December 2005 Issue

Ocean Research on Salmon Survival Sheds Light on Where the Fish Go

Canadian fisheries researcher Dr. David Welch presented results (1.5m PDF) of the Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking project, which is measuring survival of salmon in the ocean. Dr. Welch said that survival of juvenile salmon to the mouth of the Columbia River, estimated at 15 percent, seems reasonable but that the percentage of adult salmon returning from the ocean, 0.5 percent, seems unreasonable. These are similar to survival rates for salmon from the Fraser River in British Columbia. Utilizing an array of detection devices on the ocean floor, the POST study will help scientists understand where salmon go in the ocean, providing information on the critical times and geographic locations where marine survival is affected. While it is too early to draw conclusions from the data, one interesting finding is that some fish simply "disappeared" from the Pacific Shelf north of Vancouver Island during their northerly migration, suggesting that some salmon may spend less time on the Pacific Shelf than currently believed.

Preserving the Benefits of the Region's Hydroelectric System

Power Division Director Terry Morlan gave Council members an update (60k PDF) on the regional discussions to decide how power from the federal hydroelectric system should be allocated. He noted that while there are still issues that need to be resolved, reaching agreement on the most critical goal--preserving the benefits of the system--is possible if Bonneville is willing to move forward on its draft policy even without complete agreement on all points by all parties. He noted that the Council should urge Bonneville to resolve these issues very soon.

Council Receives Bob Olsen Memorial Pacific Northwest Conservation Eagle Award

Sara Patton, executive director of the Northwest Energy Coalition, presented the coalition's award to the Council for its commitment to a clean and affordable energy future. In her presentation, Ms. Patton acknowledged Council members Jim Kempton and Tom Karier for their work on the Council's Fifth Power Plan. The Council's power plan calls for a significant investment in conservation—700 average megawatts between 2005 and 2009—to reduce energy costs and risks to the power system.