AN UPDATED PLAN for Elwha River hatchery chinook will be discussed in Port Angeles today.
State Fish and Wildlife will conduct the meeting about the updated draft management plan that will operate the agency’s hatchery program for Elwha chinook salmon.
The proposal, called the Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan, describes the operation of the artificial program for chinook, and the potential affects of the program on wild fish species protected by the federal Endangered Species Act, such as salmon and steelhead.
Ron Warren, regional fish program manager for the state, said the updated plan isn’t linked to the suit filed by four conservation groups in February to block Elwha hatchery programs.
The Wild Fish Conservancy, The Conservation Angler, the Federation of Fly Fishers Steelhead Committee and the Wild Steelhead Coalition brought the suit against the Olympic National Park, NOAA Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and representatives of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.
The two sides reached an interim agreement a few weeks later, in which the decision was made not to release hatchery fish in the Elwha in 2012.
But the updated plan does satisfy some of the concerns with the previous versions.
“The missing link in this is what are the monitoring and management protocols,” Rich Simms, president of the Wild Steelhead Coalition, said.
Simms said the restoration of the Elwha to a wild river after the removal of the Elwha Dam is complete appeared to be getting overshadowed by the desire to quicken the harvest.
Warren said the new hatchery plan shows the state’s commitment to management and monitoring.
“Our long-term goals are to reduce and eliminate the hatchery program,” Warren said.
He said the updated plan was developed with the help of the Hatchery Scientific Review Group, which reviewed numerous documents and consulted with the state as it adopted a new plan.
“And we will continue to seek outside and independent assistance,” Warren said.
There are too many groups and issues involved in the Elwha hatchery conflict to say that the updated plan is a step toward compromise, and it probably isn’t intended to be, Warren said.
But the updated plan and the public meeting offer an important education on the state’s hatchery program.
Warren said the public meeting gives the public an opportunity get their questions about the program answered, and learn the risks and benefits and the effect it might have on endangered species.
It also allows them to put a face on the people they will interact with when they have questions in the future.
The meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers at 321 E. 5th St. in Port Angeles. It lasts from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
It will be the second meeting on the issue.
The first was held in Mill Creek on Monday.
The state is currently accepting public comments on the new plan.
The period for public comments has been extended through Aug. 5.
Comments should be sent to Jon Anderson, either through email at jon.anderson@dfw.wa.gov or by U.S. Mail at 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA, 98501.
The updated Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan can be reviewed online on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hatcheries/hgmp.
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Outdoors columnist Lee Horton appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at lee.horton@peninsuladailynews.com.
