It is true that the state and federal agencies have signed a fishery agreement, as Bruce provided in his link, with Tacoma regarding their hydropower license. It is also true that this "agreement in principle" is just that; it lays out the sideboards within which an offer of settlement will be drafted and sent to FERC. This is a big deal. It will have the major influence on fish management and hatchery production for the next 40 years.

There are changes afoot. The ESA requires recovery efforts for wild chinook and steelhead. We all know that nearly all salmon and steelhead in the Cowlitz are of hatchery origin, so wild runs of spring chinook and late winter run steelhead are already in the process of being restored to the upper Cowlitz upstream of the dams. (Coho, too, for that matter, but they are not listed under ESA.) I think that's good news; I hope you do too.

These changes will affect our fishing opportunities on the Cowlitz, just as it has on other river systems with fish listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA. Hatchery production will be changing, for three reasons I've heard of: 1) ESA restrictions on the production of hatchery coho (coho smolts eat wild fall chinook smolts); 2) hatchery fish management, along with the presence of the dams, is one of the factors for the decline of the runs that have been listed under ESA; 3) the hatchery is going to be renovated, and there won't be space to raise all the hatchery fish that they presently do during the re-construction.

The agencies and Tacoma have to work out a ton of details for the settlement offer by mid July. Sounds like some of you think that's a bad deal. Consider the alternative. The old license expires next year, and the Federal Power Act requires that Tacoma get a new license. The settlement agreement is one way to go. Another is for the stakeholders to send their suggestions to FERC. Then the guys at FERC in Washington D.C. decide what goes in the new license, how big a hatchery, what sort of fish passage provisions, and so on. The only leverage is that the federal fish agencies can require fish passage and ESA compliance. The hatchery is discretionary.

I think Koenings should get the best settlement he can. The hatchery is essential both for ESA recovery and any near term fishing opportunity for us.

There will be other changes in production, but they are a long way from being firmed up. The late winter steelhead are derived from the native Cowlitz stock and will have increased emphasis. The early winter runs are basic Chambers Creek brats and will be de-emphasized. One reason I heard is that early winter fishing conditions - high water from power generation - are not as favorable as late winter fishing conditions, when the river is usually more fishable. Personally, I relish the thought of hooking late winter wild steelhead in the Cowlitz. I've got an ancient black and white photo of a couple large bucks caught in the Tilton back before Mayfield Dam was built. Maybe I can re-create some history. Hope so. And I'm not so naive that I think I'll be able to keep wild steelhead; can't most places, and I release the wild ones anywhere anyway.

Summer steelhead may be decreased also. Like the Chambers, they are considered an exotic, but not as exotic since they're from Skamania. And summer water conditions are favorable for sport fishing.

There will be an emphasis on restoring wild fall chinook downstream of the barrier dam. I haven't a clue how they're going to do that.

I agree that there will likely be some near term impacts as Cowlitz guides shift their efforts elsewhere during the transition. But try to maintain a longer term outlook. The future Cowlitz should contain a mix of wild and hatchery salmon and steelhead and be a healthier ecosystem by restoring fish production in the upper river basin and replacing outdated hatchery facilities. This might be a little over the edge, but I'd like to believe that the listed fish could even be delisted. If Tacoma lives up to its commitments, and the agencies live up to theirs, then it really should be possible.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.