwest. I never realized how big of a role these fish play in the environment. But actually they are a major part of the foundation of the economical, ecological and cultural strength. At one time these fish were up to 11 million but have now declined to less than 2 million. How can this be? Some factors that have played a role in this are over fishing, agriculture and their habitat. Many organizations and groups have made efforts to bring their population back up but unfortunately have not always been successful. “What once seemed an exhaustible resource has been reduced to the point that currently 26 populations of Pacific salmon are listed as threatened or endangered…” (Knight, 2000).
Over fishing as played a huge role in the salmon decline. According to the article The Use of Hatchery Technology for the Conservation of Pacific and Atlantic the decline of the salmon fish is not only because of Native Americans attempting to make their own hatcheries but also Euro-Americans canning the fish. “Native Americans seemed to understand salmon’s natural history and attempted to transplant stocks. However, the there is no indication they used artificial propagation to sustain their fisheries even with the high harvest rates calculated by Schalk” (Maynard & Trial, 2013). But the Native American people were not the only ones to blame. “Euro-Americans concentrated their commercial harvest near lower river transportation hubs and canneries, thus conducting mixed stock fisheries that resulted in excessive harvest of weak stocks” (Maynard & Trial, 2013). Unfortunately hatcheries are still in business today and can cause many problems for the salmon population such as disease and a stressful compact environment .According to the article Salmon Farms and Hatcheries, during hatchery of the fish, trucking and barging the fish around dams block the migration process (Kolmes, 2004).
A healthy habitat is extremely important for salmon. River pollution, plants near streams being destroyed and not having enough cold, clean water can severely harm salmon. Debris in streams can cover Salmon eggs and smothering them. “Runoff from city streets, agricultural land and neighborhoods, introduces harmful chemicals into streams, injuring or killing salmon and other stream inhabitants in the food chain” (U.S Fish and Wildlife Service). Plants near rivers play a pretty big factor in this salmon’s habitat. These plants shade the water keeping a cool place for the fish. They also give a resting place for younger fish and help filter out any debris. Farming also comes into play. When the water is used for farming purposes it can cause the rivers to slow and warm. “The problem is compounded by the fact that each life stage of salmon, from egg to adult, requires a specific habitat. (U.S Fish and Wildlife Service).
A commission and restoration plan has been established by the Native American people in the area to try to restore the population of the salmon. The commission is known as the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission or CRITFC. Their goal is to work with local government and industries to bring the salmon’s numbers back up. For the Native American people, Salmon are not only economically important but also culturally.
So how can we balance the economic benefits while protecting these species? The U.S Fish and Wildlife state “The solution will be equally slow and complex and will not come from simple actions”. It is not just up to agencies and organizations but also to us to try to increase these species numbers. Some of these agencies include The National Marine Fisheries Service, The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Columbia Basin Federal Caucus. These departments work together to monitor species that are in danger and manage and conserve the fish while making their habitats a better place.They also monitor hatcheries and regulate fishing in the area.
But it is also our responsibility as well to help these species recover. Some things we can do to help increase their numbers are using safe products that won’t end up in streams and never dump harmful chemicals into streams or rivers. Report any violations and know the difference between trout and young salmon when fishing. If you happen to catch a young salmon release it safely back into its habitat. We can still reap the economic benefits while making these easy choices to keep salmon habitat safe and clean. After all these fish have been a part of our economy and environment for millions of years and if you think about it if the rivers become so bad that they become extinct it ultimately could affect our lives has humans as well.
As Christians we were given the privilege of having the resources of the environment but we are also expected to take care of what we are given. Genesis 2:15 reminds us “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it”. I am guilty of taking my environment for granted but this study has really make me think twice about that. Our environmental resources will not last if we do not take care of it. So lets take these small easy steps to do that.
Knight, S. (2000). Salmon Recovery and the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Ecology Law Quarterly, 27(3), 885.
Kolmes, S. A. (2004). Salmon Farms and Hatcheries. Environment, 46(3), 40-43.
Maynard, D., & Trial, J. (2014). The use of hatchery technology for the conservation of Pacific and Atlantic salmon. Reviews In Fish Biology & Fisheries, 24(3), 803-817. doi:10.1007/s11160-013-9341-7
Why are salmon in trouble? Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/salmonofthewest/care.htm
